The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-02-02


world until the end of the trial.
TERRY VERY COMPOSED.
For a man of three score years and
with the strain of a murder accusation
on his mind Terry is decidedly cool.
His composure so far while in atten-
dance upon court has ocen wCnde. fu $.
Yesterday afternoon he was IS self
possessed as ever, regardless Of tn
fact that he was the target of hundreds
of pairs of eyes, and talked unfaltering-
" with his counsel.
HARD LEGAL BATTLE.
The case VIII be a hard fought one
by able counsel. For the state SO icitor
Rodolph Duffy is assisted by Wood IS
Kellum. Esq, II J. +. S lars. Esq ),
of this city. n MesSrs. Lewis G Schulz
ken, OF Whiteville. The defense is rep
resented by Messrs. Ba!lamy & Be.lamy.
Messrs. Russell & Gore, B. G. ample,
Esq, A. J. Marshall, ESQ. and Walter
P. Gafford. Esq. ali os this city.
All the counsel were pres n y5s5or-
day afternoon. Ex-Governor Russell
reached the court house dur ng the af-
ernoon. He is looking much improved
in health.
Messrs. Lewis & Scaulken w re Ct
counse for the state IN the we'll known
Register murder case of Columbus
county.
144H a L. SSC11.
The enactment of the crime. which
TO the public now seems most hideouS
but then the public does not always
precisely realize at first-dates back
to the morning of Tuesday. October
9Th, of last year. 1t TRANSFERRED al
most upon the threshold of the home
Of Bland and within the shadow Of
a temple of God. Truly, it was awe
inspiring scene for the portrayal of
such a tragedy. be it crime or JUS
tice. and yet the home did not possess
the love and brightness of the true
freside. For some time domestic
dlssension had held riot and to such
an extent hat even the portals Of
pride could not bar the knowledge of
1t from the public. This wanton dis
regard of the sacred marriage vows
by one of the two was the match that
kindled the fire of enemity; that sent
a sou into eternity; that has caused
untold sorrow to some living. Just
h was to blame h trial will. no
doubt, develop.
The night previous to the tragedy
Bland passed at the Bonitz Hotel.
The next morning he arose early and
went to Mills stables. southwest cor
ner Of Second and Princess streets.
where he had been employed for q
number of years. From there. about
$50 o'clock, he drove in a road cart.
accompanied by a negro stable
hand, to his home, No. III North
Fourth street. At the time he alight-
ed from the vehicle Terry was stand
ing across the street and as Bland
passed down an alley, which is stu
ated between the house and the drug
store of B. c. Moore, south Of the
residence, Terry left his position and
went in the direction of the house.
Ostensibly BANDS only object in go
ing down the alley was to enter the
yard of his home by a side gate.
which opens into the alley. When
he reached the intended entrance
| Terry reached the front gate, which
| opens on the street. Bland stepped
| inside the yard and the two men
briefly faced each other. Then. in
| the twinkliug of an eye as it were,
the awful expected, as the state will
| contend, or the unfortunate unex-
/ pected, as the defense will claim,
happened quickly. Bland was killed
either foully murdered by a venomous
father-in-law or slain in self-defenss
by an indignant father.
ALLEGED ASSASSIN FIRED TWICE
That Terry fired twice IS undis-
puted. for that is admitted. The frs
bullet went wild and embedded Itself
in the hard boards of a side of the
drug store, but the second leader
missile found a fatal Judgement III
BANDS body. That Bland also drew
a pistol Is another undisputed point
but whether he fired or not Is II
doubt. for though one empty shell
was found in his revolver only two
reports can be accounted for. unless
zach of the slain and slayer fired once
simultaneously.
FERMENTATION ESSENTIAL.
The state expects to prove that tn
situation Of the scene of the crime
dire threats made by Terry agains
Bland and his subsequent cold-blood
ed actions and foul comments on tn
deed will prove generalization. tn
one necessary ingredient for murde
IN the first degree.
On the other hand. the defense viii
contend that the situation of tn
scene and the time doe not SHOW
prsmeditatien, as Terry was on hi