Evening star., 1896-11-27
LATE NEWS BY WIRE
Mrs. Irwin Arraigned as Accessory in
Her Husbands Murder.
CALM and UNMOVED ALL fHE Time
Went Into Court With Smile on
Her Lips.
PROCEEDINGS WE'RE BRIEF

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
LA PLATA. Nd, November 27.-Mrs.
Emma Irwin was this morning arraigned
as accessory In the murder of her husband,
James J. Irwin, at Aliens Fresh, Sunday
night, August =. The trial was fixed for
next Wednesday. The woman was driven
from the new county Jail to the town hall,
quarter of a mile distant, in buggy
by Sheriff Wade. George Matthews, the
murderer of her husband. heard the door
clank behind her as she left with the sher-
iff, and he smiled grimly through the bars
as If satisfied that the woman with whom
he had raintained a liason for so long was
about to share the ordeal which he had
just gone through.
The conveying OF Mrs Irwin to the hall
was the signal for a general rush to the
court room. Men hurried there from all
parts Of the town, and when Chief Judge
Briscoe raped the court to order there
was no more room left.
Mrs Irwin entered preceded by the sheriff
and followed by his special deputies, Joseph
Howard and Eugene Murphy. She pressed
through the crowd with apparent uncon-
ciousness and what seemed to be smile
played around the corners OF her pretty
mouth. Reaching the bar she took seat
and swept judges and lawyers and specta-
tors with glance. Then she TOOK no
special 5lterest in the scene before her.
If the whispered remarks from the crowd
reached her ears the woman should have
blushed, for they were laden with little else
than compliments. and indeed, there was
none who could sainsay her attract1Veness.
She was attired in d neat dress or somoer
black that showed OFF her trim figure to
advantage. At the neck was little goid
clasp otherwise she was devoid OF jew
elry. On her head sat natty black straw
sailor hat, from under which came WaVy
locks of brown hair. Her big gray eyes
seemed to contain little else than innocence
and frankness The impression made py
the prisoner was most favorable.
BY the side of Mrs. Irwin sat Representa-
tive-elect Sidney +. Mudd, her prospective
counsel He conversed with her in low
tcne before the indictment was read. but
she answered him only in monosyllables
Stand up, Emma Irwin, Clerk Turner
ordered. and the prisoner arose and raced
the court. She maintained a wonderful
cCmposure during the reading Of the In
dictment When told to raise her right
hand in pleading there was not tremor
discernible in the tapering fingers held
above her head.
Are you guilty or not guilty?" she was
asked.
Not guilty" she said. in a low but clear
voice Then she took her seat. and waited
for the proceedings to continue.
Mr. Mudd was appointed by the court TO
defend her, and then the woman was led
from the court room, eagerly scruttrlzed by
the curious throngs In and about the place
She was at once driven back to jail. The
whole arraignment had taken Just four
teen minutes.
After Matthews was sentenced in court
yesterday and had been taken to jail, he
called down to Mrs. Irwin, who Is In cell
on the first floor, and said: Emma, you
have got my neck stretched; l suppose you
are satisfied now! You made believe you
never saw me, but you know you were sit
ting there when it was done"