The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-09-29
TILLMAN ON TRIAL
HIS LIFE MAY PAY FORFEIT FOR
KILLING GONZALES.
LEGAL BATTLES IN PROSPECT.
SIX LAWYERS WILL PROSECUTE
AND ELEVEN DEFEND.

Defendants Mother and His Wife in
COurt-Court to Sit EARLY and Late
TIL Trial Is Ended-TiIIman Calm.
Entered Plea of "Not Guilty"
Jury Made Up of Men from CQun-
try and the MilIs-GOnzaIes' bull
Iet-Punctured Clothes shown.
Two Hundred witnesses to Be
HeaE&
Lexington, S. c., Sept. 2s.-James H.
Tillman, former lieutenant governor of
South Carolina, was placed on trial
here to-day in the Circuit Court for
Lexington county, under an indict-
ment, charging him with the murder
of N. G. Gonzales, editor of the CO.
lumbia State.
Judge Frank B. Gary presiding, it
was II o'clock when the solicitor for
this circuit. ]. w. Thurmond. an
nounced that the state was ready to
proceed with the trial of the case, and
by the time the midday recess was
taken at 100 o'clock the defendant
had been arraigned, a jury drawn and
charged, and all was in readiness for
the introduction of testimony
There was every indication earlier
that a jury could not be secured to-
day The court room was well filled,
but not crowded. Probably never in
the history of this judicial circuit has
there been so great an array of coun-
sci engaged in the trial of case in
the circuit, or perhaps in the entire
state, as in the trial of the former
lieutenant governor. The solicitor is
assisted by five attorneys, while the
defendant has eleven lawyers with G.
w. Croft, a representative In Con-
gress from Aiken, as chief counsel,
conducting the defense.
Wife and Mother in Court.
Mrs. j. H. Tillman and the mother
of the defendant were present at the
opening of the court, and remained
throughout the days session, occupy
ing seats within the railing.
A vigorously contested legal battle is
in prospect. In fact, it was manifested
at the very outset of the trial that
every inch of the ground is to be con-
tested. Nevertheless, the case proceed
ed rapidly to-day.
Immediately upon recovering at
o'clock this afternoon the examination
of witnesses was begun and when court
adjourned six witnesses had testified.
Beginning tomorrow court will sit
early and late, and the trial pushed to
a conclusion at the earliest date.
The defense having announced its
readiness to go to trial, the defendant,
who was in anti-room, where he had
been in consultation with his attorneys
prior to the calling of his case, was
brought into court and directed to stand
in the dock when he was arraigned in
accordance with the law and custom
of this court.
TiIlman Plead mot Guilty"
He was calm. and when asked to
plead replied in clear and firm voice:
Not guilty"
The indictment charges the carry
ing of concealed weapons as well as
the more serious violation of law
MIR. Tillman took a seat close to nus
ATTORNEYS where he listened intentiy
to the proceedings. When the court
directed the empanelling of jury,
6-year-old boy drew from hat IN
which had been placed the names of
those composing the panel. a slip of
paper bearing a juror who was called
and accepted.
1t was not until o'clock that sec
ond was secured, and there was every
indication that a jury could not bs
teen minutes the jury was completed.
The jury will not be permitted to
separate until a verdict is rendered.
Men from the country. and from the
mills compose the jury. The state
objected to five of the panel, and the
defense to ten.
Policeman First Witness.
G. E. Boland. a member of the CO.
lunbia police force. was the first wit
ness called by the state. He said
he took Tillman to the police station
in Columbia from the scene of the
shooting on Jan. Is. describing where
Tillman was standing in the street with
refence to Gonzales.
He testified that Tillman said to
him: Il received Gonzales message
The witness said he asked Tillman:
Did you shoot Gonzales?" to which
he said Tillman replied that he did.
He said the defendant carried a pistol
in his hand, and that another was
found in his pocket when the station
was reached. Tillman. he said. wanted
to keep the pistol until the station was
reached for his protection, but witness
insisted on taking it. He said Till
man was walking diagonally across
the street when he first saw him. and
looking toward Gonzales.
TiI1man's Pistols shown.
The two pistols were exhibited to the
witness for the purpose of Identified
ton. One was an automatic pistol. the
one which the witness said Tillman
neld In his hand. On cross-examina-
ton he said Tlllman submitted quietly
TO accompanying him to the station.
w. II. Coleman, sheriff Of Richland
county In which Columbia Is located.
identified the pistols as those turned
over 10 him
J. r. Walker. clerk OF Richland coun-
~ was asked TO demonstrate TO the
Jury the working OF the automatic pis-
loI An oYercoat and a suit OF clothes
were exhibited which were Identified
py J. A. Hoyt Jr.. and l.. c. wood
~. members Of the editorial stan OF
ne state, ~ garments worn BY Mr.
"a