The times., 1897-03-13
GEORGE MAT THEWs HANGED
The Murderer of James Irwin
Executed at La Plata.
WENT TO HIS DEATH CALMLY
There Was No Scene on the Scaffoii.
Remained Awake During HIS Last
Night-The Trip From Baltimore
Made Without Incident-H History
of the Crime.

La Plata, Md, March 12.-George Mat
thews, the murderer of James j. Irwin,
was hanged in the Jail yard here at $50
O'Clock this morning He died OF strangu.
lation. For a few minutes after The trap
! was sprung ne struggled hard. The fall of
nine feet failed 10 dislocate his firmly knit
neck At S.3S, just eight minutes after
the trap was sprung, DR. I s. Owens, Of
La Plata, pronounced him dead. The body
was lowered into the coffin welve minutes
later, and shortly after 8 O'Clock was ON
its way in road wagon at st. Thomas
Church burial ground.
Motthews slept none during his las night.
L; was O'Clock when the priests left him;
it was a. N. before he tried to rest
Father BrodeTick called a few minutes be-
tore O'Clock in the morning and found
the condemned man awake He had
tossed all night, The priest stayed but
little while. Later he returned with
Father Wade
Matthews arose and dressed shortly
| after O'Clock. He was nervous, but his
win was strong. He refused TO eat any
| thing, saying he was not hungry His
meal last night was very light. He spent
episties as fast as they were indited. He
wrote one to Mrs. Maggie Taylor, nee
/ Wood, his fosterm other, but after the
execution il could not be found He took
communion and prayed.
About 8 o'clock Matthews called for
| States Attorney Adrian Posey.
"Posey," he said, those stories about
my being set against you are all untrue.
! I lsr,tr
in the world. l spoke of that gatling- gun
| in Jest. l am ready to die. / have moth
ing to live for. II Gov. Lowndes should
commute my sentence he would be the
worst enemy | have in the State
At a consultation between officials it
was decided that the hanging should be
early. The town was as quiet as On a
Sunday. Tie Snowman with lis big snake
who came 10 take advanta ge Of the excite
ment, locked lonesome. A few men, all
peace officers, came on the Fort Tobacco
train. Gen. Wilmer drew Gordon of
twenty guards around the jail at some
distance, all armed with bayonetted rifles
They Were under the immediate command
OF MT. Z. Z. wills, OF Cox's Station. Sheriff
Wade, Detectives Kratz and 0'Domell.
states Attorney Posey and few news
pdlfti ltitil htlc III llt dlu iltdi biie
2allows. That was all. The undertaken,
+. Z. Wade, brought the coffin, covered
with black pail, and set it by the scaf-
fold.
Tie priests said that Matthews had made
his peace with God and was ready. He
had been given the last rites OF the church
Deputy Sheriff K. T Barber pinioned the
condemned man.
Does that hurt yOu?'' asked the deputy.
NO It was the last word Matthews
spoke on earth.
A signal, and the procession started
into the gray morning. Nature wore
pail. The slowly weeping skies turned
the gloomy ground into a sea OF mud.
Blankets attached to posts had been
stretched as sort OF an awning from
the jail door to the gaIIows gate. Deputy
sheriffs T. H. Medley, J. H Murphy and
J q. PadGett, the death watches, ap-
peared.
Matthews followed after them on the
arm OF Deputy Barber. He was clad in q
long white robe. He looked bewildered
| into the frowning light OF day. the last,
and so dull. Fathers BrOderick and Wade
came Up behind, holding the crucifix. The
procession moved quickly. Matthews was
pale but walked strongly. Prayers were
begun. Deputy Barber pinioned Mat
| thews' feet; Deputy Medley drew the
black cap; Barber adjusted the moose; Ned
| ley waved his handkerchief
1t was Just two minutes since the pro-
cession had entered the gallOws gate. A
sort of stifled cry went up, but not, 1t
seems, from Matthews. The priest raised
the crucifiX Sheriff Wade pulled the
| trigger from his room in the jail. The
| body shot down. There was a sort OF dull
| vibration, then a swish. and the doomed
man dapgled, struggling and slowly swing
ing at the end of the rope. It was exactly
$50 O'Clock.
There was woman, a tender-looking
young woman, in the crowd outside.
Matthews coat had been removed to put
On his death robe. When the robe was
taken off a scapular hung outside OF his
vest. No letter was found in his pockets.
When the cap was removed Matthe VS. face
looked peaceful. Fathers Wade and Brod-
erick went with the boIy to St Thomas
| Church, and gave him the last burial rites
of the church in which he died. Sheriff
Wade stood at the door in grief
1t was over. The crowd dispersed and
the guard went away The crowd which
came on the Baltimore train was disap-
pointed. Hundreds of eager, mud-covered
citizens came from the country round to
witness the execution, only to be disap-
pointed, also.
Matthews seemed in especially good
spirits last night He chatted and laughed
with the priests until d late hour. He
never materially changed his confession
He explained to a citizen of this place
hat he would never have returned after
he had broken jail had he not believed
that he and the woman would be tried
together 1t was the woman always the
woman, who lured him to his DOOM