Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-05-17

other ladies who heard the accusation.
Nicholas Bledsoe. the bartender in
the saloon frequented by the Iancey-
Tucker faction, testified to the facts or
the two visits to his place made by the
accused on the forenoon and evening
of the 26th day OF July just past On
the occasion Of the latter visit the ac-
cused had told him that Stamford
Tucker was the man whom Lottie-May
Doggett should rightfully have charg-
ed with her ruin; that the girl had
told him, the accused, Of fuckers
meeting her secretly. and that he
meant to make Tucker acknowledge
the truth publicly or else kill him.
This witness testimony established
the hour of $50 on that night as the
exact time at which Tom Strickland
had left the barroom to go out to the
/ Tucker home for the purpose OF COM
pelling Stamford Tucker to agree to
I make such an acknowledgment or OF
! forcing hostile meeting in the event
/ of his refusal
/ White haired Mrs. Tucker, the dead
mans mother; Katherine Tucker. his
sister. and Ellen Barry. domestic in
the Tucker home. testified that SIAM
ford Tucker had left the house at or
/ about $50 O'Clock on the night Of the
Goth of July past, saying that he might
be late in returning. He had not told
them where he was going. They had
believed he was going into the town
of Nineveh.
DR.. Longford. the county coroner.
testified to the established facts Of the
inquest that had resulted in verdict
holding Thomas W. Strickland for the
killing of Stamford Tucker.
Luther Bradfeld. proprietor of a
hardware store in Nineveh, testified
that Thomas ". Strickland had pur-
chased a revolver from him on The
morning after the opening of the
Strickland campaign in the Nineveh
4 town hall. He identified the weapon
taken from the accused at the time of
his arrest as the one thus purchased.
and stated that the bullet found in
Stamford fuckers brain was fired
from a pistol of the same caliber.
Colonel Thurston T Todhunter and
Miss Lottie-May DogGett had not an
swered to their names when called as
witnesses for the prosecution. The
deputy sheriff sent to bring them into
court had returned later and announced
that he had been unable TO find them
This had occasioned much surprise
but. as both the state and the defense
felt assured of their appearance at al
] bn ina "a
other witnesses proceeded.
The case against Tom Strickland be
gan 10 assume its most ominouS aspect
Immediately following the testimony
of Bradfield, the hardware dealer.
The prosecuting attorney turned
smiling, from Il whispered consulta
ton with old Ephraim Tucker.
Call Abraham L. Toliver" he said
A negro man about forty years OF
age took the stand in answer to thu
sheriff's cry. He seemed frightened
and reluctant to testify.
What is your name:"
my name is Abram Lincoln Tolliver
suh-dass my name"
What is your occupation. Abram-
y
mostly / ketches fish. sub l hunt.
, some. too. and l sets traps for cool
, and mink down yander in de Blacl
, Bottom swamps. sub"
. Where were you. Abe. on the nigh
of July &c just past?"
Part de time was right hyar in di
heah town O Nineveh. and after dat
went on my way to whar done go
my. camp in de bottom lands. snh.''
What time did you leave the tow
of Nineveh TO 20 to your camp in tn
Black Bottoms?"
: Il lef' dess III while after half at
ter s. sun
How do you know this?"
"'Case ] done AK Ben Dalton. de cuI
= lud man whar been visitin' what wa
de time dess as / was a-tellin' hin
: goodby, sub"
What road did you take to go I
your camp in the Black Bottoms%
why, sub. 'cose l TOXIN de Blac
Bottoms road. suh-leas'ways 'twell
comes to a iii hog path what lead
down into de big swamps off'n data
road, sub"
How far is It from town before 70
come TO that hog path. Abe?"
'Dess 'bout'n mile. sub. ter de be.
O. my knowledge and speakin' sorte
offhand lax, sub"
DO you know where the Tucke
place is on the Black Bottoms road?"
"Yass. sub"
as that path of which you spea
more or less than halfway to the TucI
er place as you go out from town.
Hit dess III mon Railways. sun
Now. Abram," and the p, psecutin
attorney Strengthened to his Il heIgl
and spoke with especial earnestnes
II want you to tell the jury exactl
what happened to you on your way I
your camp in the Black Bottoms thu
night. Tell ii In your own way Just 9
It happened"
The witness looked at his question
er with apprehension in his childlik
eyes.
''Mistah Cromwell, you--you don
gimme yo' wu'd dey amt no harl
a-comin' to me eff tells dat?'' he erie
\ appeahngiy. And you done tole n
/ halter tell IL whur' I wants to G
no. Amt dat sO:'