Daily Kennebec journal., 1883-06-06
SCENE OF THE ASSAULT.

W." n@e-iIoh, producing injuries wnlcn may
result in death.
| SCENE OF THE ASSAULT.
| The house in which this murderous assault
was committed, is small one story structure
painted white, its dimensions being some
lsxl4 feet. II is located on Franklin street,
which runs from Washington to Oxford streets
on Cushnoc Heights. Adjoining the north.
east corner Cf the house is q low fat-roofed
shed used for stable and other purposes.
Back of the house is a field extending up-
wards towards the top Of the hill There
are no other houses in the immediate vicinity
Alderman n. c. Hallett resides on o Oxford street
| about 20 rods away. The interior of the house
| is dirty and begrimed. The walls are smoky
aid the plastering is torn of in many spots.
There are two small rooms below, the one
in front being used As kitchen and sitting
room and the rear room where the deed was
committed, as bedroom. The latter con-
taines bed and a lounge.
The FAMILY
which has resided here consisted of Mrs.
Hannah Matthews the injured woman. aged
so years, Charles Matthews who made the as
sault, % years Of age. nineteen year old
boy who is foolish, girl named Annie, Is
years of age and another boy 10 years
of age. The latter three are all Mrs. Matthews
own children while Charles is her step-son.
Mrs. Matthews husband, who was also the
father of Charles, died some three years ago
She came from Bangor where her folks now
reside. Annie, the girl has worked in the
mill and was at one time employed in the
Cony House. Charles Matthews has borne
a bad reputation and has often figured in the
police court, having been a frequent inmate
of the Jail. He has always been a hard drink
er, and for a week previous to the assault
had remained almost constantly drunk his
favorite liquor being new rum and alcohol
He peddled fish for living and would often
leave home to be gone for week. He al
ways got along well with the family.
Ox MoSpAr,
of this week he was drinking hard As ever,
and spent the most Of the day with family
by the name of Smith, they being cronies Of
his. In the forenoon, Annie, his sister, went
to Smiths for the purpose Of persuading
Charles to return home. But she met with
a cold reception, and as neighbor says 'she
was pitched out of the house head d-foremost." :"
| In the afternoon Matthews and Jim" Smith
got into fight. The latter got worsted, Mat
thews knocking him down several times. At
1 L.. k,,t
again in the evening, returning about 10
o'clock. After his return he acted ugly and
| Mrs. Matthews sent her boy after Mr.. n. C..
Hallett Here we will give Mr.. Hsllett's ac-
count as follows:
was aroused about 1890 o'clock by a
pounding on my door. Arose and went to
the door. Found the Matthews boy there,
who said his mother wanted me TO come down
as Charles was acting badly. / went down
to Matthews and found Charles in the house
| | asked him what the matter was. He did
not make much reply. questioned him fur
ther and he said his stomach felt bad. sug-
gested that he have strong dose of pepper
mint tea. He didn't want that Finally l
proposed that Mrs. Mathews should prepare
strong cup of coffee for him. She
started on this errand, when Mathews fol-
lowed and stopped her. Mathews hugged
something to his breast. Could not
see what it was. The mother told me it was
a flatiron. He appeared to be delirious.
At one time he exclaimed, Don't. don't
Smith" and put his arm around the stove
funnel thinking it was Smith. said to Mrs.
Matthews: 1t don't look safe for you here.
She replied. II am afraid of him." Said it
it wa, my case | would shut him up. Finally
II decided to go down street and get
the police. Found officers Jones and White,
who returned with me. When we arrived
at the house found large crowd at the door.
The officers and went into the house. No
one had been in before us. We found
Matthews living on the lounge face down.
wards in the back-room. His hands were be-
hind him and he did not utter word. The
officers handcuffed him. He was taken to
Jail on Cross truck wagon. The prisoner
made no demonstration at the house; hal
looed and struggled after reaching Water
street, but was subdued BY the officers. At
ter Matthews was handcuffed we looked
around to find Mrs. Matthews. Discovered
pool of blood on the floor two feet long and
eight inches wide. Several chairs in the
room were overturned. We could not find
he woman down stairs; looked down cellar.
Finally discovered her sitting down at the
head of the stairs with her apron up to her
| neNu. TttT hpTOu udii "ViS so"ASo " 's'
blood. We persuaded her to come down.
She could talk.
| THE ASSAULT.
The following is what trsnspired, AS near as
can be ascertained, after Mr.. Hallett left the
house. There was a small six-weeks-old
puppy in the house, belonging to the family
Matthews attempted TO hit the dog with his
fla, iron Mrs Mathews went forward. put
her hand IN his shoulder and asked him to
forhear. He turned around, grabbed her
| and pushed her into corner There
he struck her over the head with
the fiat. iron. telling the unfortunate
woman L. the floor. Annie, the girl,
screamed, upon which Matthews, furious with
anger. sprsng towards her, and attempted to
strike the girl down with his weapon. But
she lodged him and ran to the neighbors,cry
ing murder. After Annie left, it is thought
Matthews returned to the fallen woman and
struck her several more blows. Mrs.
Matthews says she does no: remember how OF
.~ .<..rs Miss Mstfhpwa think /