The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-12-15

the hall and up stairs to his room.
Witness testified that be did not seem
excited or agitated and did not act In
a different manner from usual. Wit
ness did not notice his clothes; he left
the room almost Immediately and wit
ness heard him go upstairs and to his
loom. Dad not hear any noise OF hear
him leave his room afterwards, Wit
ness gave one OF the children some
water and looked at the clock.
Q.-What time was il by the clockg
Alive minutes after twelve
O'Clock.
Witness heard no noise from tue
cook in the dining room.
! Witness Yves awakened at the usual
time. between four and five o clock
the next morning by Rountree, vile
came into the family room and told
her 1t was time to get uu. Noticed
nothing unusual in his manner. He
left the house and witness supposed he
had gone TO the barn.
| After he left the house, Elmer
Reaves came and called tor him. Wit
ness told Elmer be had gone to the
barn. Elmer said Come here, Miss
Maggie Lou" She went to him and
hs said They have found papa at tine
balm, dead. Witness expressed her
| surprise; went and told Mrs. ChaB.
Hountree about 1t and told Mary Jor-
dan to ring the farm bell. Eimer went
! in the direction OF the barn and wit
ness went to the Reaves home i'm
mediately.
Witness went into the front door of
the ReAveS home, which was Op3H
through toe hall and back porch lnr0
the sitting room. saw thu body of
Reaves in the hall and saw Boyd Ne
Knight on the steps of the back porch.
He was washing bis hands. Went
into the sitting room, and was there
little while before Lee RountTee came
in. Darlington was with hin. MIRA.
Raavts was sitting in big rocking
chair with the children around ner.
Children were crying. Witness was
dressing one of the children. Mrs.
Reaves had on a sunbonnet, Rountree
went over near Mrs Reaves and at
tempted TO take up one of the little
girls who was screaming and crying.
Witness did not see RountTee toucn
the sunbonnet Mrs. Reaves had on,
and did not hear him say anything
to her. RountIee remained in the
room only a short tune and then
left going out on the back porch.
Witness remained at the Reaves
home until 10 0 clock that night. Mr..
Cnas. RountIee rescued the Reaves
home few minuGes after witness did
and Nh. Emmerson Tucker also came.
Witness coIroboIated statements of
Rountree and Tucker in regard to Mas.
Reaves asking them to look after tine
burial and attend to things for her, and
that they arranged for the place for
burial.
Witness was present when the note
came from Mrs. Black nan in regard
to the design for flowers and read the
note and handed it to Mrs. Reaves.
Rountree was also present. Witness
did not see Rountree write the reply 70
the note and did not hear any con-
versatlon between Mrs. Reaves and
Rountree about it,
Witness stated that the Webbs and
other members of Mrs. Reaves' family
got there up in the day. That sne
sent word to the cook, Mary Jordan,
to prepare dinner for guests, us there
would probably De company ut dinner
at the Rountree home. Witness did
not know who took dinner or supper at
there. but understood that jas. ReaVes
took supper there. Witness did not
think any of the Reaves family spent
the night at the RountTee home that
night.
Witness went to the funeral In
buggy with her uncle, On iilie ROM
tree. Lee Rountree drove his own
surrey and carried members of the
Reaves family to the burial During
the service at the grave, witness was
back of the crowd little and dio NOT
get into the surrey with MIs keaves,
Dut saw MRS. Reaves and Mrs. Webb.
her mo ner, on the back seat and On6
or the boys and Mrs viii Webb on the
front seat. Witness heard no converse
tion between Webb and Lee Rountree
about going to the burial Witness
testified that she received the April
fool note" written by Lee Rountree
and copied by Mrs. Reaves, through
the mail, and had started to mail
an answer to it. when Buddy told
her it was IA April fool, and sne
didn't mail it. She received the note
in the Rountree mail box. The ROM
trees and Resves also had JOINT mali
box. so witness stated, in which was
only put the daily p1per-The Banner
and the sIrangem mt was that one
should get it one day and the other the
next.
Witness stated that she did not notice
the coat worn by R0untTe9 the night
be went to the lodge with Reaves, bat
that while he was away she wIote
letter TO a er-in-law snd when she
finished it, she had forgotten her sis
Ter address That her aunt, MTA
Chas Rountrae, reminded her that
Lee had recently received q letter from
this sister and Suggested that shs
nigkr be able % find tue lett r. and get
the aadress. Witoess looked in the