The morning call., 1893-09-26
MATHEWS MURDER
The Defendants in the
Police Court.
IDENTIFYING THE REMAINS
A TelItale Promissory Note-Defend-
ant Gray Makes Another State
ment Denying His Guilt.

There were no developments OF I'M
portance in the Clara Mathews murder
case yesterday.
The three Gefendants-Dr. Joseph Won
Werthern, DR.. Edward p. Driscoll and
Harry J. Gray-appeared before Judge
Joachimsen yesterday morning. They
were instructed as to their rights, and
Gray, on being asked If his attorney was
present, said that he had not yet secured
the services of one. DR.. Driscoll said he
would be represented by Wheaton, Kellogg
& Kierce, and DR.. Won WertheIn by Attor-
ney George a. Knight. Gray and DR..
Driscoll appeared smiling and collected.
but DR.. Won Werthern was nervous and
excited.
The prosecution asked a continuance
until to-day. as the complaints had not yet
been prepared. The Judge granted the
request, and to-day the date will be set
for the preliminary hearing.
Attorney kIerce says he has not yet out
lined his plan of defense for Dr. Driscoll,
but it would probably be that the doctor
had no knowledge of the nature of the
girls illness when he was called in and
that she died. in lis estimation. from the
effects of blood poisoning caused by ab-
sorption into the system of belladonna
admin stored by the girl herself.
Coroner Hughes took Mrs. Long, the
keeper Of the clearinghouse SIT Mission
street, to the undertaking establishment of
Carew d English, on Van Ness avenue,
yesterday morning. Decomposition had
advanced TO such an extent as to render
Identification difficult, but Mrs. Long posi-
lively Identified the clothing found in the
coffin as part 0f the property Of the girl.
Detective Hogan devoted his energies
Yesterday to the question of Identification.
1t will only be circumstantial. owing TO
the decOmp posed state of the body, but he is
satisfied with the facts which he has gath
cred. MetZler, the under aker, identified
the coffin which contained the body when
exhumed last Saturday as that supplied by
him. The detective also holds the receipt
for the grave and other documentary evil
dence.
Among the documents is the death GER
tifcate of MeZler. the undertaken. 1t
shows that the cost of the coffin was SIT 30,
of which sic was paid on account by DR..
Won Werthern. At the bottem of the GER
tifcate is the following:
September II. 1898.
One day after date l promise to pay 10
Charles j. B. MeIzler, or order, the sum OF
S17 90. with interest at one per cent per month
from date until paid.
JOS. Won WERTHERN, MD.
Lincoln Co., CAL; 800 Sixth street
TIE witness to this promissory note is
Henry Mathews, the supposed husband
of the girl. The Henry Mathews. it viii
be shown, is the defendant. Henry J. Gray
All day yes erday and last night there
was d constant stream of visitors. tale and
female, T. the City Prison to see Drs. Dris-
coll and Won Werihern. The clerks in the
Chiefs Office were kept busy writing per-
mits, and they were glad when their days
work was over. A majority Of the male
visitors was composed OF young medical
men.
Harry J. Gray also received visits from
a number of friends, and among the early
visitors was his aged father. He is still in
the prison hospital, and was seen in the
afternoon by CALL reporter.
i am making arrangements for an attor-
Dey to defend me-" he said. ''but am in
no hurry now. as my warehouse business
in Lincoln has been fixed in such a shape
that | can stay away for awhile.
Il want to say that the statement that
brought Clara Mathews 10 this city is
false. [ know that one of the Lands
boys bought her tickets the night before
she left for Sacramento and return and
checked her valise. 1t was one of the
State Fair excursion tickets, which will
probably account for the statement that
| was taking her to the State Fair.
Going down to the station that morn
ing l saw woman also on her way down,
but did not know who it was until | saw
her in the waiting-room at the station.
1hen L recognized Eer aS MISS Mathews.
Il did not see her on the train from
Lincoln TO Sacramento. / was in the COM
paDY of the teacher Of one of the Lin coin
schools OH the way there.
al Sacramento Miss Mathews bought
a ticket for San Francisco and had her va
lise rechecked. Isroke TO her there and
asked her where she was going, and she
told me. | knew it very well, as she had
been crazy to go to San Francisco for two
or three months, but l just thought
would ask her.
when we got off the ferry here she
spoke of being weak, and on the street.
car she complained of feeling weaker. She
asked me if ] knew a cheap hotel, and |
told her Of the AhlbOrn House and said /
was going there. She said she might as
well 90 there as anywhere else. She
did not tell me what was the matter with
her until after We reached the Ablborn
House parlor. l have already explaine ed
how the clerk came TO write Gray and
wife Oh the register there.
Il most emphatically deny that she came
toSan Francisco at my solicitation. do ot
deny that knew her very well, and could
scarcely help doing so IN such a small
place as Lincoln.
Il am not afraid of the striciest investi-
cation into my conduct in this case. and
the truth Will come out in due time"
The body of the girl was removed to the
MOTgue yesterday afternoon.