The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-10-11

morning having been occupied in the
hearing Of arguments by the attorney.
Tor both sides and the charge of Judge
Sease. The court room was crowded
all the day with interested spectators
VINO had gathered to hear the argu.
mehts and to await the outcome of the
case In which much interest has been
manifested.
The evidence, as taken Wednesday
on the examination of witnesses, was
practically the same as was pub.
lished in the Item at the time of the
killing. All OF the facts were gone
over carefully. the defense trying at
every point to establish as far as pos
sible their plea Of self-defense. Nu-
merous witnesses were put up to tes-
tify to the good conduct of the de-
fendant and the former bad reputa-
tion Of the deceased, A. M. Bate
man. The circumstances of tho case
seemed in the main to be against the
defendant, as they seemed to bear
out the statement of States witness
es that Caughman shot Bateman first
when he was putting the keg Of whis-
key down in his buggy. bending over,
and the second wound was received
when Bateman turned to Caughman.
Brilliant arguments were made by the
attorneys on both sides.
DR.. Holman testified to the wounds
and direction in which the bullets
ranged, one entering at the back
and ranging upward and the other
entering at the side and ranging
downward. J. F. Bateman testified to
a statement made to him by his
brother before his death. after he
though that he was going to die, as
TO to the occurrence between himself
and Caughman.
Sheriff ]. X. Bradford, Deputy Sher-
If EppersOn. Messrs. Boykin, p. s.
and c. ]. Gaillard. r. L. Burkett,
E. w. Parker and others testified to
the fact that Caughman had told
them. when he was arrested at. Smith
and frightened on the stand, made a
very hating witness. He failed to
answer some questions and seemed at
a loss to answer others. frequently
asking that they be repeated. His
story OF the shooting was that on the
day In question Bateman stopped him
In the road, saying that he had some
thing to say to him. Bateman then
came over to his buggy and told him
he would have to take the whiskey.
He stated that he told Bateman he
did not have any right to take his
whiskey. Bateman then took the
whiskey back to his (Batemsn's) bug
gy. placing 1t in the foot of the We
hicie. Caughman then, he says, told
Bateman he had served him wrong
and. Bateman turned on him with an
oath. saying that he had taken the
whiskey and he would take him too.
As he said this Bateman drew his gun
and held 1t on Caughman. Caugh-
man then says that he reached down
In his buggy and grabbed up, his pis-
tol out Of the foot Of the buggy, catch
ing 1t In both hands. AS he raised ii,
Bateman fired, the first shot taking
effect In his finger. He then fred
and Bateman fired again. Caughman
then, he says, jumped or fell out of
his buggy, from which the two first
shots were fired, and fired twice more
from the ground. Bateman ran
vile or later at Dalzell, that he shot
Bateman because he lost his temper
when Bateman took his liquor from
him. One witness stated that Caugh-
man told him that Bateman had treat
ed him like dog and he wouldn't
stand for 1t. .ti .o
On the stand DIR. Carson testified
to the fact that ,Caughman's mother
"oS Ah Oou uCoith duu tIc ItlO TcC-
ommended that she take whiskey
three times a day. He had dressed
Caughman's wound at Smithville and
tes fled to the fact that the ball en-
tered the index finger between the
middle Joint and knuckle and came
out behind the knuckle. ,,
Mrs. Caughman, the mother of the
defendant, testified to the fact that
she had asked her son to order the
whiskey for her. as it was prescrib-
ed for her by her physician.
A large number of witnesses were
put on the stand to testify as to the
character of the defendant. all of
them stating that 1t was good. Others
testified that Bateman had had q bad
reputation at Smithville.