The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-01-28
THE GONZALES INQUEST.

THE GONZALES INQUEST.
TesiImony Taken BY the Coroner u
Colum bia-Liss Of tho Members q
the Coroner's Jury-COuasel To
the state and for yamcs Tilams
Pressas-The Testimony Not d
Except That Senator Talbir'
Rwenrs That Goosaies Made u
Resnark After he Was Ahot.
Columbia, January as.-Specisl: 1--WE, th
jury, 6nd that The deceased, n. q. Gobxalei
came 70 hi. death from ga3snot .,, W1aoa 10 10
the 18th day OF January. A. D., 1903"
This In the verdict Of the Jury OF inaues
that inquired into tho cause of toe death Q
iowa: Alien Jones, foreman; Thnrnas AZ
new. y. w Floyd. Joseph H.. Epstein. I. "
Robinson, p II. Lachiootte, w: J. keenan,, J
w. 9ibbcs. }. panirls, Z. b. Rawls: ".
There we're about hundred citixrus 10 t.
Court room. The coroner's Inquest 10 simpl!
10 inquire into the cause Of death and not
Try the merits OF the case. Coroner Green
nss minusiSs OF the case. bat simply took The .vi
dence Of . few who wore most familiar viii
Solicitor Thurmopd was present. but tool
BeliiuEar, who reiires nom tho Attorney Gen
erals ONCE. was present a. counsel engaged
for the prosecution. Mr.. Cole L. Blease va
the only counsel for Col Tillroan present
the inquiry was oonductsd soIsly BY Corr ne1
There IL no need TO comment on the evi
dsnce that was offered. IL IN plain enough
and the enort OF this correspondent has a.
The isrED revolver and tho magazine pistol
which did the fatal work we're exhioited 10
evidence. and the magazine pistol attracted
The most striking and direct evidence TAX.
on tonight was that Of Senator Thomas Tai
BIRD, who Was walking with Col James II.
Tilinsn when he fired into Mr. Gonzales.
His testimony is brief and II a follows:
Coroner Green sMr. Taleird. you are .
ayes. SIR"
.From what county!
Please state to Mr.. Foreman and the gentle.
men Of the Jury what you know about this
Is senator raib,rd: .eovsrnor Tillman and
myself STATED do.n from ,,s The ssa5s
Tor Brown was on the inside and wason the
the outside. When No got opposite the Trans
Ter station ssv Mr.. 0ouxales approaching,
sSrs ss S ss sars ss street e ES65s
We wero going down and We we're meeting
n,m, I dh no, sec him until he was about
tsn or thirteen feet OF 90. He had on bis
overcoat. hnltoned up. and his hands In the
pockets Of his overcoat."
In bis overcoat pocket?"
.Yes, sir, both hands In bis pocketa. When
he approached . little nearer heard Cover
aor f,ilmsn say "aow are You you' Mr: ~: Con Son
xales, without paying any attention TO
the rrmafk obliaued to the Ieft, ss II 70 pass
On on the inside. I did not notice him any
further until he got noerly ON line witn ns
and beard the remark uttered BY Governor
rillmap, Il received your message. ana (snap.
ping ingera, the shot was fred almost simul.
with the remark. then rushed
across the sidewalk % Mr.: Gonzalez. l said,
Ny isce vas turned 10 him and my back wss
70 Governor Tillman, who, ! think went on
into the gulley he went 10 that direction.
Mr.. Gonzales then ssid, III be made step
my % impression and said: Here am. nnish
me.' then looked across the street. ] saw
Governor Tilinaan walking across the street
With pistol In his hand, pointing down |;
In our direction. M. Gonzales then turned
aud walked down Meeting street aad turned
40 0ervslx street, With him. After he got
90 the corner he turned around and said: ~
am shot 10 the stomach send for DOCTOR
aDId you say Meeting street or Main
:Os, Main street. suppose meant to
Main street ip iee do
think you arc shos In the stomach said. u
do NOT think So He said. Yes. am shot 10
the stomach send for doctor.' Two gentle.
S,s s1 arm % ana p p.sissS T him down to bis once"
"Mr. TaIhird. about what time In the day
sI would say Il was It was In tho neighbor.
no I'd of o'clock. Il may have been little
jnror:, aSenstor Taiolrd. you say you saw
Mr.. 0epEaies With his hands In hia overooat
Juror: Ibid you zee any part OF his hand
ousaide of his coat pocket?'
81 do not particularly notice that: did not
uotice t. / uas looking more at his lace than
At biz n.nas Wa not ,sIpssSs; os;s
do, M. Gonxaies,' be walked on?"
.He took no notice fit: he ooiiQued to the
Juror: "a, th.. time were you still on the
.Yes. sir, ! vas s.iIl ON the outside"
Juror: He was next 70 Mr.. .9onzsles-Qov-
esnor Tiilman was next to Mr.: Con zales ."
a, he time .as H that Senator Brown was on
the inside. bot be claims that he dropped
Juror: Senator. when you say Governor
nor nor fiii@sn:Jsmss Il. TiilnsnT
Juso; sHave you ever noticed Mr. Con.
xaler walking along the street at other times
with his hands In his pockou-that 10 bis
Il think that Ia bis habit. sir. but do NO,
recoliect That ia The first time have mel
him since ! have been up here"
r>f n hn ttaRf - a n n
kuo. when you turned around and looked ai
Mr. Gonsales did he still have his hands In
his pocket
-ThaI 10 my impression"
afssr the ei:,el IL sss s' ssed. of course. thai
10 an impreeslcn"
Juror: .Did you hear any remark of Mr.
Gonzales affair the shots"
"He did not mako any remark"
The erst witness In regular order was Clerk
Of Court ]. Frost Walker, Who vas sworn.
Coroner Green: .Mr. Walker. whnt posi-
tion DO you bold 10 Riehland County,"
"Have any p.stols been turned over to
.Tnsy have"
"Wbere did You get them from?"
they were pistols that had been surrendered
eft is customary. is Il not, for you to have
those In your possession ?- 2?
'Show them 10 the jury"
(Mr. Walker shows pistols 10 the Jury and
explains their work!ng)
THAT pistol II loaded"
Juror: aThat In an ordinary Colts pistol ?
sYcs, cir, and IL In loaded all around"
The Corocer: "Mr. Walker. what was the
eeived BY you7 2"
"Whsn Il was handed to me II was loaded
There we're I've balls In the magazine anc
there wss one ball In the chamber OF the pis
tol. which took out"
"whsn the msgexIne pistol was handed Il
you u. was loededT'
eyes, mir"
"How came you TO take them Out ?"
II took oil ouL. took dve out Of the maya
zine and one out OF the chamber"
~xr. Walker, was the ball turned over 4