Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-03-07
MURDER MOST FOUL.
The Particulars OF One of the Most Ter.
rible Deeds in the Dark An
mails OF Crime.
The story az Told by the Monsters
Step-Daughter, Whom He had
Seduced.

I
most revolving imaginable, and all the detail:
| of the crime were gathered by the APPEAL
reporter from the commission OF the crime
up TO the confession obtained from the Grim
inal yesterday afternoon by Chief Davis.
| For two years Mathews was a laborer on the
farm Of Mr.. w. w. Coleman, brother OF
Esquire Coleman, near Lucy, on Big Creek
On the 10Th of November last he pulled up
suddenly and left for Memphis under rather
SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES,
az many Of the neighbors had lost hogs and
cattle, and the festive Sandy was thought to
have been the party who seduced the stock
from the owners. His premises, after he LETT
were carefully examined, and several hogs
were discovered that rightfully belonged to
Mr. Coleman. The latter had frequently
accused Matthews OF clipping with his stock
but the darky had always protested his in
nocence The negro also owed him about
S72 at the time OF his departure.
HIS sTEP-DAUGHTER peaches"
Last Saturday Sandy's step daughter
named Bette, went to Mr.. Coleman's place
and there gave the details Of the murder,
of which she was an eyewitness. This girl
Bette was the mistress OF the murderer.
She is such a comelv-lOoking colored girl
that she aroused all the brute's appetite. He
compelled her to yield to his iucestuous pas
she dare not deny him. He watched her az
the miser watches his gold, and would let no
man look upon her,
KEEPING HER IN HIS CABIN
as much as he could. He drove his wife
from him, this beast, and cared no more to
see her. She accordingly left the neighbor-
hood and came to Memphis with the negro
E=sick Polk, and, it is almost sure, lived
with him. In the latter part of October
Essick, who is a well-digger had occasion to
go to Lucy, and there ne called upon Bette.
1t was
NEAR THREE O'CLOCK
in the afternoon when Ezsick walked into
the passage of Sandy's cabin, sat down and
began talking to the girl. Shortly afterward
Matthews came in, and seeing Polk there with
the girl he became insanely jealous. He
asked her where his ak was in very abrupt
manner, but very coolly, and gave no evil
dence of the terrible crime he was about to
commit. She told him that it was at the
woodpile. He left them. Soon he came back
with it, passed by Polk, entered one of the
rooms OF his cabin, but Immediately returned
and coming upon Essick from behind he
dealt him
HEAVY BLOW
on the side of the head with the pole OF the
ak, knocking him completely out OF doors to
the ground.
Lord have mercy on me-" said Polk. "My
God, don't murder me-"
In an instant the brute followed up his
advantage and struck the fallen man a sec
ond blow on the left side of his head, crush
ing in the skull and killing him instantly.
Being powerful man, he then
PICKED UP HIS VICTIM
and placed him in a room where seduction
was kept. He covered him with the cotton,
and kept the body hidden there until night.
When it had become quite dark he wrapped
the corpse in an old quilt, carried il 200 yards
down a ravine in the field to where "levee"
had been thrown across for the pur-
pose of making a watering hole. On the
upper side of this "levee" he proceeded to
dig hole three and half feet long and two
fee. wide. Matthews found that this hole
not large enough, so taking his ak he
coolly cut the body
INTO THREE PARTS.
He cut off both legs, and then divided the
body near the abdomen. Taking the pieces
separately he threw them into the pit, laid
the old quilt over them, and with heavy
maui pounded them down. He first threw
in the fresh dirt, then procured some old
earth and placed upon it, and covered the
whole with sod. OF all these horrible details
Of crime the girl Bette was
AN UNWILLING WITNESS,
having been compelled TO follow him. When
be had completed all the burial ceremonies,
he turned to her and said: "Now, if ever
you tell anybody about this, I'll do you the
same way"
Matthews then returned and burnt the cot
on that had blood on it. Mr.. Coleman often
noticed the sod upon the spot where the
murdered man was buried, but he never sus-
Al, - =
lers ever committed. The griffin great fear
# being herself killed, kept the black
lemons secret until within the last few days |
SEARCHING FOR THE BODY.
When the full history Of the murder was |
aid before Mr.. Coleman he at once with |
humber of colored men began to search for |
he body under the guidance of Bette. As |
he burial took place at night, and some time |
lad elapsed since Their, she forget the exact |
pot, and directed them TO dig below the |
levee," and so all fday Saturday was spent in
igging without any discovery. Next day |
bout thirty colored men were collected, and
igging was renewed and kept up until nearly
light without success. 1t was suggested that
long sharp stick be used as probe above
be dam, and there the body was found and
xhumed.
DENIED IT AT FIRST.
Information was sent to Chief Davis, and
aptain O'Hsver undertook the arrest of the
egro, and caught him as already narrated.
lat. heWs took his arrest with great coolne g.
I'D denied all knowledge whatever of the
fair. He said he barely knew Polk; merely
lough to speak to him. As the captain
as conducting him to the stationhouse, a
egro who knew the prisoner remarked to
i'm: Il told you, you Id fool, you had
etter leave here"
Between 1 and 2 o'clock yesterday after
Don Mr.. Coleman called at Chief Davis's
ice, where the APPEAL reporter then was
I'D asked to see the negro. Accordingly
-atthews held levee with the following
sitors: Chief Davis, Mr.. Coleman, Captain
'Hayer, Sergeant Kunbolz, Mr.. Saltmarsh
I'd the APPEAL scribe. The object of the
sit was to find out what Matthews had to
Y, and, if possible,
TO OBTAIN A CONFESSION
ON him. When the murderer was released
ON the cell he came rather shrinkingly to- |
ard the persons gathered in the station
1use.y yard.
How are you, Sandy ?" said Mr.. Coleman.
"Howdy do, Marse Coleman"
"What are you doing in here?"
II don't know, sir, why they has put me
ere"
"Well, Pll tell you," said Chief Davis, in
matter-of-fact way; "you are charged with
ordering Essick Polk several months ago.
on did it, didn't you?"
NO, sir; | don't know anything about it,
never met him but once or twice, and /
dn't have anything against him."
BIT OF DIPLOMACY.
when was the last time you saw him?"
Some time ago."
"Where was it,"
''At my cabin; he came over TO get some {
,ta'oes."
allow did you kill him?D
Il don't know anything about it, l tell {
u"
81 just want to say to you, Sandy" con-
lued the chief, "tha. we know all about {
e affair, and you might just as we'll tell us
e truth. / don't ask you to say anything I
u don't want to, but it will do you no
cd TO conceal it. An open confession is t