Evening star., 1896-12-03
LODGED IN BALTIMORE JAIL.
George Matthews Removed From Dam
ger of Being Lynched.

Special Core sIOndence Of The Evening Star.
LA PLATA, Charles county, Md,
December 3, 1896
There was a large gathering at the
station yesterday afternoon to see Sher-
if Wade depart with George Matthews
for the Baltimore jail, in order that he
might be safely kept until the day the gov
ernor will fix for his execution. The re-
moval from Jail of the condemned murderer
or Jim Irwin renders unnecessary the
further employment of the extra guard to
protect the JAIL and last night Jailer Burch
was alone in charge of the county prison
and the dozen prisoners confined therein.
When the court adjourned and Mrs. Ir-
win returned to Jail she went to work in
the kitchen with a colored woman and as
sisted in preparing the last dinner the muir
derer was furnished in Charles county
Matthews seemed much disappointed at the
outcome of Mrs. Irwin's case, for he had
hoped to give evidence against her yester-
day and secure her conviction.
Shortly before 3 o'clock Matthews dressed
himself and left the county jail without
having an opportunity to see Mrs Irwin
She could him from the kitchen win
dow. He was a trifle nervous at the sta
tion, but he boarded the train without hear
ing q word said against him, for the gath
ering was well-behaved. Among them were
some who would have served on Mrs. Ir-
wins jury had the case not been trans
ferred from here. One said he would have
voted for conviction had the state shown
criminal intimacy between the woman and
the condemned man. while another eX-
pressed himself as being ON the other side.
Mr. Mudd's Statement.
Mr.. Mudd's idea in having the case trans
ferred, 1t Is thought, was that it would be
transferred to Marlboro, and there was
sc me disappointment when Baltimore was
designated There was SO much criticism
lowing statement:
Il had the case removed for reasons that
came to my attention yesterday morning.
regretted to have to take this course, but
acted under deep sense of duty to the de-
fendant, whose interest alone / must look
out for. Nearly every juror sworn on his
voir dire stated that he had formed an
opinion even those that / had to select.
When jurors once make up their minds
they are not very easily changed, though
they enter the jury box with the very best
intentions to do their duty, 1 am sure
the members of this jury desired and in
tended to do. l proceeded to the extent
that / did in the effort to get a jury be-
cause of an earnest desire to try the
here. 1t was demonstrated to me during
the swearing Of the jurors that it was my
imperative duty to have the case removed.
At the present time in the county there is
much feeling running generally in the di-
rection of convictions because of the recent
crimes that, unfortunately. have gone un-
punished. In justice to my client l could
not well ignore this condition of affairs in
considering the question as to the advisa-
bility of removal
1t is thought that Mrs. Irwin's case will
be tried in Baltimore before Christmas.
The case will probably be heard in the
criminal court, in which Judge Stockbridge
.presides.
Arrival at Baltimore.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
BALTIMORE, Nd, December B. 1896.
Sheriff Wade of Charles county arrived
here yesterday afternoon with George Mat
thews, the condemned murderer of James
J. Irwin. The train reached Union station
before & o'clock, and the prisoner was
taken to the city jail, where Warden Bailey
assigned him to cell 20. On the way from