The New York herald., 1861-12-19
THE WALToN-MATHEWS TRAGEDY,
Trial OF Charles Jenrcrds for tho Murder
or John w. Mathews.
COURT OF GENERAL SESSIONS.


or John w. Mathews.
COURT OF 0ENERAL sEssI0Ns.
Before Recorder Holman
The trial OF James klcry, charged with tho murder OF
his wife, was resumed this morning. and the testimony
adduced by the defence proving beyond question that tho
deceased could not have to her death BY kick in
the stomach (Which tho charge In the indictment
the District Attorney abandoned tho prosecution and the
jury rendered verdict Of not guilty without leaving thor
seats
Charles Jeferds was then placed at tho bar charged
with the murder OF John W. Mathews who was shot In
Irving place the night of the a0th OF june 1900 It
will bo remembered that the accused indicted tried
and acquitted indictment charging him with shoot.
ing John Walton tho night when II is alleged he shot
Mr. Mathews, who pursued the murderer Of Walton.
There was but little difficulty in obtaining jury The
following gentlemen were sworn TO try tho Indictment
Edward w. Ketchurn, Alonzo d. Haight,
Nathan W Worley, John Dean
Richard W Bendrickson, James Domnick,
Otta H. Copp, Charles d. Chckhaws,
Abraham u. W. Burton, naniel B. Holmes.
The District Attorney made few remarks In opening
the case observing that he would present additional sv
deacc to what given tho a Of the which
had been recently obtained and which, his Judgment
would establish the guilt Of tho prisoner.
Messrs james I. Brady and Robert H. Holmes are the
prisoner g counsel.
District Attorney. He testified foiiows| reside At
No East Thirteth street, on the 30th Of June $780,
resided 305 West Twenty fifth street. with John Wal
tom between eight and nine O'Clock was at 240 East
Eighteenth street. and left about twenty i've minutes
past e. e,ysn ,e wen! 70 S mr. walton home no
days. when near tho corner Of Third avenue
leaning against tree and whom We got about Ave six
feet past the tree heard the report Of pistol and
Mr. Walton fall; the report Of the pistol brought
young man from tho drug store; told him what had
happened, and ran down the Third avenue ia
mi rdar
watch;' thought at the time the who shot Mr.
Walton was Charles Jeiierds; he ran down the Third
to Seventeenth street, crossing dagonally,
through Seventeenth street to Irving place; when got
about hundred feet from Irving place heard the
saw Mr.. Mathews about seventy five feet from the
ner; with party Of gentlemen, conveyed Mr.. Matthew'S
to drug store corner Of Seventeenth street and Third
many continued there, but, il mistake
not, two or three followed the murderer;
eerds quito often previous to this occurrence and
s@ @ an % by M Brady1 am twenty years Of
age; lived with Mr. Walton, who forty four years
Old companion at his request lived at the store
93 and 95 West Twenty fifth street employed at
the store first Jelerds year previous and
good terms with him so far as knew; the man who shot
Walton had light clothes and light hat of de-
sc'ipon; il was moonlight; could only see nehalf of
cited that did not know what was doing; did moi say
that thought IT Jenerds when examined on
the trial OF Jeerds for killing Mr.. Walton because
not asked the question: am cousin OF Mr.. Walton but
connected with the family any other way after
this affair occurred did not write letter to him and did
not cause to be written; wrote letter to Jeferds
! before the killing Of Walton, but am not positive
whether put my name TO 1t or not guess it
any business; don't remember what was in the letter
might have called him low, mean vagabond and that
no ought be ashamed of living upon his stepfaher
| is not my idea Of friendship.
