The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-12-08
HISTORY OF The REAVES KILLING

ant at the front gate. Was struck on
the head from behind and badly
wounded. That the msn who struck
him, then carried the body across the
lawn, through the gate, into the lot
and across tee lot to TIE earn yarl
} gate, where it was found That at
this point, the muIC ereT possibly
noticed signs of life IN his victim, end
TO IN. Ike suIe Of his work cut Reaves
throat. The Assailant then put Raaves
NAT and bride where they were found.
and for reasons cf his own, let the
stock out of the barn This noise
aroused the negro IN the cabin and the
man. seeing the negrO's light, made
his escape through the hall Of the barn,
to the orcharqeard into the lawn.
Q.-What didh say to that.
Ale saiu our theories did not
sgree, OF words to that effect.
@ What was his treatment of yOa
after this conversation.
!. A-t1e has been cool towards me
and his treatment of N has hot been
the same.
Witness stated that there was blood
on the barn yard gate, near wheEe body
was found. he thought; and also on
the chain at the gate in the barn. Wat
] ress waSanaIe there was blood on cham
as he exansined i. with a glass, SHOW
ling that tie man who killed Reaves,
| evidently went to the barn afterwards
/ TO turn the stock out. Witness saw no
blood OIL path to jack lot in rear OF
| barn, but saw blood on stalks lying TO
the right OF path and In rear of. the
! barn
oi Witness has known Mrs Reeves since
she moved there. Had seen Mrs.
t Reaves and Rountree together at Theta
] on the occasion of school entertain
] ment II Reaves was there witness
| didn't see him. R0uutIee and Ms,
Reaves were sitting together on the
] second seat from the front in the left
wing OF the building. Others we've On
0 the seat with them. Witness saw
t Rountree and Mrs. Reaves together on
street near Maxwell House In Nash
I vile, In June of 1904 at Reunion.
Ind not see anyone else with them.
and saw them for only a moment.
Didn't know where Reaves was al the
time. supposed he was at home VII
! ness did not know how lCDg they e
:. NAMED in Nashville together. DID
/. not see them any more on that trip.
Don t remember TO have seen them to-
E gether at any other time.
: Odd their being together at the
Thea school house in the absence OF
= = Mr.. Reaves attract any attention from
: !. yourself or others?
Al think | said something to Esq.
: Mcknight about it, and remarked that
: they seemed to be having good time.
! O.-The school entertainment was
= before the trip to Nahville at the ke-
: union?
A.-Yes sir.
|
- CROSS EXAMINATION.
Witness was Cross examined by Mr..
y Hatcher regarding testimony given by
him IN the former trial of the case as
to what defendant said when witness
J, offered to show him the wounds on
: Reaves body. Witness was quite SUE
Rountree said On God, no | don t
want to see it. Witness was not GER
tain as to the exact question put to
him in the former trial or the exact
wording Of his answer to same. Mr..
Hatcher read the cross examination of
witness in former trial, and witness
stated that he thought it was about
correct.
@ When Rountree told you his
theory in regard to the killing, did
not other parties present that day aleO
suggest theories of the killing.
Ayes, sir.
O.-As a natter of fact. DR.. Cox.
did not Carold Dodd first mention the
thresheT sheet?
Al don't know that he did.
Odd you not 90 and look for the
thIesher sheetY
/ A.-No sir, l did not
Q.-Did Dodd look for the sheet?
Al can't tell Won.
O.-Your theory was that the assaiI-
ant knocked Reaves down at the lawn
gate, lugged him to barn gate, cut hif
throat and took Reaves' knife out OF
his pocket to make it appear that he
had committed suicide
Exceptions from States attorney 10
question sustained by the court.
o When you saw BODY on the
boards at the door. had it been an
dressed?
A.-No sir. The clothing had Leen
unfastened and pulled back and the
coat taken off.
Witness stated again that exam
inad the blood on the CHI N of the
harm door with glass. bat did NOT
examine that on the barn lot gate with
glass. That he discovered hiOod back
I OF the barn and to the right OF path
to Jack lot on stalks. and was sure II
WAS NkUDu WltuOuL uoO va 6A0So
ness saw blood in two places back OF
barn, on stalks: one that seemed
dropped. and the other looked as It II
had been rubbed ON the stalks by foot
slipping on the stalks.
Cosss. questioned In regard to seeing
defendant and Mrs. Reaves at the
school entertainment, witness said
that 1t was sometime In May. ne
= thought The house was crowded. and
Mrs. Reaves and Rountree's children
may have been at the entertainment
and may have taken part therein. Mr..
Reaves and MIR. Rountres had alwaye
been good friends SO far as witness
knew. Witness did not know whether
Rountree's children were in school n
tne time of the entertainment or Lot
They had attended school there .befoIs
then and have since Witness stated
th at 1t had been four or five years
since he ceased to be physician for the
Rountree family.
O.-You arranged with Rountree. to
take care of the detectlve2