The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-01-28
SOUTH GAROLINA'S SHAME.
Comments of the Press On the
Assassination of Editor Con
zales by Lieutenant Gov
ernor Tillman.

zales by Lieutenant Gov
ernor Tillman.
Tillmanism has again brought the
State of South Carolina into con-
tempt. The lieutenant governor Of
the State, Tillman by name, armed
himself with two revolvers and went
out for blood. He was at enmity
with Editor Gonzales, Of the Colum-
bia State, but the provocation was
old, and so the act of the lieutenant
governor was deliberate. He violated
the law first of al! when be went out
on the streets with concealed weap-
ons in his pocket. Then meeting
his enemy on the public streets, a
courageous, unarmed man, he fired
upon him with view of taking his
life. He shot hole through the edi-
tors body, and was about to shoot
again, but his nerve seemed to fail
him when Gonzales looked him in
the face and called him coward and
dared him to fire another bullet.
Tillmanism has been blight upon
this noble State from the day that
it showed its ugly head. It is sur
prising to US that the good people Of
the State do not rise up in their
might and crush it, and retire every
man of the name from public life
Richmond Times.
The spectacle of the lieutenant gov
ernor of a State, after assassinating
an unarmed victim on the public
streets, trembling in prison lest he be
lynched is indeed edifying. Apart
from the horror of the tragedy at Co.
lumbia, which casts deep discredit
upon the State, it is important to
note that the commonwealth now pre-
serves on its statute books a law which
forbids the carrying Of concealed
weapons. Yet here was the second
officer in the state, presiding officer OF
its highest legislative body, himself
participant in the great law-making
process. armed with two deadly weap-
ons and using one of them with NOR
tai effect. Are the makers of the laws
immune from their operation. Wash
ington Star.
The shooting of Editor Gonzales by
Lieutenant Governor Tillman at Co
lumbia, is regarded as atrocious even
for South Carolinian standards, since
prompt measures had to be taken to
prevent the lynching of the prisoner.
What is wanted next is fair trial of
Tillman and legal punishment-execu-
tion by hanging if Gonzales dies, i'm
prisonment for term of years If he
recovers. But we doubt whether
either penalty will be inflicted. Seve-
raj years ago the most distinguished
editor in the State man of high
character, was assassinated in Charles
ton in broad daylight by man whose
degraded propensities had been inter
fered with by the editor, not IN the
columns of his newspaper, but IN the
course of his duty as a citizen. The
assassin received no adequate punish
ment. If this murderer had been hang
ed, as he richly deserved to be, Con
zales would probably have been able
to walk the streets of Columbia with
out danger of falling by coward shot,
and Tillman would not now be in need
of protection against lynchers.-New
York Post.
The shooting of Editor Gonzales by
Lieutenant Governor Tillman at 20
lumbia was most deplorab1e affair
from every standpoint. Without pre-
suming to go into the merits Of the
controversy that led up to it, the deed
within itself, was cowardly and despl-
cable. There is no proyocation that
iusti6es a man in shooting in cold
blood an unarmed, defenseless fellow
being. And, again, man holding the
second highest Office in the gift Of the
State, sworn to preserve and enforce
the law, went armed, in defiance of
the law. Charlotte News.
The attack and attempted murder
and probable assassination of Editor
Gonzales, of the Colubmia State, by
Lieutenant Governor James Il. Till
man, of South Carolina, is the legiti-
mate product of Tillmanism. The
nephew James, with his long range
pistol, and his shorter range, No. 80,
is the more up-to- date, as compared to
Uncle Ben, the United States senator
from South Carolina, with his "pitch
fork Of blasphemy ana Vltuperatlon..
The one, cowardly shoots an unarmed
man, the other may net take life but
incites to desperate action, and leaves
the trail of the serpent, to breed dis
cord and disaster. Bern Journal.
All the accounts of the deplorable
affair tend to show that the murderous
assault was premediated-not only
premediated, but the most suitable
time chosen when the assassin would
be in least danger of any bodily harm
to himself by reason of his intended
victim being prepared to act in self
efense.-Wilmington Messenger.
South Carolina has a splendid oppor-
tunity to turn new page in the vim
dication of her good name and the
law by melting out to Til)man the full
penalty for his crime. If the slayer
of Gonzales had been negro he would