The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-04-04
COL. JAS. Il. TILLMAN
DIES IN ASHEYILLE
FORMER LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
PASSES AWAY.
End Came in Presence Only OF His
Physician and His Nurse.-Sketch
of His Life.

Asheville, \. c., April 1.-With only
nis physician and a young nurse with
him at the end, Col. James H. Tillman,
at one time lieutenant governor of
South Carolina, died here tonight at
s.45. The end came very suddenly.
He had been here for his health for
the past six months, and of late had
improved.
A few days ago he became worse
Late this afternoon he became very
weak and suffered a collapse, the end
following almost Immediately. For
several years Col. Tillman was a
prominent figure in the political al
airs of South Carolina. He was a
nephew of United States Senator B.
r. Tillman.
In 1903, following editorial criti-
cisms in the Columbia State, he shot
and killed, on the streets of Columbia,
the editor of that paper, N. G. Con-
zales. A jury later acquitted him of
the charge Of the murder.
The body will be sent to the old
Tillman home, Edgefeld, S. c., for
burial.
James H, Tillman.
James H. Tiilman was the son of
Col. George D. Tillman, born in Edge
field county, the home of the Tillman
family. He was a nephew of United
States Senator Benjamin Ryan Till
man, senior senator from South Car
olina. He spent his boyhood days in
his home town. When the war with
Spain, in 1898, occurred, he, with his
local company, enlisted in the SER
vice. During his enlistment he made
many acquaintances and friends
among tie militia, and their support
of him in the race for lieutenant gov
ernor iii the fall of 1900 was con-
Spicuous:
In 1900 Col. Tillman offered for the
office Of lieutenant governor of South
Carolina, being in the second race
with the late Col. John T. Sloan, of
Columbia. He defeated the latter by
vote of $4,000 to $4,000 in round
numbers. In the first primary he was
opposed by Sloan, Winkler, Livingston
and Blease.
Ran For Governor.
Having served his term as lieuten-
ant governor, Col. Tillman in 1902 en-
tered the race for governor against
DR.. ". H. Zimmerman, M. F. Ansel,
D. G. Hayward and W. J. Tolbert. It
is recalled that Mr. Hayward lead all
the candidates by a large plurality
and was elected. Following this CAM
paign, which was extremely bitter in
so far as the fight waged against Col.
Tillman was concerned, and at the
conclusion of his term as lieutenant
governor, COL Tillman on January Is,
1908, shot Capt, N. G. Gonzales, editor
Of the Columbia State, from the effects
Of which wounds Mr.. Gonzales died on
January 18th. The i'll feeling was oc-
casioned by the fight waged by Mr..
Gonzales upon the record of the then
candidate for governor
Trial at Lexington.
The trial Of Col Tillman, at Lex
ington, a change of venue having been
secured, was one Of the most mem
erable in the annals Of the State. The
sum and substance of the defense was
that Col. Tillrcan believed that Mr..
Gonzales was armed and from the po-
sition of his hand in his pocket, when
the two met on the streets of Column
D;a, was convinced ne meant to shoot.
NUL guilty. "dS lHC fSlulCC 10itI&C1 ~
by the Lexington jury. In the trial
were engaged some of the foremost
lawyers of the State, among them Col.
George Johnstone, Col. P. H. Nelson,
and the late G. Duncan Bellinger,
Special Judge Frank B. Gary presided
at the trial.
Returned to Edgefeld.
After his acQuittal, Col. Tillman re-
turned to his home in Edgefeld and
resumed the practice of law. His
health soon became impaired, and he
was forced to give up his work. Last
year he went West, but seemingly to
no avail, and returned to Edgefeld.
Six months ago he went to AsheVille
for treatment and reports at times
indicated that his ailment, tubercu-
losis, was under control and that he