The National tribune., 1903-10-08
SHALL ASSASSINATION BE LEaAI1zEpq

SHALL ASSASSINATION BE LEGALIzED7
Not merely James II. Tillman. former.
ly ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of South Carolina
is now on trial for murder, but the whole
State of South Carolina, and her methods
of justice, are equally in issue. The mat
ter Of the murder involves the constitu-
ton of South Carolina society. N. G.. Con,
zales, editor of the State, the principal
paper in upland South Carolina. was a
man of ability and character and socially
belonged to a much higher class than the
Tillmans. James III. Tillman. who is a
son of EX-Representative George ID. Till
man, and the nephew of Senator Till
man, belongs to the Wool hat" stratum
Of South Carolina. who are held in con-
tempt by the upper classes. All of the
evidence goes to show that Tillman him
self had vices of his own added to the
defects of his class. He is INSCRIPTIONS.
his word is worthless. and he is a noted
gambler and drInkard The lower stratum
in South Carolina society came to the sur
face in the revolt led by Senator Tillman,
and his nephew shared in the upheaval.
He was never recognized as "a gentle
man." according to the South Carolina
standard, and his efforts to obtain such
recognizance We're cruelty rebuffed. His
uncle's influence secured him commits
sion as Lieutenant Colonel of the South
Carolina regiment in the Spanish war.
and his career in that position was not at
all creditable to the State or the regiment.
There was quite n struggle between prOm-
nent competitors for the Office of Lieuten-
ant-Governor. which enabled Tillman to
slip into the Office without opposition. This
encouraged him to run for the Governor
ship. and there his troubles began. While
LieutenantGOvernor he made n ruling in
the Senate which was SO unrighteous that
it was repudiated by the Senate in a most
humiliating manner. He claimed to have
received kilograms from President pro TEN
Frye of the Senate and Speaker Henderson
of the House Of Representatives, approving
of his ruling, and when challenged to pro-
duce them stated that they We're locked
up in his room. These gentlemen were
communicated with. and replied that they
had answered him that his rulings We're
indefensible.
The papers opposed to him did not hest
tate to denounce him as "a liar. Il gambler
and n drunkard," and at Gaffney. S. c.,
Editor DeCamp, of the Ledger. made these
charges blankly to his face. in the course
of public meeting. which Tillman did
not resent. Mr.. Gonzales. editor of the
State, was one of those strongly opposed
to him, but his opposition was less acrimo-
NOUS than that of the other papers.
though it seemed to hurt Tillman worse.
Tillman was so stung by the comment
account that he had to do something He
began upon Gonzales, who paid no at
tentiOn to him, and the last reference made
in the State to Tillman was more than
three months before the murder of the
editor. Tillman was beaten for Governor,
and this also ranked in his heart Jan.
10 last, five days before TilIman's Lieuten7,
expired, he came out of
the State House with two pistols on his
person, one being magazine weapon. He
saw Gonzales coming from his office. going
home for lunch, wearing a heavy Overcoat.
with his hands in his pockets. Without
remark of any kind, Tillman drew his pis-
tol, when Gonzales was near. and shot
him through the body.
A more cold-blOoded murder never was
mi cd in hn Stafa - -,
upon South Carolina courts to
decide whether this kind of thing will
be permitted or whether an example shall
be made of a prominent man whose crime
was henous to the last degree. If Till
man is convicted, as an ordinary murder
err would be, and as is the custom in other
States, it will do much toward ending the
reign of blood in South Carolina and bring
about better civilization. If he is al
lowed to go free, owing to some tecfni.-
cality, the dance of death must continue 81
1t is significant that so many of those
who are prominent in the trial are those
who have killed their man. Tillman's
grandfather killed man in gambling
brawl, and served a term in Jail for it,
Ex-Representative George tombstone, one
Of Tilman's counsel, killed another law
yer in the court room some years ago. Mr..
who is Prosecuting Attorney,
killed young merchant several years ago,
and Tillman helped defend him.
1t is the most important trial in the his
tory of South Carolina, and the future
nf Sfat 50. 4
in its result.