Reading Corner | ‘Deadly Censorship’ recounts true S.C. drama
The real-life drama of a government official shooting a newspaperman played out in Columbia more than 100 years ago, and James Lowell Underwood recreates it in “Deadly Censorship.” The author sets the stage on the first page with times, street names, buildings and principals’ movements on the afternoon of Jan. 15, 1903.
Then-Lt. Gov. James H. Tillman, a member of the Tillman family whose roots were firmly established in South Carolina politics, made an infamous name for himself by killing Narciso G. Gonzales, editor — and co-founder with his brother Ambrose E. Gonzales — of the powerful newspaper, The State .
Underwood relates Tillman’s motive on page 3. “Tillman blamed Gonzales and his stinging editorials for costing him the governorship and causing his humiliating fourth-place finish in the first 1902 primary.”
Tillman pleaded self-defense. The case centered on freedom of the press and Tillman’s right to defend his honor. Tillman was arrested and incarcerated, but the confinement wasn’t as restricted as the average citizen’s would be. Tillman was treated like a celebrity and received special treatment.
The author delves into the backgrounds and characters of Tillman and Gonzales to explain why they acted the way they did. He explains that both of these men were no strangers to violent behavior. Among Tillman’s relatives with a brutal past was his own father, George. While a legislator, George killed a man, was eventually convicted of manslaughter and served two years for the crime. He resumed his legal career and was granted a pardon because of his service in the Confederacy. Ironically, George Tillman mentored Gonzales when the latter was a reporter for the Charleston News and Courier in Washington, D.C.
Underwood cites Gonzales as having a “combative nature.” The newsman believed he should take an “aggressive, crusading editorial stance for South Carolina papers.” He criticized politicians from the time he came into journalism, and one editor had warned him about using his pen in a caustic way. Gonzales’ goal as an editor was to root out “the misbehavior or poor performance of public officials and expose it to the voting public.”
Underwood, a specialist in constitutional law, gives details about the cast of lawyers on both sides, defense and prosecution, which is reminiscent of the O.J. Simpson trial. He recounts the pretrial maneuvers, the jurors, the trial itself and all the witnesses and their testimonies, some of which were contradictory. He includes facial expressions, Gonzales’ statement before he died and Tillman’s testimony, as well as other background he found in archives. The book is like a modern-day program aired on television, such as the Jodi Arias case. A healthy selection of notes, a bibliography and an index complete the text.
Anyone interested in details, no matter how miniscule, will appreciate “Deadly Censorship.” The outcome of the trial is fascinating, and an irony to the entire story is that Tillman died on April 1, 1911.
Jo Ann Mathews, For The Sun News
SUBHED
Lois Eargle, Horry County auditor and author of “Double Standards: in the Political Arena,” will have a presentation and book signing at 10 a.m. March 26 at the North Myrtle Beach Library, 910 First Ave. S., North Myrtle Beach.
With the assistance of co-author Norman H. Byrd III, Eargle will share her life’s journey, which has included four terms in the S.C. House of Representatives and service on the S.C. Highway Commission. She was the first woman in Horry County to run for the state legislature and is chairman emeritus of the Horry County Republican Party.
For more information about the event, call 915-5281.
This story was originally published March 14, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline " Reading Corner | ‘Deadly Censorship’ recounts true S.C. drama."