The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-12-20
THE WAL TON.MATHEWS TRAGEDY.

der OF John w. MISUNDERSTANDING
Testimony for tho cution-Alieged
Confession OF the Walton Murder, &c.
COURT or GENERAL SESSIONS.
Before Recorder Hoffman
SECOND
DEo lo-The trial Of Charles H. Jeferds charged with
the murder Of John W. Mathews, was resumed thi'
morning. Among the spectators were few ladies'
friends Of the respective parties.
John Ct stigan. examined by the District Atorney-I
live At No Atlantic street, Brooklyn; superinend-
emit in the Union Hotel, Of which my brother Ia pro
pristor the South ferry landing the hotel hrty
sixty feet from IT. know Jeierds first knew him In the
spring of 1900 he came there two months before the
MURDER engaged rooms June, eight days
before the Both Of june he engaged room for week.
and did not give his name; don't remember seeing him
again until after the murder; my brother shut up tho
Saturday the 3Oth OF june at ton minutes past
twelve in the bar at the time; heard Jenerds
come In that night; in my room ut the time;
left the bar at ten minutes past twelve, and WAS IN
my ton minutes before Jenerds arrived.
Cross examined by Mr.. Brady-Jederds had ON black
cloth coat and light Panama hat.
To the District Attorney-I sure he had on black
clothes he had no trunk
Mrs Ellen Cosgan. mother OF the last Witness testi
6cd-My SON George D. keeps the Union HOTEL know the
prisoner Jesrds in that Saturday night near az
can judge 1t WAS between quarter and halfpast
twelve.
Cross examined-JsGsrds came In very suddenly and
passed up stairs and remarked ld like TO be locked
OUT" eyes," said l, "K you had been fow minutes
later you wGad have been; he had black clothes on
that nght--thc suit in the mornings he said he
did wish any dinner but on being urged he sat at the
table, but ate very little: no sat reading the paper Till
O'Clock the afternoon he went out TO take walk
with my s0n.
Robert H. ouanckenbush said-r am police officer;
made ourney from the Of Eighteenth street and
Third TO South ferry left twenty minutes past
eleven got to Nneteenth street twenty four minutes
past eleven waited eight minutes for car got down
the lower end oil the Park at II So quickly South
ferry arrived ct three minutes past twelve the boat left
at I2l4 and touched the Brooklyn side at 1921.
To Mr.. Brady made pretty good time and not
stopped by anything was Instructed TO run over this
route BY the General Superintendent. and did not know
for what object 1t was done.
Ofncer Glass testified made journey on Tuesday
evening from the Of Eighteenth street and Third
avenue TO south ferry starting at twentytwo minutes
past eleven and landed in Brooklyn Ut twenty two mi
nutes past twelve.
officer Jacob H. Foshaw sworn-kade q similar Journey
on the same eveang starting 1T twenty five minutes asst
eleven and arriving at Brooklyn at twenty three minutes
past twelve
Robert A. Schultz was tho next wtness-I ON employ.
cd at 4 Broadway; Alfred Woodham is the proprietor
know Jeerds for three years. well acquainted with
him sold tho prisoner American Adams pistol, the
style as the one shown me; sold II TO him tie
30th OF April 1850.
Cross eIamlned-Theae pistols made at Chicopee
by machinery this pistol was shown by the District
Attorney two weeks ago; year ago the Coroner showed
pistol like that within two weeks; he said not he
asked if he sold pistols like 1t, TO which he replied 81
have plenty Of them this pistol Colts new moiel
have sold two pistols besides this to Jeerds the
first small size Warnor's and the other was
Colts new mqdel tho qrst pistol was sold to him before
went TO Mr. Woodlands, and the last one was after he
Harshorn W Gillian sworn-I reside at 1856 Third ave
nue. remember tho 30th of june was at the Ale
any Hotel 1877 Third avenue left there from fifteen to
twenty-five minutes past eleven friend called my
attention TO man being shot, crowd OF people
the west side OF Third avonue turning up Seventeenth
street they were calling murder"I started in pursuit
of the crowd up Seventeenth street to Irving place.
heard the report Of pistol and the Of Seven
tenth street and Irving place two three gentlemen
stood, and said the man shot the other side
Of the street. he partially down. and in the win
called that tho murderer had run down Sixteenth
street; ran, and crossed Alderman Bradley
Ireturnod and asked tho II he knew who shot him
but no made no reply helped TO bring him to tho drug
store took things out Of his pocket from which learned
that his name Mathews; took u masonic pin out Of
his breast and gave 1t to the policeman.
