The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-06-04
ON WHOSE HEAD
Is the Murder of Mrs. A. D.
MatSOn?
Trial of Frank Nevels for the
Crime
IS BEGUN TODAY
In the District Court Before
Judge HaZen.
Jury Secured After Three Hours
Hard Work.

The solving of the mystery surround
ing the terrible death of Mrs. A D. Mat
son began in the district court today.
Frank Nevels coloreG, is charged with
the murder. The prosecution processes
confidence that Nevels can be convicted,
if not of the actual murder, of being one
of the conspirators, in which case the
penalty will be hardly less severe 1t is
conceded that. guilty or innocent, Nevels
knows all about the crime. The evidence
against him is wholly circumstantial, and
in the trial Nevels will have the benefit
of every doubt
His defence will be an alibi, or an at
tempt at one. The trial will no doubt be
long and bitter one, with the chances
about even for conviction or acquittal.
When the case was called at o'clock
this morning the court room was full
The crowd of spectators without the bar
was IS to 1-one white man to sixteen
colOred men.
Some of those in the crowd evidently
knew Novels, but most of them were
drawn through curiosity. The colored
people were about evenly divided be-
tween men and women.
Nevels walked up from the county
Jail with Deputy Sheriff Dan Jones. He
wasn't hand cuffed, but Jones had his
revolver where he could reach it quickly
in an emergency.
When Nevels was brought into the
courtroom he was given a seat at the
right of the long table on the north side
of the room near the jury box At his
right and in front of him were his at
torneys J. r. McNary, Joseph Ensmin-
ger. and w. L > Jamison.
The Prisoners Appearance.
ic q croOd -lOOLip0 oo1Oro6 vyoT1p cr
man 26 years of age. So far
as outward appearances go he is
not the kind of a man who would be
picked out as a murderer. He is mani
testify uneasy and looks fxedIy at the
jury at the same time curling a short
black mustache
The prisoners white wife, Rosa Nevels,
sat inside of the bar with her two months
old baby which has been born since the
murder. She is short and stout Her
face is decidedly plain. She wore a
striped lawn dress and fiat straw hat.
As soon as Nevels had been seated and
the stir caused by his entrance had sub
sided, Judge Hazen stated that the
charge against him was murder, and
asked him:
"Are you guilty or not guilty?"
Joseph Ensminger, speaking for
Nevels, said, E'not guilty"
Then Mr.. Ensminger entered the usual
motion to quash the indictment against
Nevels On.the ground that it does not
constitute sufficient cause of action
County Attorney Stafford smiled when
Judge Hazen overruled the motion.
MIR Ensminger's next move was to
challenge the jury away. This was also
Dverruled by the court.
The special panel of twenty-fiv Jurors
was held in the background until the
jurors of the regular panel were exam
ined.
Statement of the Case
Deputy County Attorney Arthur Nc
Cabe made brief statement of the case
to the jurors before proceeding to ques-
tion them. He said simply: The charge
against this defendant is murder We
will attempt to prove that he murdered
or was implicated in the murder of Mrs.
AImeda D. Matson, who was found dead
in her home on December goth last"
The jurors were then put through a
long and trying series of questions. The
defense is especially anxious that there
shall be no one on the jury who has any
prejudice.
A J. Hungate was asked, "Do you
know Frank Nevels?"
"No."
"Did you know Mra Matson?n
'No."
in this case?"
'No"
"Did you read the newspaper accounts
OF the crime at the time?"
eyes"
ain what paper?"
SIN the Topeka STATE JOURNAL
"Was the name of Nevels conuected
with those articles?''
II believe it was"
did you form any opinion from those
articles as to the guilt or innocence of
this manw
II believe not"
Have you any scruples against death
as the penalty for murder?"
mo"
Have you any prsiudices against the
colored racer"
"No sir"
Would the fact that Novels has a
case?" 49, sU'
ut would not"
You are not opposed then to the in
termarrying of the races?"
NOT so long as they keep out of nv
FAMILY" (Laughter)
DO you know Sheriff Burdge and
Chief Wilkerson?"
81 do"
bs;da %asd d. they 9sy. ANYTHING to do with your
n OF that know Of"
"Have either of them ever done Won
any 1avors, political or otherwise?"
None, whatever
case?'' 0no "Oou' 'nls
Il may have discussed it at the time ,,
II mean recently?"