Delta chief., 1884-01-23
CHILD MURDER NEAR oURAY.
LynchinG Of the Perpetrators by the
Vi-ilanteS,


Ouray for the past week has been greatly
agitated over the inhuman treatment and
apparent murder of little orphan girl who
had been adopted by n family named Cuddi-
gan. The story is best told by the Denver
papers:
OuRAY, January 14.-Ouray is consider
ably excited over the mysterious death of a
girl about II years old, who was sent out
from the Denver Catholic Orphan Asylum
some months ago to Michael Cuddigan, who
resides in the valley some twelve miles north
of Ouray The child died suddenly on Sat
urday night, and was buried on Sunday
morning. The neighbors charge that it was
the victim of cruel treatment.
Charles Matthews, of unenviable notoriety,
who is now serving a sentence in the Arapa-
hoe County Jail, is the father of little Mary
Rose Matthews, who was brutally and
atrociously murdered a few days ago near
Ouray. A few years ago the wife of Matthews
died and poor little Rose was left to live u
rather precarious existence with her father.
He was Coroners clerk under Tom Linton.
Matthews seemed to like the child very
much, and when he went to take walk Rose
accompanied him. When he would be asked
why he brought the child with him he would
exclaim, "Ah she has no mother" Mat
thews, however, fell from grace, and since
then has earned for himself tbs reputation of
being disreputable character. He attempt
ed to assasinate a woman named Bennett,
who was riding in buggy, and recently
formed liason with the notorious Julia
Mullins. He is now serving sentence in
the County Jail for stealing some money out
of drawar in the bottoms. He is as yet not
aware of the fate of his child, who he thinks
is being well cared for.
Some time ago Matthews concluded to
place Rose in orphan asylum. Matthews
made frequent inquiries about his little
daughter, but said he could not bear to see
her, because he had not dollar in the world
to help her and the sight of her would COM
pletely unnerve him. He said she was such
little pet that it would only make her un-
happy to part with him again. He said he
would wait until he procured work, rs he
could take her away with him. The child
had been in the asylum for some time when
the Sister Superior saw Il chance to have her
placed in what was supposed to be good
family. A man named Michael Cuddgan,
who lived near Ouray, said he wanted to
adopt her. After the managers of the Orphan
asylum had examined into Cuddigan's rep
utation, through the assistance of the ofiicia-
ting priest of the Catholic church Of Ouray.
district, and found that he bore exceeding
ly good name, they gave their consent, as
far as they were interested, to let the Cuddi-
gan family have the child. The next time
| Father Servant, of Ouray, came to Denver he
| took her with him.
A few days ago the horribly mutilated
body of Rose was found near Cuddigan's
residence. An inquest disclosed the fact that
the child had been the victim of horrible
| brutality. Both her feet were frozen.
| There was n complete discoloration and
peeling of of the outside skin from both legs
and both arms, with strong indications of
| their having been frozen. The skin on the
lower half of her right leg had peeled Oh up
to the knee There were also four wounds
on it with the skin peeled off from the frost.
On her left knee was found a cut two inches
| in length over the knee cap. There were
also three wounds on her left side with
| a partial dscoloration of the skin. Her left
| hand was frozen. There are several small
| wounds on her left forearm, which is bruised
at the elbow, and there is considerable dis
| coloration of the arm. On her right hand
| her forefinger and thumb were frozen COM
| pletely to the second joint, with number of
distinct wounds along her arm. In the fore
head little to the right of the center, il was
| found that she had received n severe blow
! from some blunt instrument. Cn the rear
portion of her head was found very large
wound. about the size of silver dollar,
which was evidently caused by a blow from
some blunt weapon. On opening the skull
it was found that portion of the brain was
considerably injured, and the cavity contain
| ing q mass of clotted blood weighing fifteen
grains. These wounds, in connection with
the impoverished condition of her body, due
TO previous treatment she had received,
! caused her death.
The Coroner's jury have returned verdict
that Rose Matthews came to her death at the
hands of Michael Cuddigan, his wife and
Mrs. Cuddigan's brother, James Carroll.
ACCOUNT OF THE LYSCHING.
OURAY, Colo, Jan. 19.-After the post
ponement of the trial Of Michael Cuddigan,
Mary Cuddigan, his wife, and John Carroll,
who had been arrested and brought here on
tho charge of murderinv by cruelty Mary