The evening times., 1897-01-23
THE DEATH WARRANT READ
The Murderer of Jim Irwin Has
Hopes for Life.
"rM READY" SAID MATTHEW'S
He Insists That Mrs. Irwin and Her
Sister Induced Him TO Commit the
Crime-The Dead Mans Wife in
Baltimore Trying to Dispose of
Her Children.

| Baltimore, Jan. 23.-The death war
rant of George Matthews, the condemned
murderer of james ]. Irwin, of Allen
Fresh, Charles county, Md, was read to
| him at the Baltimore Jail yesterday By
| Sheriff Wade, OF Charles county I'm
! mediately afterward the death watch was
| placed over Matthews, and he viii be
| under close surveillance day and night
| until he is taken back to Charles county
and hanged
As Matthews hat beensomewha prepared
for the ordeal he was to undergo he
showed but little evidence of emotion dur
ing the reading of the warrant. He had
been told of the signing of the document
last Tuesday, and was also informed of the
arrival of Sheriff Wade at the jail.
Matthews was taken to the office of
Warden Bailey to hear the warrant read.
He wore during the ceremony an Old suit
Of clothes and an outing SHIRT and pre-
sented rather an unattractive appearance
with several days growth OF beard on his
face
Sheriff Wade shook hands with the con-
demned Iaan when he entered the room
and greeted him with How are you,
Georgt?''
AS well as usual" Matthe ws replied
Then the sheriff took an Ofricial-iOOking
document from his oyercOat pocket, say
ing, Il have received your death warrant
from the governor, and have come To read
it to yoU.''
Matthews was told 70 raise his right
hand as the sheriff read the death war
4 Ban hot in
dience to the order was of a whteDess that
contraSted sharply with the man geueTaI
appearance He kept it UpIifted until the
reading of the document had been finish ID,
and there was not a tTemOr noticeable
about it. Several times he condemned nan
seemed to swalIo W aIump in his throat, but
that was the only sign of emotion. He and
all others in the room remained standing
during the ceremony.
Two OF the sheriff's deputies
Jackson Padgett and James Hughes MCr-
phy-came To BaltimOrc with him. They
were present when the death warrant was
read, and Will be the death watch.
1t is plain to see that Matthews has not
abandoned all hope that his life may
be saved. Since the trial of Mrs Irwin
he has beenin brighter mood. More than
once he has remarked: My neck isn't
stretched yet, is it?'' A clear indication
Of mis- feelings in this regard was fur
Hished yesterday b a conversation betw wacn
him and Sheriff Wade Just before the lat
ter's departure. Matthews asked the
sheriff to do what he could 20 get his
sentence cOnmuted. and was made happy
when that officer promised to do all he |
could in that respect. The prisoner vas
given to understand that an effort would |
be made to get the jury and Judges before
whom he was tried to sign petition that |
would be presented to Gov. Lowndes. ask
ing 5hat the latter extend cIemency.
Matthews was in very bright SPIRITS
after the shcriff's departure. He even |
cracked little joke when he was intro
duced to Padgett. vino took first turn |
at the death watch. The murderer re- |
marked on what struck him as a facial |
resem blance between himself and the |
guard.
''I'!I take these handouts off and put /
them on you he laughed "and WHEN /
they come TO hang me next month they'll !!
take you instead
Matthews has very little 10 say in re-
gard TO his crime
"They may hang me-" he said, ''but
they have left the two biggest rascaIs
co.
In ain interview Matthew'S said
THE reason l refused 10 testify against |
Mrs. Irwin, who was charged with being
accessory tothe murder o f her husband, was
that did OF think that because was con
victed was any reas on that she should be-
onviCted too and suffer death / made
70 denial to Sheriff Wade or anybody else
that 1 inCriminated Mrs Irwin in my on
feSs on made after my conviction, ard my
refusal o testify at her trial was not done
with any hope OF executive cIemency in my
behalf. 1 repeat that l refused 10 testify |
because 1 did rot see the necessity of con |
woman when had already been |
convicted Of the murder. can say row |