The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1903-10-02
TRIAL OF JAMES II. TILLMAN.
Was The Killing of Gonzales Murderb or
Was 1t NOt-Jury Empanelled In Lex
ingtOn to Decide the Issue
News and Courier.

| I'~Nf''"''o' ~ oaiIleS IL. IlllulHn
has been held to Judgment. In the
name Of the law he must answer to
the people. Eight months ago he
met his neighbor, the neighbor of
every citizen of South Carolina who
is inspired by patriotic purpose, who
loves clean, right living; who rejoices
III fierce, fair fighting, who has
big, tender, courageous heart; he met
his neighbor in the way and slew
him. That much all mon know. The
Court, the prosecution, the defence
all acknowledge this one gaunt fact
Even the tict,ons of the law take cog
nizance of it without demanding
| proof. 1t is true the dead toll no
tales, bear no witness, make no pro-
test, weep no tears, coudemn no man.
Bnt N. q. Gonzales WAS killed by
james H. TilIman. Is not the grave
| thore i'll Columbian The men and
women who knew and esteemed and
loved its occupant will build over it
a monument in testimony of the fact
that the life he lived was worth the
living, that the work he did WAS
worth the doing, that the dea,h he
died, be it murder or be it mere
tragedy, was tte occasion for pro-
found public sorrow.
Since then the spring ana it's
flowers have withered before the
lierc" suns OF summer, and the gar
nering time is at hand An appro
print" sesA"n for gathering in the
fruits Of thn decd done in the body,
no lrss thar tn" increase of field and
forest. So james II. Tillman Joins
the multitude Of husbandmen and
comes to the harvest of his doing.
Clothed in Judgment, his fellow citi-
zens are to declare whether he has
clean hands and a bloodguiltless
heart; whether he shall return un-
spotted to the bosom of society, or
whe' her he shall go to the goal or
tho gallows. That he has slain his
brother is known of all men, but it
must be determined by code, preced-
ent, practice, quibble, argument, evi-
dence, sympatEey, prejndice--all the
lnl1nencas that enter into a public
trial whether he ia a criminal or
whether he is merely the victim of an
untoward fortune that ordained
sorrow making deed. Marvellous
indeed are the iictions of the law,
that relentless nemesis TO which
society has given dominion over itself.
Piling themselves upon Pelion Ossa
wise, they have ovcrrun the statute
books and Possessed tho minds of
men. Founded, doubtless, IN abs.
tract equity, they brook no question
of the universally of their applica-
tion. TO the patriarch of old it is
written, "Were words more potent
than the mandates of Kings?" Today,
too, they embody the most sacred
revelations of the law. High priests
Of tha woulsack salaam before them
No, 'It is written," "That every man
IL Innocent nntil proven guilty" Be
his transgression never 80 notorious,
a matter of common report, he is
immaculate in the eyes of Justice
until his iniquity has been reduced
to parchment, bound with red tare
and neatly pigeon holed. A wholly
repngnant thing to the law is the
doctr'n" of total depravity. In the
creods Of the Courts the world is
peop!ed with lsrnoltes, in whom
there is no guilt. Now in the days
OF tbe fathers if a man met his
brother in the way or the wilderness
and slew him, the.guilt of blood was
upon him. 1t was the duty Of tho
avenger TO execute upon him the rigor
of his Office. Blood repaid blood with
swift lnevitabieness. But the times
hav" changed and tho hnman sonse
OF jnSt'c'' or rather, the human prac !
t'cn OF Jls'ir", haa changed with