The news & observer., 1905-12-03
MAT THEWS, DAzED
/. BY DRUGS, RAVES
Asks Permission to At
tend Wife's Funeral.
THIS REQUEST DENIED
Physicians Attribute His Alleged Hor
ribIe Crime to the HabituaI Use
OF Drugs. He Has Not Yet Re-
covered From the Effects of
a DebauCh.

UeDduCI.
Especial to the News and Observer)
Greensboro. n. c.. Dec. 2.-The
funeral Of Ms. Dora Matthews was
held at Green Hill cemetery here this
afternoon at three O'Clock, Rev. Dr.
Detwiler, of West Market Street
Meth odist church. officiating. The
father and brothers of hcr husband,
and the dead woman's brothers at
tended the funeral and a large con-
course of friends and acquaintances
We're present.
In his cell in the city Jail, her hus-
band. charged with her murder. raVed
and chafed to be allowed to attend
Che last ceremony over the victim of
his dazed diaboliSm one of his
earliest requests this morning was
that he be allowed to go to the flu
neral of his wife. and it was at first
proposed to let him go but later it was
re-considered
At ten o'clock this morning Mat
thews sent for the Chief of Police
and Mayor Murphy, and when they
appeared in the prison. first upbraided
them for having left him so long with
somebody TO unburden himself to he
would surely go crazy. Mayor Murphy
forbade his talking to him about the
affair." saying he should talk only to
his friends or his lawyers. Matthews
responded that he had no friends and
should not employ counsel. as all he
needed to do was to tell it all and he
would be released from imprisonment
and from the dreadful charge of muir
der.
He was not allowed to talk further
about the case. which will be heard by
Mayor Muhpry Monday afternoon at
three O'Clock.
Matthews is in charge of physician
who is holding his nerves uD from
utter collapse, consequent upon hav-
ing had to forego further use of NOR
phine and cocaine. He is besides an
inveterate cigarette smoker. While
he seems calm. there is daZed look
about his eyes. which has been no
ticeable FOR months. even when he
seemed able to attend to business
He complains bitterly that he is not
allowed to end his troubles and go
hence with his wife.
He slept none last night, and before
his arrest early after midnight his
father said that he had been keeping
him walking all night and had trou-
BILE in preventing his taking his life
by weapon or drug.
Matthews returned Thursday night
from Durham, where he had taken
THANKSGIVING with his brother prom
inent druggist there. He is said to
have been dope fiend for years,
many people not knowing it now un-
derStanding many eccentric and unac-
countable acts of his since coming
here four years ago. There had been
repeated inexpliCable family disturb
anceS known only to the Immediate
acquaintances. and for some time fo'-
mer friends had refrained from visit
ing the home.
DR.. Matthews since coming here had
succeeded in building up good prac-
tice and was apparently an inotfensiVe
man. He was a member of the Lodge
of Pythians and in good standing.
The medical fraternity here. almost
TO a man. attribute the alleged horri-
BILE act to his utter irresponsibility,
resultant from a drug debauch from
the effects of which he was not yet re-
covered.
Yesterday when physicians first went
to relieve his wife who was apparently
dying he was utterly drunk on dope
giving as many explanations of her
condition IN as many minutes. His
ted and apparently saved, in pretend
ing to pray by her side, and being
caught with a hypodermic syringe un-
der the coverlid injecting strchynyne
into her veins. was the most reckless
exhibition of ficndiShnesS ever known
IN tho annals Of crime.
This last injection caused death. and
in the syringe was enough Strychnyne
left to xii! two men. said County Cor
oner Turner, WHO analyzed the syringe
last night before warrant was
sworn out.
When the officers arrested DR.. Mat
thews. who was n bed with his faith
er. they both stated they had been ex-
pecting them. DIR. Matthews adding
that i,e would have a talk with the
Mayor, and was sure he would at
once release him.
Neighbors of tho family state now
that Mrs. Matthews, was addicted to
the 1rug herself. and had, since com
ing here. taken treatment for the hab-
it. They saw that she came near
dying a year ago from an overdose,
which sh declared her husbanc ad-
ministered. and admonished them thal
when she died. to be sure and send Iof
DIR. Turner the county coroner. Sne
repeatedly declared that she would die
from poison some time. II IS re-
markable. that this same County Cor
oner DR. Turner should haze been
present. and detecting her husband IN
the act of injecting death, after she
had been saved. snatched from MS
hands the instrument dealing IL, pc
fore the contents We're emptied, but
not before the deadly poison was Civ
en- sufficient 70 kin IN three hours.
1t is said that Mrs. Matthews had