The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-01-19
TRYING WOMACK
FOR HIS LIFE
Man Who Shot Frank Mathews in
Row Faces Jury in
Court.
Ntzhugh, TELLS OF THREATS
WOMAN WITNESS SAYS MATH.
EWs WAS AGGRESSION.

Frank Womack, who shot and killed
JOSIpph Mathews at the latter's home, 63l
west First North street, Oct %, 1905, was
placed on trial for murder in the second
degree in Judge Armstrong; court yes
teIday. The jury had been chosen and
part OF the evidence for the prosecution
presented when court adjourned until 10
. CLOCK TINS morning.
District Attorney F. c. Loofbourow is
conducting the prosecution. Colonel NJ.
Nj; Kaighn is defending Womack
Ion, Johh =. McHugh, who roomed with Wo-
mack at the Mathews home at the time
OF the killing, and who is in the custody
OF the sheriff as a witness in the case,
was the rlrst important witness of the
DAY. he gave substantially the same ac-
count OF the affair as that given by him
TO The Herald the night of the killing.
McHugn said he went down town with
Mathews about II o'clock and returned
an hour later McHugh said Womack
was In bed when Mathews called him out.
Womack slipped on his trousers and went
out McHugh said he heard Mathews tell
ing WOmack to leave tonight and leave
ID quick" Womack replied that he had
| been paying his board bill to Mrs. Math-
ews and would obey her wishes in regard
to leaving.
Heard the Three Shots.
A scuffle followed and McHugh re-
marked to Fisher, another bOarder, that
/ something was doing The two men
| started to leave their bedroom for the
.
shots before they reached the dining
rCCm, where the shooting took place.
They found Mathews lying in the door
way Womack walking toward the front
room and the revolver lying on the table.
Mathews was still alive, but died a few
moments later. His only remark was
My God, I'm shot"
MCHugh said WOmack showed him the
revolver several days before the shooting
with remark to the effect that he was
| prepared for him now" and said also
that he would like to fix the - -
-" McHugh said Womack visited Mrs.
Mathews before he went there to board.
On cross examination, McHugh said he
| avoided Mathews as the latter was al
ways talking about his troubles and max
ing things unpleasant for everybody by
Quarreling with his wife. Mathews asked
| him the night of the shooting. said Nc
| Hugh, If he knew of anything wrong In
the relations between WOmack and Mrs
Mathews and McHugh said he did not.
Mathews then remarked that Womack
would have to leave or he would kick him
out. McHugh said Mathews talked to his
wife in an angry voice just before he
called Womack out, using loud and vile
! language, but the boarders paid no at
/ tentiOn to that because they were ac-
/ cuStomed to it,
Heard Mathews Make Threats.
Miss Pearl Powell, a boarder in the
/ house. testified to what she heard of the
conversation between Mathews anu Wo-
/ MACK. OLlt Sdlu hdLlCWS CACAdllIlCN-H
Il have had enough of this. You vii
/ have to 60"
To this Womack replied:
/ Il won't if Mrs. Mathews says that
! have got to go L will 1 pay my board
to her"
/ Mathews became enraged then and
shouted:
/ II will knock your block off and vii
! kill YOU while [ have got you"
! The scuffle followed. Miss Powell SAID
she saw blood on the dishes, table clotf
/ and on the floor in the kitchen after
ward. She said she also saw a handful OF
! WomaCk's hair on the floor.
The jurors in the case are Herman
/ Grether, B. d. Brackmarr, George r
/ Cushing, Willard B. Richards, Ernest Nj
/ Cummings, Albert G. SmOOt, John II
] Hamlin. Fred c. Dern.