Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1903-10-09
JMAES TILLMAN
ON TRIAL

The prosecution of James H. Till
man for the murder of Narcisso G.
Gonzales, editor of the Columbia State
on January 18th has concluded their
case.
/ DR.. J. H. Mcintosh, Columbia ply
stefan said he saw Mr.. Gonzales in the
Office of The State after the shooting
and that he rode with him in the am
bulance from that office to the hospital
They were alone in the ambulance, he
said.
Asked by the solicitor if Mr.. Gonzales
said anything on the way to the hos
pital the witness said Gonzales looked
about to see If any one else was present
then said that he wanted witness to
say frankly if he was MORALLY wound
ed. Witness said he told Gonzales that
he was afraid he was mortally wound
ed. Gonzales then said, the doctor tes-
tified
Eyes, l think that fellow got me"
The doctor then told of the course
of treatment pursued.
Witness was asked as to the mental
condition of Gonzales from the time he
first saw him up to the time he was
placed under an anesthetic at the hos
pital. He replied that Gonzales was
calm, and clear in mind.
]. A. Hoyt, Jr., of the editorial staff
of The State. said he saw Mr.. Con
zales in the Office of the The State soon
after the shooting. He was continu-
ously with Mr.. Gonzales until he was
carried to the hospital. Mr.. Hoyt was
asked if Gonzales said anything to him
at that time relative to his condition.
YES" said the witness, "he said af-
ter his wife left that he was afraid
he would die before his wife got there"
The witness was then asked if Mr..
Gonzales made any statement to him
at that time, the witness replying that
Gonzales had told him about the shoot
! ing Objection was raised by the de-
Tense to the admission of the state
ment and a lengthy argument lasting
| for about two and half hours ensued.
The defense contended that the state
| ment was not admissible as dying
declaration, dwelling on the testimony
of DR.. Griffith, one of the physicians
who assisted in the case, and who had
testified that GonzaIes smiled when he
gave him some encouragement as to
his condition when he was in the office
of The State.
Counsel for the state contended that
the testimony of witnesses showed that
Gonzales believed death to be immi-
nent
The testimony given by M. G. Wal
lace, a compositor on The State who
preceded Mr.. Hoyt on the stand was to
the effect that Mr.. Gonzales told him
while lying in the office of The State
something to the effect that he coulo
not live
Judge Gray decided that the state
ment which Mr.. Hoyt said Gonzales
made to him was admissible, holding
that all the requirements of law rela-
tive to the admission of dying decla-
ration had been met. The defense then
objected to the Introduction of verbal
statement il there were any written
statements made by Gonzales.
Mr.. Hoyt said Mr.. Gonzales made the
following statement to him:
s'He said that he had left The State
ojce to go to dinner, he was walking
along Main street towards the state
capitol, and he got nearly to the city
| railway transfer station when he saw
Jim Tillman coming from the capitol
with two men whom he did not recog-
nize; he said there were several people
standing around the corner, and that
e saw il he Kept on his course along
the edge of the pavement he would
crush against these men, and, to avoid.
them, he cut diagonally across the
-ransfer station, and as he was going
across he saw Gilman pull big pistol
and shoot. He said that he turned and
faced him and exclaimed, Shoot again,
you coward. You have killed me- He
looked Tillman in the face and Tillman
held the pistol at him, but did not
shoot; he said that some gentlemen
ran up and helped him: he said that
just about the time Tillman shot-that
he, Tillman, exclaimed / have done
What you said. or i have taken you
at your word, or something like that. !.
Mr. Hoyt was questioned on cross
examination by Mr. Nelson as to his
feelings toward the defendant.
Q-"Your feelings towards him are
very bitter, arn't they? Don't you
feel very revengeful about him?"
A-"Well don't think l harbor ven
geance against anybody"
Q-"You don't feel hostile towards
him."