G. f. Delabela testified reside In Union square,
Of Sixteenth street and Fourth avenue ply
stefan found pistol Oh Sunday, between juno and July
Sixteenth street heard in tho morning OF tho murder
and found the pistol the afternoon OF the day went
for policeman. and he took the pistol the pistol shown
mo IL like the ono found.
VIM NJ. Belts said reside ut Patchogue L. L; know
the prisoner for the last Ave years him my house
in the summer Of $780, about tho LIST OF June he stad
between two and three weeks and left saturday the
Esd; JefYerds told me that he going TO Delaware
and did not know how long he would stay; no came
ag.n on Monday, the s5th and stayed till Thursday the
2oth, when no and went to the city; whom were
tho stage no said ~ have forgotten the pistol let you
have TO keep for mo-; 1t had five six barrels II
Lot either OF the pistols shown to me- saw him on the
following Monday at the Union Hotel, in Brooklyn; he
said he wanted to in hrs room; no took q paper
from his pocket and said, ~ accused OF shooting my
stepfather no told the keeper Of tho hotel that his
in the papers no did not want his to be known
lie wished to give himself up; asked him whore was
the pistol he gave me to keep; he said he had either
thrown overheard or threw IL he said tho papers
stated the person who shot shot with pistol
and ho did not want pistol to be found upon him. for
fear he might DO charged with the crime.
-0Xamined-Ih0 A
smaller than tho shown me; IT had smooth handle
and was silver mounted; told Jeierds by all means
to give himself up az possible he
showed me letter which no had written to
Coroner Jackman; returned for the purpose
crossed the ferry and went in Of person
to whom he might give himself up; Justice Os-
Jensrds stopped At the Lafargs House and at the Hone
House. on tho following morning Jeords gave himself up
to the authorities.
George S. Devucena testified tho proprietor OF
the Union Hotel, Brooklyn; know prisoner who en-
gagged rooms thcre Jeerds left on the Saturday Of the
murder in the middle Of tho day. returned at night
from quarter to half past twelve twelve Sunday he
down stairs about nine ten o'clock was in the
dining room reading the Sunday papers no to
read Also he read the HERALD and the DIpah after din
he conversed about the Harden murder and asked
If didn't think 1t was pretty hard case he asked IT,
did not think Harden ought to be skinned alive and sailed
for committing such crime no then spoke Of tho Hicks
murder, and asked what thought OF that CASE told
ons went to East New Yor IN ba ana
he told me his name was Charles Jackson but Monday
Mr. Belts told me his name was Charles Jeords and that
he charged with being implicated in the Walton
Mathews murdor this is q copy Of the Sunday Herald
which was reading.
Cross-examined-Jeferds brought trunk, rife and
banjo to tho hotel which called for by person who
had written order; tho 3oth Of june Jenerds wore
black clothes and Panama hat, and returned having
the Same ctohss whom no returned at night no appeared
hssTs A'n'' not notice whether he
To Mr. Waterbury, noticed that tho prisoner wore
linen dustor whom he went out into the country.
John j. Lynch said-On the 30th Of June l resided at
No. 2Atantc street. introduced to tho prisoner on
Sunday by the name Of Jackson; while were sitting
together in East New York making bouquet he asked
mo II had mother sister who was injured by man.
and was to kill him, they would hang me; told him
"No; that they did not hang people any moren he re-
peatsd several times, No, they would hang you like
dog no was reading paper-ths HERALD think-and
then he asked me the question.
George l.. Hgbey, an employs in the DispatcA Office
was sworn 70 show that that paper press before
eleven O'Clock on Saturday night
Mrs. Sarah Walton, sworn and examined by tho Dis.
trict Alto ney-l reside At No. 192 West eighteenth
street; John Walton was my SON. know tho prisoner
have never heard him say anything about Mr.. Walton
on one occasion was In the house whom my son and he
had difficulty; mot In the room, butt hoard ond