Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-11-28
MATTHEW'S CONFESSION.

At Id Plata, Nd, yesterday Mrs.
Emma Irwin, the paramour Of George
Matthews, who was On Thursday con-
victed of the murder of James j. Irwin,
the woman's husband, was arraigned
charged with being an accessory to the
crime. She pleaded not guilty and
chose jury trial. The trial will begin
next Wednesday. Mr.. Mudd was as
signed by the court to defend her, and
fifty talesmen we're drawn in addition
to the regular jury in order to facilitate
the selection of jury.
George Matthews, the condemned
murderer Of James j. Irwin, yesterday
made full and detailed confession He
is extremely bitter against Mrs. Irwin,
and insists that she spurred him on to
the deed. He said 1.-The murder of
Irwin was planned on the preceding
Friday. Mrs. Bournea. Emma Twins
sister, did all she could to put me against
Irwin. went into Twins house that
Sunday night through the window
propping it up with the stick as it was
found. | went up to the room and
pushed the door open. Mrs. Irwin had
gone to bed and was lying as far over
on the edge OF the bed as she could.
I don't know whether she saw me or
not. The room was dark. | did not
20 in the room where Irwin was,
stood in the door and fired the gun. |
did not notice whether he moved or not
| did not look to see if one of the chill,
dren was in the crib and the other upon
a pallet on the floor. The little child
on the floor cried out. felt that some
thing was holding me to where | fired
the gun and something seemed to tell
me that l ought to kill the woman, too:
that l had killed the wrong one. 1t
was dark when went into the house,
and the moon was quarter OF an hour
high when came out. | stayed in the
house longer than | thought. ! did
not hurry out Of the house and
walked leisurely across the bridges
and to West Wood, where had left
my boat | would not have hurt any
one if my arrest had been attempted at
the scene of the crime. | killed Irwin
because the two women kept telling
me that he would kill me, and / did it
TO save myself"
Matthews also said he and Mrs.
Rournes tried to persuade Emma to
leave her husband, and if she had done
80 Irwin would have been living to-
day. That at the time of the murder
and when the plan was made the let
ters which passed between him and
Mrs. Irwin were lost sight of, and but
for them suspicion would never have
rested upon him. He had been told
by Mrs. Irwin that her husband had
intercepted his letters. 1t had never
been his intention to marry Mrs. Irwin,
but he would have looked out for her.
He supposed Mrs. Irwin did love him at one
time, but that after she was arrested she
cared only for herself and wanted to put the
whole affair upon him. Matthews repeated
that the two women insisted that he would
be killed Matthews declared he could have
gotten away when he escaped from Jail and
that he had friends who would have furnish
cd him money with which to 60, but that nc
committed the murder and felt that he ought
to take the consequence. If he had been let
alone he would have killed Irwin in open
day and then given himself up. He has been
making all the preparations he could since ne
has been in Jail in order to better his chances
for the next world and will continue TO do so,
but that lie does not fear death.