Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-14
ESCAPE OF MATTHEWS
He Was Charged With Murder in Charles
- County.
NO Trace of the Fugitfve-POlice in
This City Looking Out
for the Man.
correspondence of The Evening Star.

LA PLATA, Charles County, Nd,
October IA, 1896.
footprints in the sand was the ONLY trace
ieft behlnd by George Matthews, the al
legged murderer of James Irwin at Aliens
Fresh in August. who made his escap,
from the Jail here yesterday. These foot
prints led in the direction of the branch
just across the hill on the farm of George
Matthews but once in the woods II is
thought he changed his course and took
another route to the Potomac river.
Others thought he went down in the di-
rection of Sekiah swamp and followed this
swamp down as far as the Wicomico river
which empties into the Potomac some
miles below Aliens Fresh
Matthews knows every inch of ground
both along the Potomac end Wicomico riv-
ers, and being an expert sailor, II is thought
he Will have no difficulty in getting away
on an oyster boat, II he once reaches the
river. That he reached the river last night
the people here have no doubt and the
citizens express very little hope that he
Will be recaptured. While 1t is generally
tnousht he Is desperate man, there are
plenty of men In the county who will not
hesitate to take him, and should ne show
HSnt the Tray may not he one-Sided.
When the county seat was moved here
from Port Tobacco. and the new jail con-
structed, no one ever imagined prisoner
would escape from it. There had been es-
capes from the old jail at Port Tobacco,
and prisoners had been taken from there
and lynched, but when the new building
was put up at considerable expense 10 the
county, and q massive steel cage, with
numerous steel locks to make 1t secure, had
been erected. 1t was thought that even
lynchers would find 1t difficult to get a
prisoner.
But with the locks open and the outer
door - No a al
prisinS that a man who was soon to be
tried for his life should walk out.
That the fugitive had some assistance
from the outside is not doubted, for he had
time to get some distance from the prison
before the people in the village were told
OF what had happened Then they f1ocked
TO the jail, and there Learned the true con-
dition of affairs While Matthews lad
gone. it is said that others might easily
have gone with him. for a resident of the
village says that Mrs. Irwin. who is
charged with being an accessory. as well
as other prisoners, stood on a sand pile
ana looked in the direction in which the
fugitive had gone
Matthews was the occupant of 4 cell in
the northwest corner of the building on
the second floor, from where It was thought
escape was impossible there were five
locks between this cell and the outer door
Warned Here.
Inspector HoiIinbereer this morning re-
cefved postal card from Sheriff Wade
OF Charles county. Nd, asking that the
officers keep lookout for George Mat
thews. who escaped from Jail at La Plata
yesterday. The sheriff says that the pris-
oner's complexion and hair are dark. and
his beard is short. He said nothing in the
postal OF reward having been offered for
hts capture.
Inspector Hollinberger notified the police
stations. and the county police about Ana
costa are especially on the lookout. IS the
fugitive may come in this direction