The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-02-01
GONZALES SHOOTING MAY
BREED POLITICAL STRIFE
II Is Believed That Former Lieutenant Governor Tillman Will Event
ualy Go Unpunshed-Men of Good Families in South Caro-
lima Are Seldom Convicted of Capital Crimes.
First Session of Court at Which
Case Could Be Tried Will Con
vene at Columbia in April.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
Columbia, S. c., Jan. Sit is generally
| conceded that the killing Of Editor N. G..
Gonzales by Lieutenant Governor James H.
| Tillman is the most serious offense that has
been committed in this State within the
last twenty years.
The two principals to the tragedy were
among the most prominent men of the State
one the editor of the leading exponent of
the conservative element, or. rather, that
part of the Democratic voters of South
Carolina persistently and consistently OPP
posed to T~illmanism, or what Tillmanism
stood for. that is. the overthrow of the old
time regime in. this State.
On the other hand, Tillman is the nephew
of United States Senator Benjamin r. Till
man. He was Colonel of the First South
Carolina Regiment for a part Of the time
that it was in the service in the Spanish
American War, and recently he has served
a term as Lieutenant Governor, having
been elected to that position by the Demo-
cratic voters of the State against three or
four competitors. and in the last race for
Governor of South Carolina he received
thousands of Democratic votes. and there
fore, whether he be regarded as an unfit
representative of the people of the State
or not. he still was voted for by thou
sands of people who knew the man. because
it was for this r~eason-the publicity that
was given to the character and reputation
of Jim Tillman-that Gonzales was shot.
CLAIMS HE WAS BOUNDED.
The general defense of Lieutenant Gov
last campaign for Governor. in which Till.
man was a candidate, Mr.. Gonzales carried
his opposition to Tillman too far. and that
he actually bounded" the man. They say
that 1t was all right for Gonzales to have
opposed Tillman. but that it was not l-
Ultimate for Gonzales to have denominated
hfrn nrAraI sttar' n ri 70 r n " a
thief" a criminal candidate. a "debauche"
and other things.
Mr.. Gonzales. cantended that he did this
because of the duty that he owned his State,
to save 1t from such a candi-
date" being elected.
He insisted that it was distasteful to him
to attack the character and reputation of
any one, but that he could prove his
charges. and did prove them. because Till
man did not undertake to reply to each
and every one of the charges that he had
made against his character and reputation.
The friends of Tillman say that Gonzales
gave Tillman sufficient and ample provoca-
ton to kill him. and that just as soon as
Tillman saw Gonzales he shot him. and
shot to kill, and that there Is no use TO
confuse the issue. because the whole situa-
tion is that Tillman was outraged by the
editorials of the State. and that he SIMPLY
made up his mind to kill Mr.. Gonzales and
did so.
Tillman himself. however, does not seem
TO take this position. His counsel avoid
anything so extremely radical, because the
tCllOTldlS dDpNdItu III Nv a AAo khN
month of August. which was the time of the
last primary, and they agree with other
folks that If Tillman intended to resent the
editorials that he should have done SO at
that time. and not have allowed six months
to intervene.
They take the position that Mr.. Gonzales
and Mr.. Tillman were sworn enemies, and
that Tillman expected Gonzales to be
armed and expected to have a street fight
upon the first encounter. They hold that
Gonzales had his hands in his rockets, and
that Tillman thought that Gonzales had his
hand on his pistol and intended to fire from
the coat pocket. and on such a supposition
he drew his revolver and fired on Mr..
Gonzales.
GONZALES WAS UNARMED.
As a matter of fact Mr.. Gonzales was I'M
armed, and had no idea of any encounter
fact Mr.. Gonzales was not in the habit of
carrying weapons. and had not done so. He
in his dying statement said that he had met
Tillman at least two or three times and that
the part of either party to say or do any.
thing, and that he thought that Tillman had
consented to let the matter pass with the
voice of the people at the ballet box. The
outside world is. perhaps, more interested in
what will be the final determination Of this
case than any other phase of 1t. =
1t is exceptionally difficult to say what
will be the final result. Immediately after
the shooting when 1t was thought that Mr..
Gonzales was fatally injured, a general inn
that Lieutenant Governor Tllman would go
unframed. To-day the sentiment is growing
against Tfllman. not SO much because OF
the shooting itself. but because of the man.
ner in which 1t was done and because of the
high official position Tillman held. which
ought to have meant his Observance Of the
laws.
There are. however. many people who are