The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-10-11
THE G1LLIs TRIAL.
Eve Witnesses Describe the Shooting
of AfcRae Whitaker at Ancrum
Boykin's Store in kershaw
County,

j. E. ellis was placed upon trial for
the killing of John McRae Whitaker
on the 9Th of April, 1904. This case
has gained notoriety for two reasons;
because of thA prominence of the
family connections Of the deceased
and because of the number Of consec-
utiye continue noes secured by the de-
tense since the first true bill Of indict-
nent was found by the grand jury on
account of complications arising in
the case, growing out Of multitudi-
nous motions involving the legality Of
the grand jury which found the first
true bill. Three separate bills Of in
dictment have been passed upon by
grand juries. Six eminent attorneys
are engaged in the cose, four for the
defendant and two for the State.
Soon after the homicide was COM
nitted ellis applied for bond, which
was refused. Since then interest in
.the case has been increasing day by
day, which has been evidenced by the
discussions heard on every thorough
fare of the county; and as was natu-
rally to be expected when the case
was entered upon today, the court
house was quickly filed with an enor-
NOUS crowd.
The panel Of jurors in regular at
tendance was exhausted after II jury
men had been selected and it rquired
the drawing of two extra venires be-
fore the twelfth man could be agreed
upon.
The taking Of testimony commenced
at $3.50 O'Clock and when the hour Of
adjournment was reached four wit
nesses had ben .on the stand
and their evidence covers the
States side of the case and a full
synopsis of each is given herewith:
The first witness was Dr.. J. T. Hay,
Jr., who described the wound which
caused the death Of McRs,e Whitaker.
j. J. Barfeld, white, was an eye
witness and was a. moment or two
preceding the difficulty in converse
ton with ]. E. Gillis, when Whitaker
came up with Ancrum Boykin in
buggy. Whitaker said he could not
fight two men (meaning J. E. ellis
and his father, ]. A. ellis, who was
also presently. Both the Gillises re-
Piled, "You won't have two men to
fight" /" Whitaker spoke about fighting
ellis a fair fight and ellis said,
Dam it, we will battle it out, shoot it
out They both pulled OF their coats
and Whitaker said he would fight him
fair. About that time I saw ellis
pistol and Whitaker pulled out his
pistol and Ancrum Boykin told them
to- stop, not shoot it out, and Whita-
ker told him he would give up his pis-
tol and fight fair and he reached over
as If TO hand his pistol to Boykin and
J. E. Giilis shot, said the witness.
Heard two shots and Whitaker's s
knees gave way and he fell; did not
see Whitaker shoot" The most inn
portant witnesses for the State were
Mr.. Sam Boykin and his son, An
crun, who stand socially as high as
anybody in the county, and whose We
racity and integrity cannot be i'm
peached. When Mr.. Sam Boykin
took the stand every word Of his tes-
tin1ony was listened to with intense
interest
He testified substantially as follows:
"On the evening Of the homicide I
had occasion to go to Boykin's station
to my son, Ancrum's, store. AS got
opposite the postoffice saw J. E. Gill
lis and ]. A. ellis standing in a very
threatening attitude with their hands
in their hip pockets I saw that
difficulty was impending. My son,
Ancrum. Mr.. McRae Whitaker and
Mr.. BarfeId were. there. I drove on
until I got opposite the depot plat
form, I jumped out of my buggy and
went where they were. Ny son was
telling them not to use any pistols,
but 10 fight a fair fist fight if they
would fight Whitaker said he would
fight any way and Gi.lis said he would
fight any way. Ancrum told them if
they were going to have fair fight
to hand up their pistols, that he would
take the pistols, and McRae Whitaker
put his hand back to get his pistol and
he turned to give it to Ancrum and j.
E. ellis moved suddenly across to
Whitaker's left and said, No, damn it.
We will battle it out but just before
that, though, both had pulled OF their
coats, as I understood to fight fist
fight. Just as Whitaker started tc
turn, the shooting commenced by j
E. Gillis Two shots were fired anc
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