The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-01-15

Williams to hanging for the murder of
John Mullins, a coIored man, in Okla
homa territory.
Since that time Mrs. Sadie ". Hatch,
Mattox's mother, has spent fortune
to save her boy and her efforts have
been constant and remarkable. The
mothers devotion for her son it ap-
pears has at last been rewarded. She
has been in Washington recently urg-
ing her sons pardon. No one except
immediate friends knew of her presence
in Washington. The petition for Clyde
Mattox's pardon was signed by Judge
Williams, who sentenced him, Joseph
Ady, who prosecuted him, Cy Leland,
Ike Lambert, Judge Peters and other
well known Kansans.
Clyde Mattox was convicted of the
murder of John Mullins. a negro, at
Oklahoma City in 1891. He was then
acting as city marshal of that place
and one night while on a drunken de-
bauch he shot down, in apparent cold
blood, a negro who refused to crafty
some whim of his.
A short time before he had been tried
at Wichita before Judge Foster for the
murder of a policeman. He and the
officer engaged in an alteration and
guns were drawn and both men fell
Mattox was picked up alive with a A
caliber bullet through his left lung
and the policeman was dead when
found. The trial was long one and
Mattox was acquitted.
The second murder followed so close
ly upon the killing of the policeman
RI f0,~ To
tOX and he was tried before Judge VIII
liams at Wichita and sentenced to be
hanged. He was granted q new trial
but before the time for the second trial
came he escaped from the Jail by dig
glng hole through the wall. The hole
through which he escaped was so small
that government officials suspected the
sheriff of being in cOllusiOn with Mat
tOX and allowing him to escape through
the door, but when he was recaptured
he at once forced his small bady
through the opening and removed the
suspicion from the sheriff.
Mattox was brought to the Shawnee
county Jail October II, 1891 for safe
keeping, which was before his first tri-
al. He was sentenced to be hanged
January Il, 1892 While in the county
jail here he appeared to be near death
He would lie in his bunk day after day
apparently suffering from the bullet
wound in his breast.
Eis second trial resulted in hung
jury and Mattox was returned to the
Shawnee county jail on December 10
1894
The third trial resulted in conviction
and he was again sentenced to be hang
ed. He again escaped-this time from
an officer on the train but was soon re-
captured and removed to the peniten-
tiary to await the day of execution.
Then appeared "A Mothers Appeal"
which was printed in many of the lead
ing papers of the country. It was
signed by the mother of Mattox Mrs
5 W. Hatch and was a. plea for the
mothers of the country to ASSIST her in
securing a pardon. AS a result letters
began to pour in on President Cleve-
land and when a short time afterward
Mrs. Hatch went to Gray Gables, Pres
adent Cleveland met her at the depot
with his carriage. At any rate he com
muted the sentence of Clyde Mattox to
life imprisonment.
Mrs Hatch then returned to TODeJ1a
put never one moment did she falter in
her determination to secure an abso-
lutte pardon for her son. She had sDent
all the money she had and supported
herseH in Topeka selling books. At one
time Poor Commissioner Hale furnish
ed her with provisions
Mattox is of youthful appearance and
enght figure. His face was beardless
when he was in Topeka and his appar-
ent youth secured the sympathy Of
many.
When Judge Foster was told of the