The evening times., 1897-01-18

Mrs. Irwin was brought into. the court
room o few minutes after 10 O'Clock, and
took q seat alongside the table occupied
by her counsel, Hon. Sidney Mudd and
william f. Campbell. She was dressed
entirely in black, with black cape, hat and
veil. She was unaccompanied by her sis
ters or any friends
Mrs. Irwin showed no bad effect from her
incarceration. While she had a slight
prison pailcr, there was some color In her
face, ana her eyes were bright. She bowed
TO her counsel and than sat with dowacaSt
eyes, showing little interest in the proceed
ings-
The prosecution was conducted by Hon.
Adrian Posey, Of Charles county, and Henry
Duffy, States attorney, of baltimore city.
Some little difficulty was experienced in
securing a jury. The regular panel was
called and the first six seats in the box
soon filled. Then the trouble commenced.
Several of those called had formed opin-
ions and were challenged. Others were
challenged without having formed opinions,
and several were opposed to inflicting capi-
tai punishment on women. The regular
panel was exhausted after eight jurymen
had been selected, and another venire was
called.
The opening address to the jury was
made by Deputy States Attorney Mclean.
He confined himself to an exposition of the
law defining the duty Of the Jurors Be
fore the trial formally opened the court
room was cleared of all except officers and
witnesses. TIE remarks of MI Mclean
had no more interest for the prisoner than
for the others in the room. Not once did
she look at him, but herrestless { yes several
times scanned the jury.
The jury, as finally accepted, is as fol-
lows: George Z. Mason. Thomas J. Larkins.
John n Dillon, Robert NJ. Jamison. Joseph
Feldman, Lewis A Masterman, George \.
Pilson, Edward II. Geary. William T. Har-
destv, George O. Meeks, Thomas Shields
and Walter A. Dunan.
After the jury mad been selected the
prisoner was told TO stand up. she sat
buried in thought, and the command had
to be repeated twice. Her face was GRIM
son as she arose, bat not once did she al
low her eyes TO wander over the faces Of
the men who were to decide whether she
was to live or lie They were cast down
During the reading of the indictment, which
was rather a lengthy document, Mrs. Ir-
On cross-exaInination, MIR. Irwin said
that his ddughter-in-law was rather hyS-
terical, and sobbed a great deal.
MIR. Posey had two letters, hich he asked
the witness to identify. Objection by Mr..
Mudd gave rise to a spirited discussion.
Witness said he got them out Of the post
office for his son, James. These letters
were supposed to have been written by Mat
thews. He identified a number of other
letters as being in the handwriting of Mrs.
Irwin
DR. Spencer of Belle Alton, Charles coun-
ty, was next called. He was member OF
the jury OF inquest, and described the con-
dition of Irwin's body. He thought the man
had been killed instantly and did not move
after the shot was fired.
After explaining the law in the case, Mr..
Mclean briefly sketched to the jury what
the State expected to prove, that Mrs.
Irwin not only was aware that her husband
was TO be killed. but advised the deed.
He further said that Mathews would be
put on the stand. Counsel for the defense
IN ade no speech.
J. Simon Turner, deput yclerk OF the court
ofCharles county, was the first witness He
showed that George Mathews had been
tried at La Plata in November. He read
the verdict and the sentence. He had not
seen Mathews since the trial
JohnC Irwin, father of fthemurdcred man,
was next sworn. He testified that Emma
Irwin came TO his house and told him that
james had been shot. She said: Come,
go down to the house; Jim is hurt. Il said,
Hurt or killed. She said, He is already
dead" The witness described the con-
dtion of the body when he found it. He
said James had been dead some time before
he got there.
He saw his son alive on the night of the
murder, August 2, about 10 O'Clock An
hour later he was Informed Of his death.
What became of Mrs. Irwin after she
made the outcry?''
'.She was in her night clothes, and fol
lowed me toward my sons house. After
going a little way she laid down in the
road and hollered''
Tie witness said his little grandson was
in the foot of the bed. The little girl came
with her mother to notify the witness of the
murder. The couple had two other children,
both of which had died: the youngest about
six weeks before the killing.
DR.. C. III. Posey, of Aliens Fresh, also
testified as 20 the wounds on Irwin's head.
He also Thought death was instantaneous.
BY Mr.. Mudd-Did you see any blood on
the bed?
''Yes; a great deal on one side"
"WaS there any on the other side.?"
'None VIII atever.''
Joseph II. Howard, of La Plata, con-
stable, testified as TO arresting Mathews.
He searched his shanty and found let
ter, which be identified in court Letter
was read to the jury. Itwas unsigned. The
letter was in an old envelope, postmarked
Faulkner July %, 1896, and was ad
dressed to George Mathews, Rock Point.
Charles county, Md" 1t was as follows:
July the 27-1S96. Ny Dear Friend,
I riten You letter and haven got any ancir
yet. IL you ancie my letter 1 have not
got il, that crazy must got it, if you
haven ancie it don't ancie it, Hattie is up
heaiT. She will come home Friday morn
ing, If you come up troade some piece so
| can meat with you when ar on another
way down come up troade up from tonks-
vile and [ want TO see you good by"
The witness also testified as to finding
other letters and some strychnine in Mat
thews' cahin the next day. Peter w.
Roby also letters presented at the
inquest. States Attorney Posey
testifiedthat he had shown the letter he had