Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-24
Irwin's Father Tells of the Night Of
the Murder.
WHEN HE Was TOLD OF TEE TRAGEDY
The Task of Securing the Jury in
the Case.
TESTIMONY OF DOCTORS


special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
LA PLATA, Md, November 4.-Mrs. Ir-
wins father and father-in-law were in at
tendance at the second days session of the
George Matthews murder trial today. The
prisoner has no relatives.
John c. Irwin, father of the murdered
man. was the first witness examined. He
testified that on the night of the murder
his son returned home about 10 o'clock,
and put his buggy in his (witnessD stable.
The witness gave his son piece of water
melon. and he left About IL o'clock he
was told that his boy had been killed, and
he went in his bare feet over to his house.
There he found the dead body of his son
on the bed. The house was in darkness,
and the doors and windows. with the ex-
ception Of the window on the north side of
the house, We're closed. A piece of to-
bacco stick was under the open window.
Why did you go down to the house?"
asked counsel.
Because Mrs. Irwin came there" re-
spcnded witness, 'and called my name and
my Wife's name"
Did you ever intercept any letters?"
My son did, and 1 saw them"
on the 2sth Of July. said the witness. a
letter addressed to Aliens Fresh post
office. bearing Mrs. Irwin's name was
handed him by his son. now dead. His son,
who could not read. asked him to read it,
Mr.; Mitchell objected to the identified let
Ter being offered in evidence until 1t is
shown that 1t was written by the prisoner
and this Gen. Wilmer said he would prove
One ground for Mr.. MitchelIs objection
was that 1t was penal offense to take an
Diners letter from the mail and open it,
and States Attorney Posey said the man
could not be tried for the offense, for he
had been killed
Another letter alleged to have been in
tercepted in the same way was also pro-
duced and identified by the witness. Gen.
Wilmer announced that later on he would
prove that both letters We're written by the
prisoner. >e
When the witness went to the house on
the fatal Fight he took a light and made
an examination of the premises, expecting
10 nnd blood stains on piece of iron or
some weapon. but found none
On cross-examination the witness de-
Serlbed the premises. There are three
rooms on the second floor and two on the
lower. His son was thirty-three years old
nad oeen married eight years and had four
children. He did not know the age of his
sons Wife. Witness Was the frs: one to
go In the house and Mrs Irwin, who was
IN her night clothes, followed and put on
went to the house of Capt. Swann. She
remained in Swann's house until she was
arrested.
When he entered the room the bed WAS
stained.
Had anybody other than your son been
in the bed that night
only my little grandson; he was still
IN the bed with his murdered father, and
1 took him in my arms. He commenced
crying, but / told him his grandpa had
MIN, and as he is very fond of me he
stopped"
Witness was satisfied that Mrs. Irwin
had not been in the bed that night.
He remembered the letter he had been
given more than year before, because 1t
was in old-fashioned handwriting. Wit
ness knew the handwriting to be that Of
the prisoner because the latter had writ
ten letters for his murdered son. The let
ter he kept in hop bag because Emma
Irwin frequently searched the house. His
son asked him to keep the letter, because
he said he wanted to find about his wife 5
'rascality." He explained that he meant
intimacy with other men.
Witness said he heard 10 report of gun
on the night Of the tragedy. Saturday wit
ness went to the house of fis murdered
son with Mr.. Stone of counsel for the de-
fense. gun Was fired in the house and
the report was heard by number of peo-
pie in Aliens Fresh. Witness was in Mr.
Tippets store when the shot was fired. He
knew the gun was going to be fired and
ne was listening for the report when ne
heard 1t. The doors and windows were
closed
Story of the Arrest.
Constable Joseph H. Howard, who made
the arrest of Matthews, told of the circum-
stances of the arrest. He made the arrest
in the prisoners cabin at Bloody Point,
where he found him sitting on his bed
While Matthews was dressing witness
searched the house and found some of the
prisoners clothing, which was wet. Mat
thews said 1t got wet in his boat Some
rags found in the boat that were wet and
muddy he said he had used when he wash
ed his boat out pair of trousers We're
wet below the knees.
When 1 placed him under arrest" said
witness. "hc asked me what for, and told
him 1 had warrant for him. I after
ward read it to him.
Witness took possession of a letter he
found in the house well as the clothing
and on his way down from the house Ma
thews asked Captain DAILY to take charge
of his property, for he said he might never
come back.
States Attorney Posey produced the gun
and osher articles in court, and they were
Identified by the witness.
Where did you get the letter." asked
counsel.
I'm box on the shelf in Matthew'S cab
in.'
On the following Friday the witness went
to the cabin with Mr. Robertson and the
states attorney. This time he found some
pieces of newspaper in the trousers pocket
on the floor and on the shelf. Some pouch
es were also found, as was a box Of mixed
shot.
Additional letters and bottle of strycn-
nine, also found in the house, were turned
over 10 the prosecutor. Inc gun was lde1-
titled at that time by Mr.. Alton Hayden as
belonging to him. The pieces of paper
which the state claims form an important
link in the chain of evidence were produced
and examined. Witness said he had had
some experience printer, and said
that several pieces showed that they were
of the Sc me type.
package Of letters taken from box in
the prisoners trunk next figured in the
proof, and these letters were also identified
Witness was present when the loads from
the gun were withdrawn, and he saw the
shot taken from them. There was a very
small quantity Of powder taken from the
right barrel. The paper that had been
used in the loading Of the gun was identi-
fed as being in the same type as that
found in the cabin and taken from the
prisoners pocket ,.-z =
The Prisoner Agitated.
The introduction of this evidence showed
its effect upon the prisoner, whose eace
flushed and then turned deathly pale. :,
On cross-examination the witness was
questioned at length concerning his knowl-
edge of type and printing. When Matthews
was placed under arrest witness said he
tied him with a rope and then read to aim
the warrant charging him with the mur-
der The prisoner told him, that on, Sun
CONTINUED on Page Ten.)