Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-10-02
aHisfeltaneal1s geadins.
SOME SIDELIGHTS.
Remarkable Condolences In connee-
+inn With tho .TiIIman Trial.

Remarkable CoincIdences In Connee-
tion With tho ,TiIIman Trial.
When the case Of the State VS.. Jas.
H. Tillman was called in the Lexing-
ton court Monday there was lineup
of attorneys on each side who with
the presiding judge and general sur
roundings combined some features
that when aggregated are interesting
to the careful student or observer Of
daiIy events. The case Is a local one
in some respects everywhere in the
state and the news from there is alb
sorbing local interest and nearly every
town and locality Of the state Is IN
some way interested In the trial.
There are many coincident features
connected with the case. For instance:
T T. Sloan, a witness in the case, F.
B. Gary, the Judge, and Cole L. Blease,
an attorney for the defense, were all
candidates at the last election to sue
ceed the prisoner as lieutenant gov
ernor. Thurmond, who will conduct
the prosecution, was for several years
the law partner Of the prisoner. He
has ever been the warm supporter of
the prisoner in politics and they are
vet intimate friends. Solicitor Thur
mond only a few years ago, and while
he was solicitor, stood trial for killing
a man in Edgefield. He came clear
and held to his Office. Jim Tillman
defended him. There will be some pol
itics in the trial as there always Is
in such cases. w. H. Sharpe, state
senator from Lexington, and one OF
Tillman's attorneys Is a candidate to
succeed Thurmond as solicitor. He
was a candidate for comptroller gen.
eral last year. George r. Rembert,
another Of Tillman's attorneys, and E.
l.. Asbill, a state attorney, are both
said to have eyes on Thurmond's Job,
and will probably enter the race for
solicitor at the next election.
Ex-Attorney General Bellinger, a
leading counsel for the State, was
candidate at the last election for con-
gress from the district comprising
Edgefield and Aiken. He was opposed
and defeated by about a dozen votes
by George w. Croft, Tillman's law
partner and the leading attorney for
the defense. The campaign between
Croft and Bellinger developed consid-
erable personal feeling which may be
carried into this trial.
One attorney on each side will have
had a personal experience as defen-
dant in murder trial; Solicitor Thur
mond on the prosecution and George
Johnstone on the defense. Both Of
them have faced the bar Of justice
with their lives at stake and both came
clear. e. L. Asbill, counsel for the
State was shot several years ago. and
for several months he hung between
life and death. He had personal ex-
perience at the other end Of the gun,
and may be able to do more than 9TH
wise because Of it. The defendants
father once stood trial for murder at
Edgefeld, not far from where the son
Is now arraigned. To those who say
that even If Tillman is acquitted he
will have met his death politically,
need but to review the history Of Geo.
D. Tillman. He came clear and enter
ed upon a long and eventful career
But he was ever afterwards haunted
by the face of the man he had slain,
and was led to say that the conscious
fact of having taken the life Of
human being was sufficient punish
ment for the cruelest Of murders. He
was punished throughout his life, and
he ever afterwards took care Of the
dead mans widow and children.
The last murder trial Of any note
that occurred at Lexington was prob
ably the most noted one preceding the
one now in progress. and it occurred
under somewhat similar conditions.
It was that Of Bob Jones, the Edge
field farmer, who one afternoon In
rage took the lives Of his wife's grand
father and two Of her uncles. The
trial took place about fifteen years
ago. Repeated efforts had been made
to try Jones at Edgefeld, each effort
resulting in a mistrial. Finally the
case was removed to Lexington and
Jones was found guilty of manslaugh-
ter and sentenced to twenty-one years
in the penitentiary. He was torn
from his young wife (who with all her
family had stuck to him despite the
fact Of his killing her relatives) and
children and was hurried away to
prison where he yet remains, though
his wife and two Of his children have
since died. The little town Of Lexing-
ton was flooded by visitors at that trial
as it Is at this and the little court
house would not near hold the many
onookers. Judge VIM. T. Gary, now
of Augusta, a relative Of the judge
now presiding in the Tillman case,
was the leading counsel In defense of
Jones. The trial occurred about fif-
teen or sixteen years ago, and from
then until now no such crowds have
ever been in Lexington as are there
at this time.
r.. C. Sturkie Of Lexington is prob
ably the youngest lawyer interested.
He is for the State. He has been at
the bar but three years and was a
member of the firm of Muller &
Sturkie, but Muller died only few
days ago.
Geo. Tillman Graham of Lexington,
attorney for Tillman. is another young
attorney interested. VIM. Elliott, Jr.,
son of ex-Congressman Elliott and a
cousin of Editor Gonzales. the deceas-
ed, is another young attorney who will