Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-02-03
A HEINoUs CRIME.
p. B. Matthews, OF Three Miles West
OF Town, Charged With As
saulting Hig Daughter
He Was Arrested
Last Night.

----
About dark Monday night James
Kile, of three miles west of town, ar
rived In Mexico and before Squire
Quisenberry swore out information to
the effect that Pete B. Matthews, who
lives . few hundred feet north OF the
Jesse school house, 3 miles west of
town, had In 1895 committed rape
upon his now 18 year old daughter,
Bedia. The warrant was sworn out
on this count. Kile further stated
that the daughter had told the story
of her fathers crime and that 1t was
most damning to the accused. He
stated that the father had been Grim
inally intimate with the daughter
quite frequently since the first crime
in 1895.
About 8 O'Clock the same night
Deputy Sheriff Harry Athison, Con-
stable A. P. Johnson and Q LEDGEB
reporter started for the Matthews
home and arrived there about IL
O'Clock. Matthews has the name OF
beng a bad mar, but displayed none
of 1t when he was awakened. He
knew what he was charged with and
did moi even care to have the warrant
read. He dressed and bidding his tou,
children goodby, accompanied the
officers to their rig, which was hitch
ed about one mile towards town.
Matthews did not seem to be i'm
pressed particularly with the serious.
ness of his alleged crime and talket
of the roads, crops, price Of wood ant
various topics, even going as far as t.
crack q few jokes.
When questioned, the prisoner sale
to the reporter:
"I am AZ years old and have si1
children, 8 sons and 8 daughters. M.
wife has been dead 3 years. Tn,
crime with which I am charged
but the result Of spite work of m.
brother, Wood Matthew'S, living u
miles west OF me, and James Kline
living directly south of the schoo
house, put my daughter up to sayinI
that I had committed such o crime
Matthews went on to say that hi
eldest son, Jim, aged IA years, who
a jockey, and Beida, the oldest oaugh
ter, have given him much trouble b
their wild ways. He also said chs
they had frequently abused HIM an
that the son had threatened to XII
him.
From the story which Matthew
told, 1t is to be inferred that Jim an
Bedia are a pretty hard lot and hav
, frequently abused him; that he ha
ordered bis daughter to quit going
Kile's home and it IL this and som
, business transactions between thel
that he thinks the cause Of the charg
being brought against him. The 81
and boy we're at some Of the neigt
bors that night and as the father di
not know where she, Bedia, was, th
reporter could not see the girl.
Z Mr.. Matthews showed no emotio
whatever, except when he requests
q the sheriff to deputize some one
stay with him in q hotel instead
the jail. His request was not gran
ed. In a very cool manner MATTHEW
dictated q telegram to his brothe
Q D. B. Matthews, of Hermann, tellir
him to come ut once, that he was q
!, rested and in serious trouble.
II Matthews 10 guilty he Is the mo
cold bIooded brute on record.
=. THE GIRLS STORY.
Miss Bedia Matthews was In tov
next afternoon and had . long ia
with Prosecuting Attorney Rodge
about the charge against her faths
s,i Miss Matthews does not appear
be the character which her faith
tries to make her ont. She is rath
pretty, quite bright and makes
pleasing appearance. She tells
well. connected story OF her fathe
sins against her.
-. She q y that the first assa'
10 against her virtue was made by b
father some time in October, Is
and that he has frequently repeat
the indignities since. Some four
Eve months ago she resisted all 90
efforts on the part of her father. {
had fully realized the horror OF
OF position of father and daught
About q week ago, che says, she t
ie Mrs. Kile, and through her it react
Mr.. Kile, who swore out the warra
Prosecuting Attorney Rodgers CT
ed not say when Matthews will be gi'
: q n trial.