Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-11-15
TELL STORY OF
MATHEWS MURDER
Frank Womack Has His preIim.
mary Hearing in Judge
DiehrS Court.
WIDOW THE FIRST WITNESS.
Between Sobs She Relates Incidents
Leading Up to Her husbands
Tragic Ending.

Tn preliminary hearing OF Frank Wo-
mack on the charge OF murder In the
first degree, was taken up IN Judge
Dieh's court this morning. The prose-
cution is being conducted by Assistant
County Attorney Lyon, and Col NJ. NJ.
Kaighn Is representing Womack
The youthful defendant, It will be re-.
called, was boarding at the home Of
Joseph s, Mathews, The latter believed
that Womack had been paying too
much attention to Mrs. Mathews and
on oct %, he ordered Womack 10 leave
the place. An alteration arose and
Mathews struck Womack The latter
pulled a gun and fred three shots into
Mathews body, killing him instantly.
There Is score or witnesses to he ex-
amined and the hearing will require
two or three days at least,
WIDOW TEsTIFIEs.
Mrs. Bessie Mathews, the widow. was
first examined. She said she married
Mathews nine years ago last January.
and that she had resided at her present
residence two years.
ION the 22nd Of October We're you
home?"
II was"
Was Mr., Mathews home?"
mo"
when ala he return"
II should judge about 1880"
who were In the house?"
II think Miss Powell and two chill
dren. Miss Powell was in bed"
Where were you?'
i was on a lounge with one Of the
children, and the other was with Miss
Powell"
Was there anyone with Mathews
when he came home?"
PROPOSED TO SETTLE IT.
mo sir. Mr. Mathews was excited.
and had been drinking. He said he
heard Womack had a gun to kill him
with and he proposed 10 settle Il. At
first he said he would walt until morn
Ing, and then he said:
NO. by c., I'll fix 1t now" Then
he went to Womack's room and called
him out"
What transplred?"
"Mr. Mathews told Womack to put his
clothes on"
What happened them"
Mr. Womack came into the dining
room and stood at the south side OF
the table,
How was he dressed?"
Tie had his coat and trousers on"
I'LL KILL YOU NOW"
what was the conversation"
Mr. Mathews told Womack he had
something to settle with him. and
charged that he (Womack) had a gun
to Kill him with. Womack denied IL
and Mr.. Mathews told him 10 leave
Mr. Womack said he would not. as he
paid me the board. At that Joe began
to curse. and said: You s -. I'll XIII
you now"
Did Womack say anything"
"NOt a word
what happened. them"
Joe grabbed Mr.. Womack bv the
head and struck him several times.
grabbed the lamp aud ran out, leaving
them IN darkness. | screamed and ran
back 10 the kitchen. Then they scufned
several minutes and | heard shot
fired. Two or three minutes later two
more shots were fired. heard three in
all"
Did you see a gun in womock's
haud?"
NO. sir"
Had Mr.. Mathews gum"
mo. sir
did Mr.. Mathews fall?"
Yes
WITNESS BREAKS DOWN.
At this point the witness broke down
and sobbed for several minutes. She
then identified the cloth which was on
the table.
Col. kaighn then began the cross-ex
animation. Answering a question. the
witness said that when the shooting oc-
CURED the people In the house were
Womsck, Mathews, McHugh. Fisher
and the persons previously mentioned
During the scufhe did you hear the
rattle Of chairs7"
II did
was your husband angry-had he
been drinking
Yes. SIR
when MIR. Mathews struck womack
was the latter sitting DOWN
Yes he was"
What did Womack say to your hus-
band?'
HE said, Joe, you are drunk to-
night, Let's settle the matter In the
morning Joe said, No; we will settle
It now There was blood on Womacks
face after the trouble"
Had McHugh been drinking consid-
erably that day and nightT'
Yes. he had
McHUGH MISSING,
McHugh is tho man who told Ma
thcHs. it Is alleged. that Womack was
paying attention 70 Mrs Mathews.
MCHugh Is the witness badly wanted In