The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-01-29


OF the State, by Jim Tillman was a
most deplorable calamity. The
death of Mr.. Gonzales is great loss
to the State. He was an honest,
brave, cultured and patriotic man
the most brilliant editor the State of
South Carolina has had since the
lamentable death of F. W. Dawson in
1899.
Spartanburg Jorunal.
Jim Tillman became a candidate
for the highest office in the gift OF the
State and thereby offered his black
ened reputation to the people topass
Judgment on The editor exposed it
and in so doing was seconded by the
whole of the respectable press OF the
the State The unworthy aspirant,
whose very candidacy was an insult
to the manhood of South Carolina.
was buried beneath an avalanche of
ballots. receiving scarcely One-siXth
OF he total vote. and was consigned
to an oblivion, the principal virtue
of which. even for himself. was the
fact that he would never be heard OF
again. But he is heard OF again and
it is as the cowardly assassin of the
man whose criticism he invited. He
meets his unarmed opponent quietly
walking the streets Of Columbia.
Without word, without a quarrel,
without anything but the ranking
hatred against the man who had
substantiated every charge made
against him. he shoots him down
like dog. This was the one act of
monumental infamy, and his name
will 90 down in the history of the
State linked with all that is craven,
cowardly and unmanly.
Charleston News and Courier
1t is said that the assault was the
long delayed consequence of Mr. Con
zales' severe criticism. of Mr.. Tillman
in the campaign for governor at the
Democratic primaries last year.
These criticisms were made more
| than six months ago, and excited
much comment then. They were not
resented. however, at the time they
were printed, and the general public
had apparently forgotten them.
There must have been some other
thought in the Lieutenant-GOver
nOr's mind than the settlement of
these old scores; it could hardly have
been his deliberate purpose to obtain
satisfaction from his enemy without
giving him a chancellor his life. Sure
ly he could not have contemplated
his deed in cold blood. We have not
the heart to express today the full
measure of our sympathy with the
victim of this tragedy. We have
not agreed often with his policies,
but we have never doubted for mo-
ment his entire devotion to what he
conceived to be the best interests of
the State He had the courage of
his convictions, he did not fear to be
on the weak and losing side, and his
easy and graceful pen had behind it
the force of a good conscience.
Greenvile Mountaineer.
| Under any circumstances this trag-
edy would be deplorable, but if the
shooting had taken place when the
victim was apprised of it's coming
the situation would be quite differ
ent. No amount of sophistry can
hide the fact that Tillman acted cow
ardly in shooting at the time he did.
The fact that Mr. Gonzales had as
sailed through his newspaper the
character of Tillman in the last cam
paign is not the slightest extenua-
tiOn for a deliberate murder six or
eight months afterwards. This is
the plain and unqualified opinion OF
those who are not preiudiced against
the editor of the State, and it will
be the verdict of the public in the
months and the years to come. Mr.
Gonzales has been fearless in de.
nouncing wickedness in high places
and whatever criticism may attach
to his exposure of James H, Tillman
it cannot be said that he did not per
NIT Tillman's defence to appear il
his newspaper, as the report of Till
mans replies on the stump, including
abuse of Gonzales, came out regular
ly as the campaign progressed
Months had rolled around and not {
word had passed between them unit
Tillman took advantage of his posi-
ton and fired the fatal shot.
Charleston Evening Post.
Such n frightful deed as wa
wrought in Columbia when the Lieu
tenant-GOvernOr of South Carolina
James II. Tillman, shot down OF
the streets and killed N. e. Gonzales
one of the best ornaments of tn
newspaper profession in the South
shocks one almost to dumbness. Ant
when expression is found it is hare
to confine it to calm words, so hide
Gus and woeful a thing is the TRACE
dy, viewed from any aspect. Armet
with two murderous weapons, tn
second ranking executive officer Q
the State of South Carolina, havin!
but moment before put off his OF
fetal robe in the Senate chamber
where he presides, within the shade,
of the capitol where the laws of tn
State are made, shot down and kille
an unarmed man with whom he ha
had a private quarrel. Within fiv
- days he would have heen a privat
citizen again himself, and whateve
? evil he might have done would hav
n been his own reproach alone. NO'
ae South Carolina must bear a part {
,r ,r it. For the cruelty stricken man who
e. while yet staggering from the stealth
is wound, cowed his assassin by his fin
y courage and seathing contempt,
"A food of sympathy will pour ou
ar from the whole State and from
e wide section of the land which know
lie him through his able and consciel
" tious writings. He had been a bri
is liant figure in the newspaper world {
South Carolina, and his reputatio
Y has spread beyond and enhanced tt
respect of his State.
Greenville News.
In the eyes of the people of Sout