The times., 1897-03-13
STORY OF THE CRIME.
Matthews Shot James Irwin While
the Latter Slept.

La Plata, Md, March 12-Thc crime
for which George Matthews today paid
the penalty with his life was the nluF
der Of James Irwin one Sunday night
last August at the latter's farmhouse
at Aliens Fresh, Charles county, Md, near
Cox station and about seventeen miles
from La Plata. Matthews was a fisher
man, who lived in an Isolated cabin on
the banks OF the river some ten or
twelve miles from the Irwin home. 1t was
charged that he had been crinnnaliy init
mate with Mrs. Irwin, the wife OF the
murdered man, ,andafterward stated. when
making his confession, that she had in
duced him to kill her husband
About midnight on the night of the mur-
der Mrs. Irwin ran down the road from
their nome at Allen Fresh to the house
of her father-in-law, and aroused him with
the Information that her husband had been
shot ny some one who had entered the
house, and she feared that he was dying.
Upon reaching the house Mr.. Irwin found
his son lying dea d in bed with a terrible
bullet " ound in his head. Ii was evident
that the weapon had been fired at clost.
range, as the mans hair was singed, and
death had been instantaneous. Mrs. Irwin
"
the time with her little child lying at the
foot of the bed.
Suspicion at once attached to Matthews
from his alleged relations with the woman,
and upon information obtained by States
Attorney Posey ana Sheriff Wade, the
coroner's jury which conducted an inquest
the next day before Justice of the Peace
Lee Sutherland, held Matthews accountable
Both were arrested by Deputy Sheriff
Howard, and imp isoned in the old Jail at
Port Tobacco. Matthew's IS CABIN was search
ed and in it was found a double-harreied
musket, with one barrel empty. The bul-
let in the other was removed, and found to
have been WaGed with piece of newspaper
which correspond ded exactly with the
wad,ling wiIich had been taken from Ir-
wins brain, together with the bullet. The
two pieces of paper Were placed together
SO that the type could be easily read, aud
the scrap proved TO be 4 clipping from Il
Pepuiist newspaper. This was the con-
Meeting link in the strong chain of cir
curastancial evidence which had been Sc
cured against Matthews.
While confined in the Jail awaiting
trial Matthews made his escape and re-
mained hidden in the marshes and woods
near his cabin. A reward was offered
for his capture, but he could net be found.
after Remaining away for about three or
four weeks, and as the trial OF Mrs. Irwin
drew near, one morning Matthews walked
into Sheriff Wade's office and surrendered
himself. The fact was proven at the trial
that on the Friday before the murder
Matthews had met Mrs. irwin ndher sister
Mrs. Bourne in the woods between herhome
and his, and it was believed that the plot
to kill Irwin was then formulated a fish
erman nalsosworethathe he h ad seen Nj asthews
rowing down the river toward his cabin,
and from Aliens Fresh, early ON the
morning after the murder.
A verdict OF guilty of murder in the first
degree was promptly rendered by the jury,
whereupon Matthews stood up calmly in
court and admitted that he had committed
the crime, and charged that Mrs. IRWIN
had induced him to do it. At that time
he used the expression: You convict me,
but let q bigger devil 60 free His de
tailed confession OF how the affair had
been planned and executed was first pub
liSled exclusively in The Times at that