The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-01-24
TRIAL Of WOMACK
NEARING THE END
Prosecution Has Rested Its Case
and Defense Is Being
Heard.
WIDOW OF THE DEAD MAN
TELLS STORY ON STAND
She TeStiiieS That Her Husband
Threatened to Kill Mr..
WOmack.

When Judge Armstrong adjourned the
criminal division of the Third District
court at o'clock Monday afternoon. the
prosecution i'm the Womack murder case
bad rested and several witnesses had
been examined for tho defense. Tho
witnesses examined for the defense were
Henry II. Walters Fred NJ, Timmins
Harold r. Amens and Ashton Eldredge
Mathews Quarrelsome Man.
Their testimony. taken as a whole, was
to the effect that Joseph NJ. Mathews.
the man who was killed by Womack, was
high tempered and OF n Quorrelsome die
position Mrs. Mathews admitted that
her husband told Womack he would
knock his block of and then threatened
to Kill him, also that Mathews assaulted
Womack whilc the latter was seated at
q table.
Cory A Fisher Heard.
When the hearing was resumed yester-
day morning Cory \. Fisher, who resided
at the Mathews home at the time of the
killing was called. Fisher testified that
he heard the trouble on the night OF the
shooting, bur did not go out until called
When he reached the room In which the
shooting occurred he said to Womack;
You have Killed him. haven't you?
WomaCk replied Well he started IL
Called Mrs. Mathews Bessie"
Fisher said ne had talked to Womack
about remaining at the Mathews home,
adding that his remaining there caused
hard feelings between Mathews and his
wife and that Womack ought to leave
the place. on one occasion, Fisher fur
thcr testified Womack said. referring TO
Mathews, III l ever go after him | Will
get him Womack called Mrs. Mathews
Bessie" the witness said. and Mrs.
Mathews called Womack Frank ="
Had Trouble Over Girl.
on cross-cxamlnatlon Fisher admitted
that he and Womack had trouble over
girl at Liberty park, but he denied that
they had any subsequent trouble, or that
he mad said to number of persons that
he wanted to see Womack convicted.
Knew Trouble Was Coming.
When Womack was called from the
room on the night OF the killing Fisher
said he saw Womack put gun In his
pocket. Fisher said he expected trouble.
but did nothing to prevent it. You al
ways get the worst of II In n case of that
kind' was the explanation made by
Fisher. After the shooting he saw
bunch OF Womacks hair lying on the
floor ii was picked up and burned In
conclusion, Fisher testified that Mathews
frequently quarreled with his wife
Wife of Dead Man Heard.
Tho only other important witness called
during the day was Mrs. Bessie Mathews,
widow Of Joseph NJ. Mathews. Mrs
Mathews was labor!ng under great
mental strain. and II was with the ut
most effort that she controlled herself.
that she and Mathews had n violent
quarrel late at night Womack being the
subject under discussion.
Changed His Mind.
Mathews wanted to see Womack then.
but finally decided upon the lnsistencc OF
suddenly changed his mind and called
Womack out Mathcws's tone, Mrs.
Mathews said when he called Womack
out was loud and angry, Womack soon
qnnplTcd and down the dining A.
BILE. Mathews standing near him. Ma
thcws told Womack he would have TO
was paying his board TO Mrs. Mathews
and would leave when she said so. Mre.
Mathews added here that she said. He
had better go tonight, but she did not
believe either her husband or Womack
heard her
Mathews Started Trouble.
Mrs. Mathews admitted that Mathews
said to Womack that he would knock
his block of. and later said. Now I've
got you and will XIII you" She further
BILE by selling Womack by the hair and
striking him In the face. A; this time
Womack was seated at the table. Fear
ing that the lamp would be overturned,
Mrs Mathews said. she seized 1t and ran
out Of the room, leaving the two strug
Cling men In semI-darkness. The shoot
ing occurred Immediately efterward.
'Had a Gun for Him"
Mrs Methcwe also testified that
Mathews said to Womack. when the lat
ter entered the room: II understand you
have gun for me" This, Mrs. Mathews
said. was denied by Womsck.
Other Witnesses Heard
Other witnesses examined during the
day were Otficers johnson and Carlson
Roy g. Mathews and wife, DIR. f. NJ
Whitney John ]. McHugh and Pearl
Powell. the last two named being re-
called for further examination. having
been on the stand last week.
Mrs. Bessie Mathews VIII be called by
the defense today and. 1t is understood
Womack will also take the stand and tell
his story