The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-03-10
Of Mrs. Matson, Than at the
First Trial.
DETAILS OF THE DEED
Brought Out More Clearly By
TOday's Testimony.
doc" Ward on the Witness
Stand Today.

OAAbiCS Sc0uS 10 pAhy an LApOEthuS
part in the Nevels trial. One of the de-
Tending lawyers told reporter that they
made mistake in trying John Wilker-
son and Dave Burdge instead of attend
ing strictly to their duty in defending
Nevels. Nevertheless, from the pro-
ceedings it looks as if the present hear
ing will be conducted in the same way.
If juror said he had voted for
Burdge it was almost a reason why he
should be dismissed. Burdge's trips to
Arkansas City, Winfield and Hutchinson
last week in search of evidence will be
made the most of by the defense, who
will urge that motives other than desire
to enforce the law have caused him to
be so earnest in the case.
County Attorney Harry Stafford held
private consultation with Sheriff kepley
and his force this morning, in which the
sheriff assured him that they would do
all in their power, irrespective of politics,
to help him make a conviction.
The defense rather begged the ques-
ton in examining jurors toward the close
by asking "If it should turn out at the
close of this case that eleven jurors voted
for conviction would you go over to them
or hold 10 your own opinion?"
At p. IN yesterday the following jury
was sworn to try the case: w. H. White
cotton, Frank Alatchett. A. P. Shreve, M.
l. florence, Eric Nystrom, A. B. Jack
son, J. S. Collins, Moore Mcconnell, ]. E.
Christman, John r. Taylor, J. ID. Harvey
and A. B. Hinman. Seven of these are
regular jurors, only five being from the
special venire.
The first witness placed upon the stand
was Fred w. Badger, STATE JOURNAL
reporter. He went with Police Sergeant
Tim Donovan and Officer Charles Lind
sey to the Matson house about o'clock
on the afternoon of December 20. 1894.
when the murdered woman was discov-
cred.
Q-Tell of finding the body.
A-After trying all the doors Charles
Lindsey and myself looked in the south
window over newspaper pinned up
there and saw pile of rags with sack
of potatoes upon it. From one end of
the pile human foot, standing on its
heel, protruded
Q-What did you then do?
Al ran around the house to call Mr.
Donovan, and did call him. 1 tried the
windows as l went. The northwest win
dow fell in when l touched it. Mr.
Donovan clim bed in first and when I got
in he turned back part of the coverings
from the body.
Q-Where was the body lying?
Ain the southwest room with the
feet in the doorway between it and the
i
feet were to the north and the head to
the south
Q-What did you next do?
Al went to the Missouri Pacific de.
pot to telephone to the police station and
The JOURNAL Office. Then ! returned
and stayed about three minutes and went
up town to the Office.
Mr.. Tillotson cross examined
Q-How many people were in the
house when you returned from tele-
phoning?
About dozen or half dozen.
Q-How many when yoa came back at
A-There were several going in and
out At that time they were trying to
keep people out but not very success
fully.
The defense wants to show that some
of these people may have taken in the
slung-s shot which "Doc" Ward found
next morning.
Sergeant Tim Donovan next testified.
O. Sergeant. do you recognize any of
these articles?
A-They look like the coverings saw
on Mrs. Matson's body that day
The county attorney here exhibited a
dirty drab comfort white sheet and a
white bed spread, and a two bushel grain
sack. All of these had large faded
stains of blood.
u n0ee are the articles you turned
back from the body of Mrs. Matson?
A-They are. They were soaked with
blood and stuck to the head, which was
crushed in.
Q-What was done with these?
A-When Coroner Bailey came he
threw them aside and they were left
there that night.
Q-What did you do before leaving?
Al called a young colored fellow
named Robertson from across the street
nailed the windows and locked the doors
out.
Odd you see an ak near the bodYT
A-One was standing near it
Q-Auy blood upon it?
A-Some drops on the blade.
Odd you see another axe?
A-Yes. One stood near the south
door of the frame addition on the west
There was blood upon the blunt side of
this and upon the door casing.
Mr.. Donovan described the topsy tur-
vey appearance of the three up stairs
rooms. The two trunks broken open
and the clothes taken out and scattered
about in the south and north rooms: the
bed clothing gone from the bed in the
northwest room, papers and letters scat
tered about, etc. lie didn't remember
whether any of the letters had been TAX
en- out of the envelopes
Mr.. Tilloison failed to gain much in
formation on cross examination. He
questioned particularly as to whether
the sergeant examined carefully to see
what caused Mrs. Matson's death, and