Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-25
Correspondence of Mrs. Irwin and
George Matthews.
PRISONER WAS MUCH AMUSED
Nearly ConvuIsed With Laughter
Over the Expressions Used.
MURDER TRIAL AT LA PLATA


the murder of James Irwin. and General
wilmer, who has been assisting the prose-
cution. was Unable to be present because
he had not recovered from the effects of the
Injuries received in a fall last night when
he came near being run over by a railway
train at the station.
Justice Peter w. Robey who held the
coroner's inquest at the time of the homi-
eide, was the first witness examined by
the state. His attention was called to the
letters In the case and he identified them
as having been offered before the coroner's
jury. He had written his initials anG The
dates on the letters.
''Lcok at this letter." said Mr. Posey,
land tell me If you know from where it
came"
This letter. said witness, was handed
me. with another letter, by Mr.. Irwin at
the inquest"
And did the prisoner say anything about
them"
He admitted he had written them to
why did he say he signed two cross
marks to them?'
He said he signed them in this way to
worry her husband
The other letters witness said were writ
ten by Mrs. Irwin and sent to Matthews.
Mntthcyvs' Letters Admitted.
case to be read to the jury, and in doing
20 he said he offered them to show i'm
proper devotion on the part of the prisoner
as motive for the killing. These letters,
he argued. would show a motive. He had
to get rid Of the husband in order that he
might continue his Illicit relations with the
wife.
To the Introduction of this evidence Mr..
Mitchell, for the defense, intcrpostd
objection and quoted authorities in support
OF his objection. but the court decided to
admit those written by the prisoner. The
two intercepted letters of the prisoner were
then read. The first was dated July -,
1896. one week prior 10 the killing, which
read:
MY Dear Friend:
II received your letter and was glad to
hear from you but was sorry TO hear you
were sick. Those things were filed all rite
an thank you vary much for tncm until!
you are better paid. / was sorry that you
are h:,veing so much trouble but hope IL
Will s,or be over. / would give anything
10 pee you, my dear. don't you worry your
self for / am afraid you Will make your
sclf sick some day. Everything will be all
rite. I can't see yoI this week but VIII see
you one day next week. You ANGER this
an let me no how you are. Rite an let me
no toy Thursday an l VIII see you Oh Fri
day. ! want to see my dear little sugar
laby an must her. Little S. sends his
love to aunt Emma an to Nellie AMI John
mic. Good bye. my dear baby. from your
loving friend. y y ".
The other letter contained the informa-
ton that the writer WIS going to Baltimore
and he wanted to hear from his Loving
doll baby" and he also sent kiss for
You and Georgia.
Mrs. Irwin's Letters.
The court admitted in evidence the batch
Of Mrs. Irwins letters found in the pris-
oners cabin. In one of them the writer
said that Jim lid not want her to so to
Baltimore. and he would not give her the
money for car fare. and was doing every
thing to stop her from going. In all the
letters the woman referred to Matthews as
her darling and never neglected to mention
the baby, for whom she asked George Mat
thews to send her money. The baby was
sick for long time. according to the let
tiers. The death of the little one followed,
and its burial at Newport. This trouble,
she said. she would try to bear like wo-
man.
God knows best" she wrote. and He
may send me many blessings yet
A letter. dated March !, read as follows:
My Dear: l am sick. / have been ever
since i seen you. i I'm sick ROW. I'm GO
ing to see the doctor Monday if l can. That
crazy has gone back. You come up here
Monday right If you can. l want to see
my dear baby: be sure to come. / want to
see you and be with you. dear: you know
that love you and will give everything TO
be with you all the time. Be sure to come.
dear so l can see you and kiss you all
night. My dear. be good to yourself
In still another letter she informed Mat
thews that if she were compelled to stay
there at Aliens Fresh she would go crazy
The reading of the letters was more than
the prisoner could stand. and for the first
time he appeared to forget the serious posi-
tion in which he was, and was nearly con-
vulsed with laughter.
Some of the letters We're signed Emma
~ while others We're signed TX. X ""
One which she had evidently delivered her
self was addressed Mr. Matthews, in
loves care bunch of orange blossoms
tied with yellow ribbon accompanied one
letter. and the writer almost invariably
said she appreciated his letters SO much
that she had reserved them.
When the reading of the letters was
finished tho witness was cross-examined
concerning the statements made at the
inquest by the prisoner When the pris-
criminal intimacy he said she must he
crazy, and made Il denial He said he
would face her and tell her she had lied.
Alton Hayden testified that Saturday
the day prior to the homicide, he Went to
Matthews place and got a boat to go 10
West Hatton on Sunday. He did not tell
Matthews what time he would return Sun
day.
States Attorney Testilies.
When States Attorney Posey was sworn
witness interest in the case increased
for the spectators expected to hear one
ol the most lmports mt npkS in the chain of
evidence He told the jury that Monday
morning, August ). he was called upou
before daybreak and told of the murder.
and he went to the house as soon as nos
slble He described the sickening sight of
the corpse in the little bed room. and then
said he was present at the autopsy. The
witness produced the shot taken from the
brain and skull, and they were closely
examined by the jury.
Up to the time the autopsy was made
witness had not the slightest idea who
had committed the crime. Mr.. Irwin,
brother of the dead man, handed him the
two letters which were intercepted. Then
he saw Mrs. Irwin, but she was hystericaI
and witness could not learn much from
her. Hearing about the trouble between
Matthews and Irwin he ordered the issu-
ance of a warrant on which the arrest
was made. AT the inquest he questioned
the prisoner about the letters, and ne adj
mitted they were sent by him to Mrs. IT.
win. When the autopsy was made the
doctors gave witness the paper wadding
found in the brain and that night he
Strengthened it out and could read the
word "populist." He noticed the peculiar
kind of type that had been used and came
to the conclusion that it was a piece of a
populist paper.
At the inquest the prisoner was pressed
and he admitted that he had a populist
paper in his cabin. Witness told of mis-
visit to Cobb Neck and of the recovery of
the gun and letters. Several pieces of