The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-05-27
Says He Was First Fired
Upon and OnlNRe-
turned the Fire.
Man on Trial on Charge of
Murder Admits That He
Fired at Party Who Open
ed Door at BarranCas on
the Night That Sergeant
Calling Was Shot.

The principal feature in the trial
of Jim Hart, COlOTed, in tHn United
States court yesterday on the charge
of having killed Sergeant Gatlin, was
when the man took the witness chair
late in the afternoon in his own be
half, and testified for nearly an hour
regarding the shooting at Fort Bar
rancas. and 10 what extent he paruci-
pated in it.
When court recOnyened yesterday
morning at 10 o'clock the prosecution
called Lieut.. Wilson. who had testified
the day prior, and he told of orders
having been issued prohibiting Hart
from visiting the reservation.
SaIHe MCGOWAN, a DegreSS, who Oc-
cupied a room with Annie Hart on the
night of the shooting. told ~f Hart
coming 20 the door. and how he had
threatened the life of the woman.
DR. Sanford surgeon of the post,
in whose employ the Hart woman was
al the time, testified to the woman
awakening him during the night. and
telling him that Hart was endeayoring
to get into her room. He also made
an examination of the wound of the
sergeant. He found in the door of
the room occupied by the, woman a
bullet hole, and lateFsFfallnd a dsIllat.
He had heard no shootifs dpShfs the
night.
Charles Sinclair. a soldier, and Lii
lie Higgins, a negro. were the strong
est government witnesses 10 testify
during the day. Sinclair said he saw
Hart in the city on the afternoon pre-
Ceding the shooting. and had been
told by Hart that there would be
something doing at the fort before
morning.
The negreSs testified that Hart
came TO her house about 10 o'clock
the night Of the murder and told her
that he was going 10 Fort Barrancas,
and it was his intention to see Annie
Hart, and if the white man would not
let him in he would Pat a hole
through him"
In the afternoon number Of wit
nesses were examined. being chiefly
police officials. officers and others, to
whom Hart had made statements.
many OF which differed
The Negro Testifies.
Late in the afternoon Hart took
the witness chair and testified in his
own behalf. He did not deny that he
had fired at some one. but claimed
that he did not know who Il was lie
said he went TO the room OF the wo-
man in the rear of Dr. SanfOrd's quar-
tiers, and knocked ON the door. lie
had pair Of shoes for the woman =
child. but she would not admit HIM
He finally got her 10 open the door
and as il opened some one began
firing at him, one bullet striking his
lead. He returned the fire and then
turned and walked off. He said he
did not ~In. but walked from the res
ervaUiOn. stopped at his brothers
house at Warrington. and then start
ed for Pensacola. being arrested at
Little Bayou by the police.
When questioned how his cap came
to be inside the room he said that II
had fallen from his head. and as the
door was closed upon it, ne could not
secure il so left.
He claimed that his idea in coming
10 Pensacola was to Surrender TO the
police. and when asked why he did
not surrender himself to seutineIs who
were within one hundred yards Of him
at the fort. replied that ne did not
know they were there He said he was
not married 10 the woman annie Hart
When the defendant concluded his
testimony adjournment was taken
until today.