Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-09-02
BANKER SLAIN
IN ROW ABOUT
ELECTION Bet
Dallas Man Is Shot
Down I'm Street,;
Slayer Alleges He
Withheld Money

DALLAS. Tex, Sept. 1.-tP-0r-
willie /. Mathews, Al, bank execu-
tive, paid an election bet with his
life here today when he was shot
down on Dallas busiest street cor
ner amidst a throng Of pedestrians
as a result Of a forgery, or Of a
tragic misunderstanding.
Scores Of people saw v. +. Adams,
Bartlett. Texas farmer. who later
was charged with murder. hand his
smoking gun 70 d traffic officer,
after he had pursued Mathews
across the street. shooting az gaps
in the crowd offered opportunity,
and had fired at least one bullet
into the bankers body when the lat
ter wilted to the pavement.
Victor Poisson. passerhy, escaped
death when one az the AS calihre
bullets from Adams gun struck
him in his mouth. SCATTERING his
teeth. Silver bridge work IN the
front Of his mouth stopped the bull
let and Poisson did not know what
had happened to him until he spat
the bullet and broken teeth from
his mouth.
Mathews had held $4,000 in stakes
on a bet which Adams and some
friends had made on the recent II.
s. senatorial run-off primary. In
the only statement he made Adams
told police Mathews had beaten"
him out of $4,000 and had threat
ened him when he protested about
Il. Adams. W.. +. Ramsey Of Bel
ton. and two others had made n not
o. $1,000 70 bet on Congressman
Tom Ccnnaliy. who defeated Sen
ator Earle B. Mayfield for the SEN
atorial nomination.
The prisoner r. understood 70
have told police the bet was made
with Ben G. Richards. a Dallas in
surance man. Richards. however.
denied TODAY he had made any
wager and said that he had merely
advised a friend In the matter and
had taken the men 70 Mathews.
after refusing 70 hold the stakes
himself.
Adams told that
the stakes. two $1,000 cashiers
checks. were handed to Mathews
with the understanding that the
winner would collect THURSDAY IN
the presence Of Adams and Rich
ards.
When he appeared Thursday.
Adrms said Mathews told him re
had paid the money 20 n CLYDE r
Vest who gave his home as Waco. On
the strength Of n telegram signed
with Rnmsey's name and n letter
sianed with Ramsey's name ard
witnessed by a notary. Ramsey
said today the signatures we're for
gcrics.
A conference had been arranged
Tor TODAY and Adrms apnarertiv
met Mathews at a drug store NEXT
70 the bank. The bank had inst
epened and a number Of officials
and employees were ct Ne doors Of
the institution or on wax. TO-
ward il and IN sight 81 tie corner
when Mathews suddenly ran toward
tN corner Witnesses say tho first
pufet was fired ne about tho same
wild.
Adams followed closely behind
Mathews as tho latter dodred
through the traffic and fired "a
least two more bullets a. The two
crossed the street. Mathew. sart
20 the pavement. but staggered ~
MS feet and lurched 70 the side
walk where he again fell As Adams
fired the final bullet in his prone
Adams was excited for n time. lint
after a brief description Of the
events leading 70 the shooting re-
fused 20 talk. except through his
attorneys. He was held without
bond.
Mrs. Mathews and her tvo chil-
dren, Jack. IL. and Anita. s. had
lust finished breakfast and hid
Mathews goodbye half an hour he
Tore they received news Of the
tragedy.
Mathews. anxious 70 avoid becom-
ing involved in q dispute II which
nc was a ~disinterested party. told
Of the bank Of the trans
action and a conference was ar
ranged for al PARTIES concerned M
the office Of the banks attorney
WACO, Tex, Sept. l.-gP-Clvde
M LUHt mFNm~m1 a. -