tho Both Of June in tho third story part Of
the house, loud report of pistol attracted my atten
tion looked out of the window and saw something lying
the northeast of Eighteenth street, out
found man wounded picked him up and brought him
into the drug store this was between eleven and twelve
The testimony Of John s. Ames taken at the Coroners
inquest, then read by the District Attorney, which
Henry Hessel testifed-I from Fairfax county va;
the 3Oth Of June resided at 1872 Third avenue, be-
tween Seventeenth and Eighteenth streets standing
at the lower Of Eighteenth street about half
eleven O'Clock, and had been there ten minutes;
standing behind a tree saw two men coming up
man who was standing behind it fired a pistol he ran
from Seventeenth street to Third avenue; the who
standing behind the tree looked like Jensrds ran
him up Seventeenth street to Irving place. followed
by others he turned Irving place about three houses and
hs aa 91E sie @ or
past the present at the Coroners inquest
and the prisoner; recognized him as the who
Cross examined-i butcher at that time; II was
late twelve o'clock the man who fired had
clothes which were light; don know whether was
Panama a straw hat; when said recognized JEFF
ferds the man mean that he looked like him. fThe
evidence given by the witness at the Coroners inquest
read TO him.
The testimony Of Frederick Curtis "a witness examined
tho former tria read by the District Attorney,
and corroborave Of the evidence OF the other wit
nesses.
VIM A. Bailey testihedI resided at the time Of the
the northeast Of Seventeenth
and Irving place. home the night Of the Goth
Of June At twenty minutes past eleven heard cry of
Murder" Stop him; flew seconds after heard the
report Of pistol; went out and carrying the
body 10 the drug store.
Joseph II. Foster cxamined--I dentist reside at
"a East Seventeenth street, remember the night OF the
30th OF June turned down Sixteenth about twenty
minutes past eleven; when arrived on the Of
Irving place heard tho report Of pistol and saw man
looking out Of a window and crying " Murder when
persons running knew person passed me at the
northwest corner Of sixteenth street. and was my i'm
precision he went up the street.
Henry J. Morgan said-I live at 3s Irving place. re-
member the 30th Of June; was sitting in my room, and
heard the cry of "Nurder and "Police; won't to the
window, and number of persons running and heard
the report Of pistol heard some say II shot"
saw man running; It was between eleven and half.
past eleven; called Watch" and saw that he turned
Sixteenth street.
Thomas N. Lewis said--1 reside at Al Irving place.
west sde the Of Seventeenth heard
shot saw people up Seventeenth street from Third
avenue about halfpast eleven; heard them say Stop
that man." l looked out Of the window; saw two mon
very near the from
and landed in front Of door, six feet behind the
other when they got forty feet the forward turned
round and shot him. the who shot said az am
shot p put his hand to his chest, staggered and fell tho
who shot ran towards Sixteenth street, his clothes
were not white the man who running appeared to
be the same height as the prisoner
Cross -examincd-My attention particularly attract
ed TO the who was running away; be what
would be called medium coorcd clothing.
John j. Bradley testAed-I reside az 81 Union place
on the 30h OF June was at 81 Irving place. pistol
fred but attention paid to it for seconds
when the alarm given ran to tho southwest
Of Six teenth street, and was told shot.
Mary Ann Davis said-liv az 179 Fourteenth street,
cook; the 30th OF June lived at "a Sixteenth
street. between II and IL heard a cry stop thief
and got UP; before reached the window heard the
port OF pistol; a advancing tho north of
Sixteenth street. heard cry Of police and saw him
jump the court yard fence and 80 under the front
door steps other mon passed, but he did out
immediately; he looked very like Jeiierds had full
Wow of his face when he of The gate he walked
up Fourth avenue rather briskly; there pepper
and salt Coat shown mo at the Coroner's inquest but
thought the linen coat also shown looked more like it;
was in ths shade and no was in a bright light.
Daniel Francis said- reside at 50 East Twenty sixth
street; conductor tho Fourth car; when
got up far Fifteenth sreet-11 o'clock and SO min
utesheard the report Of pistol and menhaong: Lwas
sitting the platform taking when we got TO Seven
teenth street jumped in the and remained till
got to Nineteenth street. went in to get his fare hc
had gone Of the front door, have been conductor
fourteen years looked him particularly; he rcsem-
| bles Jeferds almost much two men can look
| alike; met another down about Nineteenth street.
| there only three or four persons in my car.
Cross-eyamined-Ihe name Of the driver of my Is
Hurley saw him at the coroner's inquest but cannot
remember whether he was in court at July; the who
got my wore'a light mixed woollen coat and
straw or Panama hat the down due at the Asor