The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-12-08
Al don't think | was.

Q-Why didn't you come into the
court room?
Witness stated that he had been sum
moned, but Was not sworn in, and
wasn't called to testify. That he was
told or thought he must no: come into
the Court until called.
Re. examined by Mr.. Garner: Witness
stated that near the close of the State s
evidence in the former trial be left town
and went home after his wife. who was
also to have been a witness. but when
| he got back to Columbia the State had
closed its case and he was therefore not
examined.
MISS NELLIE M KNIGHT,
Sister of Boyd Mcknight and Sewell
Mcknight, was then called. Testified
that she was related to John ReaVes and
had known him four years when he was
killed. Was not related to defendant,
though they had claimed kin. Witness
had nel er known Mr.. John Reaves be-
fore he moved to Maury county and had
only met with Mrs. Reaves once. The
Rountree and Mcknight families. witness
said, were friendly and on pleasant
terms. Witness was present at the
Reaves home the day afGer the killing,
on visits and on business. and saw Roun-
tree there quite often. Particularly, wit
ness remembered an occasion on the
first of April, 1904. which attracted her
attention On that day she went to the
Reaves home in the morning to see Mrs.
Reaves on some business. when | got
there there seemed to be no one at
home, but | went to the front door and
knocked. Mrs. Reaves came to The door
and | don't know whether she invited
me to come in or not, but | went on in
through the hall. aud through the boys
room and found Mr.. Rountree in there.
There was no one else in the house or
about the house that saw or know of, I"
Witness thought Mr.. Rountree seemed
rather restless that morning, and said
Mrs. Reaves was "diked up mere than
usual. +" Witness told her home people
about it, but told them not to say any
thing about it.
write an "April fool - That he was sit.
ting at the machine near the only win
dow in the room, and pi;ked upa tablet
from the macblue after she came in,
wrote the April fool, left it at the ma
chine for Mrs. Rountree to copy, and
left the house a short time thereafter.
Witness was at the Reaves home about
two hours she thought and when she
left Rountree was still there in the front
lawn and unhitched witness horse.
Witness did not see Mr.. Reaves about
the place and was told by MRS. Reaves
and Pr. Rountee that ne had gone
after lumb Der and would be away all
day. Witness had seen Rountree at
the Reaves home quite often. Said
she passed there one Sunday afternoon
intending to stop, but was told no one
was at home and drove on. When she
returned she saw Mrs. Reaves ana
Mr.. Rountree together in the front
yard or lawn.
Witness testified that on the day after
the killing. she reached the Reaves
home about nine O'Clock in the morn
ing and saw Rountree in the yard with
others She had heard of the killing
through the Stanley family, and Boyd
Mcknight had not notified her and the
other members of her family of it.
The first time she spoke to Rountree
was at the door of the dining room.
Witness was assisting Miss Maggie Lou
Ragsdale in caring tor things about
the Reaves home and in getting din.
ner fol the crowd there ROuntree
asked If he could do anything to assist
and if they had found everything in
the house necessary for dinner offered
to do anything he could and was nice
and accommodating in a neighboIly
manner. Witness told Rountree that
she was sorry they were unable to get
the bloodhounds; Rountree replied
that he saw no use in getting them,
that so many had been on the premises
since the killing; and that the dogs
might take hold of him, Boyd Nc
Knight, Elmer Reaves or any of the
others that had first been there after
the killing When witness saw Roun-
tree again she had CONVEX sation with
him in regard to the bloody clothess
worn by the dead man; asked Roun-
tree what should be done with them.
He suggested that they he burned on
fire then in the back yard, on &C.
count of Mrs Reaves. Witness OBJ
jected to burning them, and had the
negro, Chas Blair, put them away
where she said out them. Witness
stated that Mrs. Reaves read the April
fool note to her after RountIee left
the house,
CROSS. EXAMINED.
Questioned by Mr.. g. T. Hughes in
cross examination, witness said that
she had been going to t he Reaves home
occasionally to visit and on business,
but after the occurrence she had re-
lated in reference to finding Mrs.
Reaves and Rountree in the house
lone, she had only gone there twice
on business. That on the day after
the killing she remained at thu home
from nine In the morning and spent
part of the night at the Reaves home
ana part at Rountree's home; was &C
com panied by Rountree, Mr.. Webb and
Mr.. Anderson. when she went to the
Rountree home Mrs. Resves' little
girl and Mrs. Reaves' mother. Mrs
Webb, were also at the Ruuntree home
that night Mr. Rountree was very
kind about the Reaves home that day
in looking after things and in caring
for the guests.
Q.-Who made arrangements for the
Inv ol9