The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-04-04
SAW THEM KISSING.
Miss Abbie Matthews Testifies in
the Chase Investigation.
THERE WERE GREAT GOINGS on
at the PenItehciary According to the
Testimony OF Many Witnesses.

afternoons session of the Chase investi-
cation was confined almost wholly to the
relations existing between Warden Chase
and Miss Lou Williams, who was for
time assistant matron of the peniten-
itentiary.
Four witnesses were examined for the
prosecution at the first session of the in
vestigation. They were Sadie Davis,
whose sensational testimony was pub
lished in yesterdays STATE JOURNAL,
Matte johnson and Della May, ali
colored women who were inmates of the
institution, and DR.. C, M. England, the
present surgeon and physician at the
penitentiary.
In concluding her testimony relative
to the way Miss Williams, the assistant
matron dressed on the occasion of the
warden's visit to.her apartments. Sadie
Davis was asked if she had ever said any
thing to Miss Williams about appearing
dressed in only light wrapper and in
her stocking feet.
YES" said the witness 81 talked
with her and once when she was dressed
''What else did you say?"
81 said you woman you amt got
enough clothes on to flag a hand car"
The witness said the warden never
went into the matron's room.
Captain ]. G. Waters. who is conduct
ing the defense for Warden Chase, in
conclusion, asked the witness how she
earned her living, aud she refused to an
sWer.
He then asked her if she was not
woman of the town, to which she re-
piled:
mo, haven't been since I came out
of the peniteutiary."
Matte johnson, who was a room mate
of the Davis woman when they were in
the penitentiary, was the next witness
She said she saw Warden Chase go to
Miss Williams room several times, and
once, when she knew he was there, the
witness said she went to Miss Williams
room and, without knocking, pushed the
door, which was slightly ajar, wide open.
She said the warden and assistant mat
ron were sitting on the bed together.
Miss Williams got up and said: 81 want
you to rap when you come to my room.
Do you understands
Witness then said she asked for some
thread, which was the excuse she made
for going to the room, although she did
not want any thread.
She said Miss Williams was frequently
dressed in light wrapper.
W arden Chase would stay from a half
hour to an hour in Miss Williams room,
and the witness said she and the other
girls would sometimes go to Miss Will
liams' room and turn the knob, when
they knew the warden was there. The
door was locked on the inside with
night latch, and the door could not at
those times be opened from the out
side.
When asked how she knew the warden
was in the room, the johnson woman
said that on one occasion in particular
she had seen the warden go into the
room, and he did not leave it until be-
tween 7 and o'clock in the evening.
Miss Williams left the penitentiary
week or ten days before Miss Matthews,
the rnatron, was succeeded by Mrs.
Chaffee.
When Mrs. Chaffee became matron,
her daughter was made assistant ma
The witness said she worked for Mrs.
Chatfee in her kitchen, and that Mrs.
Chaffee used state provisions to supply
her own family. She did not buy any
-four but would use for her family out
of what was sent up for the convicts,
and she got all kinds of provisions from
the state farm.
Mrs. Chaffee got -four, sugar, and lard
from the state stores and milk from the
state farm supplied her wants until she
got COW, about month after she was
made matron.
The witness was employed in canning
ackberries from the state farm, which
went into Mrs. Chaffee's private stores.
On cross examination the johnson
woman told how she was several times
placed in solitary confinement Once
she cut another woman convict with a
knife and was locked in the blind cell
for ten days and was then placed in
solitary confinement. 1t was the same
room only the blind door was taken of
and she was given bed.
On another occasion she was locked uE
in the blind cell eight days for sassing
Miss Matthews. She said she was sent
to the penitentiary for six years from
Shawnee county for stealing money.
On another occasion she said she saw
Warden Chase go into Miss Williams
room, and after she heard the door
locked and he had been in there ten or
fifteen minutes, witness went to the door
and raped. Miss Williams opened the
door less than a foot. and, putting her
head out, asked what was wanted. The
witness said she really did not want any
thing, but asked to go down stairs.
In concluding her testimony she said
Mrs. Chaffee, the matron, did not get
/ ter Mr. Yarroll (the book-keeper) haC
''raised u racket" Mira. Chaffee ther
bought her groceries at Lansing.
The next witness was Della May,
colored woman, who says she now live;
at Manhattan, and who went to the peni
Tertiary to serve a two years term short
~ before Chase became warden.
She said she could see the door of Miss
Williams room from the wash room anC
had frequently seen Warden Chase &c
into this room. He went there ever
day while Miss Williams was there
Some times he would stop at the laundry
to see her and they would go up tairi
together.
The witness also told of going to Mis-;
| Williams room and turning the dool
knob when Warden Chase would be in
side.
When the lawyers had finished asking
her questions, Senator Taylor asked: