The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-12-01
A $500, 900 FIRE PROOF BUILDING
TO BE ERECTED BY F. C. Brent
TAKES STAND
in HIS OWN BEHALF

ed to have an interview with him, and
it was $3.50 o'clock when the prisoner,
accompanied by counsel, entered the
court room.
One witness was then called. Chris
Hendrix, but he not being present,
/ Williams the defendant was placed
upon the stand. In reply to questions
/ by cOunsl for defense, defendant ad-
mitted that he knew John White. Ed
win Dansby and Jas. White, two of
whom he stated had been killed by
him. AS to his duties, he said that
he had been assistant clothing man
/ with John White up 10 the time of the
1 trouble, Relative to the trip of Dams
by and BObe to Century, defendant
4 claimed that he had no knowledge Of
/ IT, although he later testified that be
saw them at the union depot
Purchase Of Revolver.
+ AS to the purchase of the revolver
/ from Bruce he stated that he first
went to LischkOn's for a revolver for a
turpentine operator, who had previous
\ ly bought a revolver from him. but|
could not find one suitable. He then
secured one at Bruce's and took it to
+ Century with him for the party De-
PENDANT said he always had two revolt
vers, and when the party for whom
the revolver had been secured stated
mat the price was too high ne sold
82calibre Smith & WessOn, which he
himself had been carrying. Upon rel
turning home ne delivered the revol-
yer he had secured from Bruce to that
gentleman. Later ne decided that bel
would buy the gun himself, and secur.
ing the lowest price possible purchas-
ed 1t over the phone one Friday az
/ ternOon, getting it from the store
later and going home.
Relative TO his trip to the union de-
pot on the night that Bobe and Dams
by came from Century he said that
the afternoon was Friday and a hollis
day In all stores. He was practicing
ltelegraphy at The Western Union. and
In company with John Miller went
/ there, but found all wires busy. so de-.
clded to go to the L. & n. yard Office
which he did, remaining there from
about 2 o'clock until nearly O'Clock.
when he and Miller went over to Gold
rings to get a drink. AS they were
returning to the yard Office they saw
the train coming in and later
Saw Dansby and 5obe
get off the train. They went on to
the yard Office and remained there for
some time Coming down to the city
he stopped and got the revolver at
Bruces, going direct from there to his
home. Witness denied most emphati-'
cally chat he came to the plaza and
watched John White. Dansbv. Bobe
and Moreno Jones hold a consultation
IN front of Landrum's Office. He had
no interest, he said, in the Century
store, but only made weekly trims
there to assist his younger brother,
who was inexperienced in the BUSH
ness. As to the conversation with
John White relative to Century goods. .
defendant claimed that it was most
pleasant in every respect. and that
when he explained to Mr.. White that
the goods had been paid for in cash
everything was satisfactory: that the
suit OF clothing he had been seen
wearing at Electric Park had been
purchased at the store for $3.50 and
that Jim White had commented upon
the excellent quality and asked witness
TO see If another was I'm stock as be
desired a similar one himself.
No Recollection.
II have no recollection Of killing
John White Edwin Dansby. or shoot
ing jim White. I would rather have
killed my own father than to have
harmed John White and I looked upon
Ed. Dansby almost as a brother. and
Jas. White was one of my best and
most intimate friends" said the de-
PENDANT when asked why he shot these
people
Il knew nothing" continued the de-
PENDANT. of having killed John White
until the following morning. when n
awOke and found myself in the coun.
jail. and the sheriff there asking me
why I had committed the deed. r.
have been drunk before and 81 seems
to take my whole soul and mind
away
Defendant related what transpired
during The day Of the shooting. He
said he had taken in an about seven
drinks IN the forenoon. naming where
each was taken. Upon mis- return
from dinner, and about 2 o'clock in
The afternoon he and Mr. White went
In Nicks saloon and took another
drink Of whiskey. Some time after
wards a friend passed the store and
the TWO went into the saloon and q
took one more drink. He said that
after the whiskey had passed his lips
he could remember nothing more until
be awoka in the county Jail the next
day.
Cross Examination.
Here the witness was turned over.
to the prosecution. The state solici.
tor began TO cross question Williams.
in a rapid manner and this was the
only time during his examination that
he showed any sign Of breaking down.
He had then been under fire for about
three hours, and when the state soli-
citor opened up relative to his mem