Godfrey Harman witnessed many historic events as editor of The Lexington Dispatch newspaper.

One of the most locally important was the murder trial of Lt. Gov. James Tillman in Lexington in 1903.

This case made national news as Tillman was on trial for the murder of the editor and co-founder of The State newspaper, Narciso Gonzalez.

Although the crime was committed in Columbia, the defense attorneys wanted the trial moved to Lexington where the populace was more pro-Tillman. Their gambit worked as the Lexington jury found their client Tillman not guilty.