Okolona messenger., 1902-07-23


We give below a letter written by
win Mathis to bis father just before
be expected to hang for the murder
Of the Montgomerys at Oxford, which
in our judgment throws a new light
on the question Of the taking of Of
those two brave officers. As this let
ter was penned by the condemned
man at a time when there could be no
motive in his misrepresenting facts,
more credence may be given to il
than to his first letters and state
ments, when be was arraigned for the
crime for which he was speedily con-
victed. From the tone Of this letter
as well as from other facts obtained
since the trial, it looks very much as
though Owens, the father-in-law of
Mathis, was the real murderer, and
the chances are that the testimony Of
Mathis at the next trial Of Owens,
will be very much different than 1t
was before, since be now seems to
have COTTON out from the spell which
prompted him to protect his father
in-law, even at the certain risk of his
own neck. There have been a good
many who doubted the statement
that Mathis did the killing, some even
believing that be was not at home at
the time the murder was committed.
But here is the letter received by
Mathis father before the Governor
extened the time of his execution that
he might be used as a witness:
Oxford, Miss,
June IS, 1902.
Mr.. S. E. Mathis,
Coleville, Miss.
Dear Father and family
l will write you al few lines today.
This leaves me we'll and 1 hope will
find you all the same.
Well pa / want you and ma to do all
you can to keep Cordie and Cleve with
you; and if COrdie stays with you all
/ hope you win make Cleveland mind.
Don't pet him and have him so mean
that people will hate him. Cordie
says she aims to stay with you all.
Don't let my trouble bother you all.
feel prepared to meet my God, and
will soon be done with this unjust
old world. Pa, / am to tell the truth
about the trouble and / hope that
there will be people here to hear il
from every county in Mississippi, that
they may go home and tell what my
last words are. / hope it will help to
bring the one who is most guilty to
Justice. And I would rather Cleve
would die than have him raise him.
Well boys, want you all to stay out
of bad company. Don't give the devils
of this world the advantage of you
like have that they can do things on
your credit. / am not guilty of the
charge that is against me, but l will
have to pay fordeeds of others with
my own life andthey can still live.
Walker, want you and Sammie to
come to Mr.. Ovens next trial, il he
has any, and hear the witnesses swear
that l carried that watch to Mr.. Owens
and gave it to him and that be took it
through excitement. l did not carry
that watch to him nor even robbed
the dead men. l took the pistol and a
pocket book with three dollars in it
but the pistols and pocket book was
on my bed, d,one of the pistols being my
own which Hugh Montgomery had
taken from me. Taking those pistols
and the pocket book and carrying off
the horses is all 1 did. I hope you all
will be true to me and il they do
swear lies on me to clear Mr.. Owens
/ hope you all will attend to the ones
who do it, for it is enough to have to
give up my life in the way I will have
to, without them swearing lies on me
after I am dead.
Cordie and Cleve stayed all day
with me Monday. Cleve was mighty
glad to see me. He tried himself.
Well reckon this Is the last letter !
will write you all. want you all to
lead the right kind of life. will close.
Good bye to all. Your loving son
WILL MATHIS.