The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-01-28
The Shooting Vas Without Notice.
and Inpravoked.
TESTIMONY TAKEN BY CORONER.
List Of The Members Of the
Coroner's Jury.
Counsel for the State and for James
Tiilmaa Present, butdo not Take
Part in the Examination
of Witnesses.

Columbia, January 22.-"We. the
Jury, End that the deceased, n. G.
Gonzales, came to his death from a
ganshos wound inflicted by the hand
day Of January, A. D., 1908. y
This is the verdict OF the jury OF
iaeaes5 that inquired into the cause
Of the death of Mr. Gonzales. The
jury was made up as follows: Allen
Jones, foreman; Thomas Agnew, G. W.
FLOYD, Joseph 81. Epstein, T. w.
Robinson, P. 81. Lachicotte, W. j.
Keenan,, j. ". Gibbes, J. NJ. Daniels,
e. B. RaWIs, W. D. Love, J.. E.
ShIa, Z. r. Levin and 3. B. Clark.
There we're about a hundred citi-
zens IN the Court room. The coro-
ner,s inquest is simply to inquire into
the canSe of death and not to try the
merits. Of Che case. Coroner Green,
therefore, did. not undertake to go
into minutiae Of the case, but simply
took the eYidence Of q few who were
most familiar with the case.
Solicitor Thurmoad was present, but
took no part in the inquiry, and Gen.
". Duncan Bellinger, who retires
from the: Attorney Generals Office,
was present as counsel engaged for
the prosecution. Mr.. Cole L. Blease
was the Only counsel for Col. Tillman
present None OF the counsel had any
thing to sag and the inquiry was con-
duc5ed solely by Coroner Green.
There Is. no need TO comment on the
evidence that was offered. It is plain
enough and Tie effort OF this CORES
pendent has always been to give facts.
The large revolver and the magazine
pistol which did the fatal work were
exhibited in evidence, and the maga-
zine pistol attracted much attention.
The most striking and direct eVl-
denee taken tonight was that Of Sena-
tor Thomas Talbird, who was walking
with Col. James 81. Tillman when he
frsd into Mr.. Gonzales. His testi-
rneny is brief and is as follows:
Thomas Taibird, sworn:
Coroner Green: Mr. Talbird, you
are a Senator?''
Yes, sir. -
From what county,"
g Beaufort. -
Please state to Mr.. Foreman and
the gentlemen of the jury what you
know about this matter.
Senator Talbird: ttsGovernor Till
man and myself started down from
The State House. Governor Tillman
was in the middle, Senator Brown
was OF the inside and I was on the
outside. When We got opposite the
transfer station / saw Mr.. Gonzales
approachipg, coming in the direction
as if going up the street. Called
down The Street in Columbia. We
were going down and we we're meeting
him. I did not see him until he was
IN about ten or thirteen feet OF Us.
He had on his oveycoat, bUttoned up,
and his hands in the pockets OF his
eyercoat. -
= In his .ovarcoat pocket,
a Yes, sir, both hands in his pockets.
When he approached g little nearer /
heard Governor Tillman say: How
are you, Hr. Gonzales, or something
to that effect. Mr.. Gonzales without
paying any attention to the remark,
oblioued TO the left, as If to pass Us
on the inside. I did not notice him
aBy further until he gos nearly on a
line with rs and I heard the remark
uttered By Governor Tillman, I re-
ceiYed your message, and (snapping
angers) the shot was fred almost 81
mnltaneousIy with the remark. [
then rushed across the sidewalk to
Mr.. Gonzales. / said. This thing
must stop. Got up to his side. My
face was turned to him and my back
was TO Governor Tillman, who, I
think went off into the gulley; he
vent in that direction. Mr.. Gonzales
then said, If he made step forward
II am not sure as TO that, but that
is my impression-and said: Here l
am finish me- I then looked across
the street. I saw Governor Tillman
walking across the street with a pistol
in his hand, pointing down: pistol in
his right hand with his eyes turned
sin our direction. Mr.. Gonzales then
snrned and walked down Meeting street
and turned up Gervais street, l with
him. After he got on the corner he
turned around and said: ] am shot in
the stomach send for doctor" l re-
marked that
did you say Meeting street or
Main street?''
sOb, Main street, I suppose; /
meant to say Main street. | am shot
in. the stomch send for doctor I
remarked: i do not think you are
shot in the stomach I said, L do
not think So. He said, yes, l am
shot in the stomach; send for doctor.
Two gentlemen came up, one on each
side of him; took his arm and walked
MIN down to his Office.
MIR. Talbird, about what time in
the day was this?''
al would say it was in the neigh
borhood. Of 2 O'Clock. It may have
been little before or little after. -
Juror: Senator Talbird, you say
you saw Mr. Gonzales with his hands
in his overcoat pockets?''
Juror: .eDid you see any part Of bis
hand outside Of his coat pocketss''
''I do not particularly notice that; l
did not notice it. I was looking more
at his face than at his hands. I was
not expecting anything
Juror: when Mr.. Tillman said,
Howdy do, Mr.. Gonzales, he walked
on"
"FIe took no notice of it; he OBJ