The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-03-06
MRS. HAY COLLAPSED on STAND
Main Witness in Matthews Case
tainted While Testfying
Sensation Created by the Illness OF the
Witness-Seyeral Witnesses on the
Stand-Dr. Turner Gives His Testi-
mony-Interesting Results OF Analy-
sis of Contents of the Syringe.


But one incident of a sensational
character occurred yesterday in the
Trial of DR.. 3. Matthews. This was the
fainting al a critical moment Of the
principal witness for the state, NJ. A.
NJ Hays This event occasioned a good
deal Of tommotion and resulted in the
witness being excused for the day. In
0eed fer some time it was thought hat
her condition was so serious that it
would be a matter of several days be-
fore she would again be able TO take
the stand.
Dr.. Matthews conported himself
throughout the day about as he dc the
first day. He was however a trihe
l~1snelier, but this may have been owing
&c the fact that the proceedings were
much more Interesting. The one thing
throughout the day, however, which
{ ttTacted marked attention from him
was the syringe with which he is said
10 have attempted to kill his wife. This
was produced by DR.. Turner and pass
4 ed 70 Major Guthrie, and it was MOTTO
! ed hat the eyes of the prisoner were
fixed upon the little instrument while
it was near him. 1t will be remem-
Tered hat at the preliminary hearing
not even aclose view of the tiny weap-
On which might be the chief instru-
nent in bringing upon him a sentence
IF death moved him one 10, from his
1eathly 1sthargy.
DR.. Matthews was accompanied in
court by his father, his mother, his
brother from Durham; his sister, Mrs.
J. D. Green; his sister-in-law, Mrs.
]. B. Briggs, his aunt; Mrs. 2. w.
Barbse, and Mr.. Briggs.
The first witness called by the state
was Mile Watts, the negro who was
l house servant at the residence of DR..
Matthews at the time of the death of
Mrs. Matthews. Mile Watts practi-
calfy renewed her testimony at the pre-
liniinary hearing, adding nothing
4 which was not brought out then.
3he repeated the story of how Mrs.
2 Matthews and Ben. Matthews, the ter
: ysar-Old son of the couple, had gone on
Thanksgiving evening to the train 10
! meet DR.. Matthews on his return from
Durham, where he had taken Thanks
giving dinner, how Mrs. Matthews had
returned with Ben and without the
/ Doctor, how she had later left the
I house to- meet the doctor at the Office,
: land how, at 10 O'Clock, the two had
'returned together They had gone up
stairs together and sOCn after both
iscame down again, Mrs. Matthews ask
ing Mile for some milk for the doc
tor. She next saw Dr.. Matthews at
n Z o'clock the next morning. He came
into the dining and said, Don't
ring the breakfast bell, Mile, we'll
l come down as soon as we can" He
4 stayed a few minutes and went out of
the o After a long time Ben
came down, and Mile asked him
where his mother Was.
Here the defdnse objected and Ben's
reply was ruled out by the court. Sew
eral times it was necessary during the
day to rule Out similar testimony, and
at times the Interruptions were fast
and frequent
} Mile said that she found Mrs. Mat
} thews very sick indeed when she went
1 to her OOm and that she asked DR..
Matthews what was the matter. He
said that Mrs. Matthews had taken a
large dose of strychnine out of his
pocket, and had taken it at about II
: o'clock the night before. He also said
] that his wife Was troubled because the
doctors people did not care for her
! He stated that she nad asked him what
I poison would kill her the quickest and
yet allow her to remain conscious to
the last. DR.. Matthew's then sat down
: to his breakfast and Mile went up
stairs.
The witness stated that she found
the sick woman unconscious and snOr-
ing very loudly. she tried to restore
her by friction but could not. The
only unusual thing &bout the room was
= L Tho n NV - 49, go
site had a tray ou1 OF 1T and the con-
[ tents of it were strewn on the floor.
She remained in Mrs. Matthews room
till the doctor came up, preparing to
go out, saying that he would go - a
drug store. After he came back Mile
asked for permission TO send for a doc
= tor but Dr.. Matthews said that he had
done all that could be done for mis-
Wsfe, n that he had been working
with her all night. She heard DIR. Mat
theWs and one other man speaking to-
get1er in the dining room. Then she
went down stairs after DR.. Matthews
had gone up again and saw Captain
Gilman.
Captain Gilman did not 60 up stairs
right off, said the witness, though she
asked him to. When he came down
he se1t Ben after Mrs. Hay, who came
in a Snort time, and went himself af-
ter Dr. Farrar. Drs. Turner and Brooks
came, too, and she helped rub Mrs.
Matthews, and got hot water bottles
and continued with her work. Mrs.
Matthews died at supper time. Dr..
Matthews was eating his supper at the
time.
Practically nothing further was
brought out by the defense and the
eek witness was called.
When Mrs. A. NJ. Hay took the stand
for the state a good deal of interest
was manifested for it was known that
she had been n of the principals at
the prosecution. She stated that DIR.
Matthews had been her family physi-
clan for four y~ears,and that she had