The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-10-21

furthur delay, as Tie WALL involved an
unnecessary strain. with this, Mr..
Koon, the foreman of the jury, arose
and handed the Indictment to Mr..
George, the clerk of the Court.
Zone minute" Mr.. Clerk, said
Judge Gary: Sheriff, if any one in
this Court room makes any demon
stration, or if there is any violation of
the rules of Court, you will make a
prompt arrest and bring the party be-
fore me, and I will deal with the case.
There must be no demonstration in
this Court
CLERK GEORGE READS: NOT
GUILTY"
Then Judge Gary permitted the
clerk of Court to read the verdict of
'Not guilty.. The closeness of the
warning of Judge Gary and the read
ing of the verdict no doubt did much
to keep down any hurrahing, but there
was some enthusiastic friend who
could not restrain bis JOY and gave one
good, hard cheer, but nothing was
done with him. As soon as the verdict
was announced Col. Croft and the
other members of counsel for the de-
fence gathered around COL Tillman
and congratulated him warmly upon
his acquittal.
COL. TILLMAN CONGRATULATED.
Quite a number Of Col. Tillman's
kinSmen have been devoted and con-
slant in their attendance upon the
Court, and they followed counsel in
their congratulations to Col. Tillman
For five or ten minutes the whole
Court was given over to Col. Tillman.
The members Of counsel for the de-
fence then went to the jury that sat
nearby aud extended their personal
thanks for the verdict, and later on
Col. Tillman himself went over to the
jury and shook hands with each
member that had given him his liber-
ty. 1t was while going from one jury
man to the other that Col. Till
man seemed to most show his appreci-
alton of bis liberty, because his eyes
began to water just bit. From the
jury Col. Tillman walked over and
shook hands with Judge Gary.
RELEASED FROM CUSTODY.
It took only few minutes to draw
up the formal order releasing James
H. Tillman from the custody OF the
sheriffs Of Richlaud and Lexington
counties, as the result Of the acquit-
tai. While this formal order was be-
ing prepared Mr.. George, the clerk Of
Court, took the two pistols, those Till
man wore on the Gay OF the tragedy,
out of his drawer to hand them to Col.
Tillman, and as he did SO Col. Tillman
waved both Of his hands, as if to spurn
the offer, and said; Il never want to
see those things again" There were
many requests from those around for
the right to own Of these weapons,
but the smaller pistols was sent to it's
owner.
The Luger magazine pistol, from
which the fatal shot was fired, was
taken off by relative OF Col. Tillman,
who wished to exhibit it in Augusta.
Judge Gary, before signing the order
releasing Col Tillman. asked the State
if there was any objection to his sign
ing such release, and after he was
told that there was not. the order
was signed and Col. Tillman left the
Court room, surrounded by about fifty
of bis friends and relatives.
There were no ladies in the Court
room al the time the verdict was read.
Mrs. James H. Tillman was in the
parl0r Of the residence portion OF the
Jail, awaiting the return Of her hus-
band, and as soon as Col. Tiilman had
gone into the jail to See his wife he
left there with her To go and see his
mother, WHO was at the kamlner
Hotel, but she met him on the street,
between the j Ill and the hotel, and,
throwing her arms around her son,
welcomed him back to freedom. Col.
riilman then went into the hotel,
wurre he had a regular levee offrlendS
aud relatives.
LEFT FOR EDGEFELD.
Col. Tillman was invited to dine,
and after that he arranged for his
mother. Mrs Norris, his mother-in-
law, aud his wife. his little girl ana
himself to leave Lexington on the 5
O'Clock train and go to Edgeheld,
where he proposes to resume The prac-
tice of law. He said Thursday after
noon it was too early for him to talk
about his plans, but the prospects are
that he will remain at Edgeheld and
practice law there if be can so arrange
it. He might stop over at Trenton
and see Mrs. B. R. Tillman, who was
severaly wounded in runaway acci-
dent several days ago.
During the progress Of the trial for
some reasons the jurors refused TO al
low themselves to be photogra phed,
but Thursday afternoon they careful
ly arranged to have group picture
taken. Most of them left Lexington
Oh UllS dl USluUUIl CldIu 4Ol ILOAl hOiAISo
in the various parts OF the county.
SOME Apostle REFLECTIONS.
Is the time ever coming in South
Carolina when there will be a return
to reason, and when politics and pas
sion will not be dominant?
Perhaps the trial of James Fl. Till
man and his acquittal will so tend to
draw public attention to the condl-
tions in this State, to the jurieS, to
the laws the sway of passion and poll
tics that the life of n. G. Gonzales
will have been lost to some good for
his native State.
Col. Tillman shot Mr.. Gonzales in
Columbia on January 10, 1903, and he
has been in Jail in Columbia and Lex
ington since that time-ten months
in all, and even that is more punish
ment than some folks thought he
Vn,1lS receive