The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-10-13
better than the policeman.

better than the policeman.
Miss Mabel Lee Daniels followed
Squire Puryear, and her entrance
into the court room, accompanied by
her mother, created some little stir
among the spectators. Miss Daniels
was attired in a dark skirt with plaid
waist, and wore a thick brown veil.
At the request OF Coroner Taylor, she
lifted her veil while giving her testi-
mony.
The Lady's Evidence.
Miss Daniels is decidedly prepos-
sessing in appearance. having dark
brown hair and decidedly dark eyes
that were quite expressive at times
during the taking of her testimony.
She is rather above the medium
height, and although apparently af-
fected by the affair of yesterday
morning, remained collected and an
swered questions without difficulty.
She stated that she has known Will
! ltams since last November, but he was
| merely a friendly acquaintance and
had never called upon her. She had
seen him with other young ladies and
| did not know that he was a married
man. At one time he applied TO her
mother for room with a friend. but
| there were none vacant. That was
the only time he had ever been to
the house.
She denied the statement made by
Squire Puryear that williams was ly-
ing down when she was accosted by
the squire. She stated that she had
been selling tickets at one OF the con-
| cessions at the Fair Grounds up &c
! 10 O'Clock. when she met Williams.
and they went to several shows to-
Sether. She was positive that Will
liams was not drunk and said he took
| nothing after he Joined her at 1c
| o'clock.
Was Resting.
The last car had gone and they
started with the crowd to walk down
the road. AS she had been on her
feet all day. she was tired and they
sat down on the roadside in an open
place to rest and wait for the owl car.
| There was no reason in the world why
| both OF us could not be seen.
Someone came up and said. What
are you doing there?" and Mr.. Will
| ,iams became incensed. She told him
not TO have trouble. but he went
across the ditch. and she saw them
| scuffling mad he nit q man.
She did not hear any words. I'M
| mediately after she saw the blow she
| heard two shots which frightened her
so she clapped her hands over her
ears.
| After the excitement had died down
she was sent home by some of those
present
| Gatekeeper's Evidence.
B. w. Shelton. employed as gate
keeper at the fair. was with the par
ty walking on the Boulevard He
heard someone say, "See what that is
| over there" He walked ahead and
in a moment heard someone call for
help; and as he turned back he saw
| Officer Puryear rising from the
ground and firing. He fired twice
and as the man was falling he said.
| For Gods sake, don't shoot me no
| more"
The witness said that he went to
the fallen man, and before giving him
assistance asked Officer Puryear for
his gun, which he gave him. Puryear
| then said: What is that other thing
| over there? I'm going TO get her"
| He brought the woman into the road,
while Shelton continued to work on
the wounded man.
w. L. Spruil, an employee of the
street railway company, on duty at
the Fair Grounds terminal. saw Will
liams and Miss Daniels when they at
tempted to board a special car and
was refused. Williams had been drink
| ing, but was not drunk. He grew in
| dignant at not being allowed to get
on the car and used some strong lam
guage. He grew decidedly indignant
at being refused passage for himself
and Miss Daniels and swore.
This ended the testimony. and af-
ter being out only a few minutes the
| jury returned a verdict to the effect
that Williams came to his death from
pistol wounds, inflicted by Benjamin
| z. Puryear.