The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-01-28

You said you looked around after
you went across the street. How long
was it?''
81 looked around after l got her on
the other side of the street. .
How long was thats:''
sit is matter of speculation. It
must have been very short time. |
hurried to get hold of her and then |
| hurried to get her out Of what she
seemed to think imminent Danger
Juror: ''Did you turn around and
90 back towards the State House to
meet this lsdy?''
"Oh. yes, sir; she was behind me.
Behind you?''
eyes, sir; I had to turn my body
entirely. heard something; l do not
know what it was; there was some
thing behind me, and l turned my
head and my body and I recognized
her as Doyhood friend.
"You turned backwards?''
''I think l had taken only one step
when the pistol fred -
Juror: "What direction were you
walking-what was your position?''
ST was on the inside of the street !;
Senator Talbird was in the middle
and Governor Tillman was on the out
side''
"Then you stepped back:"
Yes, sir; never paid any atten.
tion to these gentlemen any more. |
was dropping back to walk up the
street with this LADY,
"Had you all passed the corner of
that building when you dropped back
or had you-were you in front Of the
first building when you dropped
back?"
"I could only give you, gentlemen,
my impression about that. My i'm
preston is-this is motor house.
"Tranfer station
ssTransfer station. My impression
is, and what I,helieve is, that we had
reached in front of that door or right
between the door and the corner; |
am not certain about that. -
Ibid you notice Governor Tilman
after that?"
"When 1 looked back I was on the
opposite side of the street with this
lady. saw Governor Tillman cross
the street, rather in the direction in
which had gone. )"
'' THAT was his attitude?"
sEWelt, sir; it was hard to say. My
attention was engaged with the excite
ment that this lady was under. My
impression was that he had the pistol
in his hand, hanging down by his
side."
"Was he backing off, or was he
backing away from the scene Of the
trouble or was he walking away?''
"Well, I think he was walking
rather sideways; probably, yes, 1
rather think so. Before the shooting
I heard absolutely nothing to attract
my attention. There was absolutely
nothing. There was certain rever-
beration that is caused from shooting
a pistol close to a wall. I did not
know whether the pistol had been
shot on my right or left or behind me,
and never stopped to see who fred it
when 1 saw the condition Of this
lady
about opposite to that building; about
opposite to the door,
"Well; in my recollection, as we'll
as I remember, it was between the
door and the first corner.
.'Certailny colse to the wells''
'Oh, yes. -
cit must have been between you
and Senator Talbird?"
"That is q matter of reasoning. 1
do not know anything about it. |
never saw the firing
James F. Sims, white, sworn:
''Well, on the day that this occur
red, was coming up Geryais street
crossing from the City Hall to the
transfer station
"What Gay was that?:'
"That was on Thursday
"Do you remember the day Of the
month";
"The 10Th, about o'clock.
"Then the time was about 2 o'clock
in the day."
have been little before or little
after. I was crossing from the City
Hall to the transfer station, and be-
fore I got to the SIDEWALK I noticed
Governor Tillman and the two gentle
men coming from the State House up
Main street. Governor Tillman and
the two gentlemen passed just ahead
of me. About that time I heard
pistol shot. I looked around and saw
Governor Tillman with pistol in
his hand-right hand. l then recog-
nized Gonzales, who stumbled or fell
against the extreme corner post of the
transfer station; that is, the corner
post of Gervais street. He turned the
corner then with one or both hands to
his side. I do not know whether he
had both or not. | stepped up and
asked him if he was hit. He said,
Yes l then asked him what he want
ed me to do, and he said he wanted to
go home. steadied him for minute,
a second, rather, and went to the cor
ner to look for hack, but did not see
one. Joined Mr.. Gonzales again. Mr..
LaMotte came up about that time,
and we helped him to The State Office.
The shooting took place between the
corner of the building and the door of
the transfer station on the east side Of
Main street My attention was first
attracted by the shot; the report of the
nictol. and as 7 looked nm heard Gov