Goldsboro semi-weekly argus., 1909-10-30
THE WATKINS CASE
Trial OF Black Mountain Con.
stable Charged With
Double Shooting.
Neither of Young Men Disorderly or
Made Hostile Demonstration To-
ward Officer-Defendant
i'm His Own Behalf.

Asheville, N. c., Oct. 26.-In. the |
iial- today of F. G. Watkins for the
surder of John Hill Bunting at Black |
fountain, August Z, Burley Gowan
nd elem Jones, negro employees of
ne Gladstone Hotel, where the shoot
ng occurred, testified that neither
uniting nor Paul G. Collins had made
ny hostile demonstration toward
atkins when the constable shot
1em and said they did not hear the
wo men use any vulgar language or
make any disorder, as Watkins testi-
. estified that Watkins shot Collins
rst, whereas Collins testified that
3unting was the first one shot.
When court reached an adjourn
nent this afternoon both the negro
illnesses, who accompanied Watkins
o the room when the shooting oc-
urred, had been examined and cross
xamined and Watkins had made
'tatement in his own behalf and much
f his crQss-examination had been fin
shed. Gowan and Jones appear not
0 have been shaken in their testimo-
ny, despite a stiff cross-examination
~ Mr.. Craig.
The defendant, Watkins, promptly
.ook the witness stand when the
tate rested and made his statement
# the occurrence. He was subjected
% severe cross-examination by T. A.
Jones, but his assured manner did not
tesert him. Prodded by the questions
# Judge Jones he reviewed the trou-
bles he, had experienced, the shooting
and wounding either by himself or
another convict guard of a fleeing ne
gro convict some years ago, his shoot
ng and wounding of Ingle at Black
Mountain, his shooting and killing o1
| I negro who he said was trying te
freak into his house at Black Noun:
| ain, and his cutting of a man named
| Iedbetter, who was head of a crowt
seeking to initiate him by the pleas
ng process of pressing" him.
| Burley GoMan, the negro porter
4 sestified that when he came from
church about one o'clock he went tt
I is room some twenty steps from th'
aotel and had been there about twent,
minutes, hearing no noise, when Pro
Drietor Manly, called for Glen Jone
and when he did not respond told wit
ness to get Constable Watkins. Wit
ness said that he met Jones and tn
two walked Watkins, who asked wha
the trouble was. Witness told him h
was wanted to quiet a disturbance a
the hotel. When they reached the he
tel they met Manly, who told Watkin
Ito restore peace, witness said b
heard no noise as they approache
the hotel, but Mrs. Woodruff put he
head out of window and called t
hurry up" as they are in the ha
now" In the hall upstairs they sa7
no one. except Mrs: Linville and weI
frst to Room. II: and then to 70, wher
the officer knocked. Someone insid
asked who's that?" and Watkins re
piled. a policeman. The officer eI
tered, lighting match, and when
went out told Glen to make "a ligh
/
The officer asked the two men, wh
we're sitting on the side of the be'
what all the fuss was about, to whic
9ne of them replied that there was n
fuss, that they were just talking. Th
officer told them to get back in be-
n a loud tone Collins, who was tr!
ing to get Bunting to lie down ros
> with his hand extended as he talke
to the officer, the pistol fired and tt
Hight went out The men were n,
making any move to attack the of
? GER. Collins, who was shot first, fe
| back so that his foot closed the doc
= and witness was shut out in the hal
He heard a second shot and Buntir
q exclaimed, my God, he's shot me
O the stomach!'
= Watkins on the stand told of tt
= struggle which had come just befo
. the shooting in which the two mt
: had him down. When in this positit
oi he claims he fired the gun and th'
" was again thrown on his knees al
fired again. He gave a complete sto
= in detail, although he appeared a litt
20 nervous. When cross-examined
II Judge Jones for the prosecution
whole past life was aired and he
came illustrated" at several poin
y but on the whole maintained his orr
7s ina1 story.