The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1926-01-07
LAWSON AND RODEHEAVER
ARE HELD FOR GRAND JURY
In Connection With The Death
of Andrew Matthews From
Poisoned IntOXicantS.

Joseph Lawson and Homer Rode
HEAVIER, Preston county, West Va.)
young men from the vicinity of Haz-
elton, a few miles west of Friends
vile, Garrett county, were remanded
to Jail after hearing accorded them
before Justice West Monday after
noon, on the charge of murder grow
ing out of the death of Andrew Mat
thews, another youth of Preston coun-
ty, which was caused, it is alleged by
the State, after Matthews had taken a
drink of liquor from jug given him
by Lawson.
The hearing was to have taken
place Saturday but was postponed
owing to the absence of the material
witnesses for the State, being called
at one o'clock Monday following the
postponement, at which time about
fifteen witnesses were present along
with quite a large number of the
relatives and friends of the accused
young men.
At the hearing the State was rep
resented by States Attorney w. R.
Offutt, while Lawson and Rodeheaver
had as their attorneys Messrs. J. c..
Renninger and E. R. Jones.
At the Justices office the evidence
was to the effect that Lawson, and not
Rodeheaver, had given the Matthews
boy, who was aged about nineteen
years, the drink of supposedly poison
ed 'moonshine." This was the evil
dence of Paul Lininger, the compan-
ion of Matthews, both of whom were
engaged in hauling mine material or
lumber from saw mill in the vicin-
ity of their homes in Preston county
to Friendsville for shipment, and who
were returning to the mill after hav-
ing delivered the lumber at the rail-
way point on Friday, December 18th,
at which time the young men driving
the teams overlook Lawson and Rode
HEAVIER, driving Ford coupe, and had
become stalled in muddy place in
the road. 1t was alleged that after
the automobile had been put back on
the roadway both Lawson and Rode
HEAVIER gave the drinks to Matthews
and Lininger.
Shortly after starting homeward
with their teams, Matthews fell from
his wagon in an unconscious condi-
ton. He was picked up by Lininger,
it was said at the trial, who support
ed him in his arms during the rest of
the drive homeward, but that just
after crossing the West Virginia line
Matthews expired. Arriving at the
home of Lininger the father of the
Lininger boy was called and seeing
the condition of Matthews he made an
effort to revive him but failed. In
the meantime young Lininger had
fallen inside the doorway of a grain
house. He was taken into the home
and restoratives applied. He soon raj
lied from the effects of the liquor and
in few days had entirely recovered.
During the hearing it was also
brought out in the evidence that Mat
thews was subject to attacks of cpl
lepsy, which fact will be used in the
trial of the cases against Lawson and
Rodeheaver as the cause of his death
and not the effects produced by the
administration of the intoxicants by
the accused men.
Justice West, in view of the evil
dence offered held both Lawson and
Rodeheaver for the action of the June
grand jury on the charge of murder.
Lawson was also found guilty of I'M
lawfully giving liquor to a minor,
which is an offense under the liquor
law of Maryland.
Messrs. Jones and Renninger. at
torneys for the accused, will institute
habeas corpus proceedings in the Cir
cult Court for their release on bail, it
is understood.