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. Rain Today. and warmer. Sunday rains fresh to brisk north east to southeast winds. VOL. I, NO. 47. CAUGHT RED-HANDED BY GOONER AS HE INJECTS POISON INTO VEINS OF VIFE, WHILE PRAYING AT H ER BEDSID E, DR. MATTH EWS IS HELD FOR MURDER Dr. J. B. Matthews was arrested at IS! o'clock last night on a warrant charging him with the murder of his wife, who died at their home in Garrell street last night at 7:30 o'clock as the result of strychnine administered by Dr. Mat thews. He was caught redhanded, in the very . act of administering the poison by means of a hypodermic syringe. The crime is one of the most revolt ing that has occurred in North Carolina in many years. Yesterday morning at 9 o'clock a man who is in the employ of toe Southern Railway and rooms at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Matthews passed the door of the room occupied by Mrs. Matthews. He henrd distinctly someone breathing very heavily in the room arid knocked at the door. Dr. Matthews came to the door and refused to allow him to enter. The man brushed Dr. Matthews aside and found Mrs. Matthews lying in the bed in a most critical condition. .vbout this time Ben, the only child of Mr. and Mrs, Matthews, discovered .the condition of his mother and the two at once gave the alarm and three phy sicians were summoned. Little Hen came to Olivers' Drug Store and told Mr. Convert,' "Send a doctor out home at once. Mamma is dying." Condition Was Improving. - Three physicians, Drs. J. P. Turner, ; M. II. Knrrar and JJ. T. Brooks were sum moned and arrived at the Matthews home between 10 mid 11 o'clock yester day morning. They found Mrs. Mat thews -''suffering very much and getting her breatu with groat difficulty. They r OF LI'S Suffered for Crime He Did lYot Commit and Succumbs to Prison Disease. CONVICTED OF ROBBERY ON CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE Remarkable Story of Philadelphia Man Revealed by Pardon From South Caro lina's Governor Message From Moth er Too Late to Give Consolation. ecial to Daily Industrial News. Charlotte, Dec. 1. Far from home and ;Vcnds, his health wrecked by serving a -.utence in the South Carolina peniten- iry for a crime he did not commit, L. . Hinckney, aged 25, a sign painter by ade, died in ibe Presbyterian Hospital ero this morning at 1 o'clock without having regained sufficient strength to veil a connected story of his life and wanderings. Most of the information gained in re gard to him was obtained from a much handled pardon, signed by Governor D. C. Heyward, of South Carolina, dated October 4th, which the man carried in his bosom as his only passport to the hearts of charitable people. He was neatly dressed and showed signs of re finement. This unfortunate young man arrived in Charlotte Monday and applied at the f slice station for assistance in reaching is home in Philadelphia. He was given medical attention and remained at the Nation two days, when he was taken lo the Presbyterian Hospital and it was leen that he was in a serious condition. He told the superintendent that his mother lived at 829 north Twenty-sixth street, Philadelphia, and a message was sent telling of his condition. A reply asked that everythin'g possible be done for him, and that a priest be summoned to give him spiritual advice. - But he was too far gone; his life ebbed out be fore the message from his mother, which might have cheered his last hour, ar rived. A later message was sent telling of his death and asking for instructions as to disposition of the body, but so far no reply has been received. L Hinckney's story is a sad one. At the May term of court in Marion county, South Carolina, he was tried for the robbery of the postoflice at Lntta, 8. C, and was convicted on purely circum stantial evidence, being sentenced to serve five years in the penitentiary. He was a traveling expert sign painter and was in Latta at the time the rob- berv was committed. Several months aim the real robbers were arrested and tried at Charleston, confessing the crime for which Hinckney was suffering. Ha was immediately pardoned. Suffering from malaria, which be says be contracted while confined in the peni tentiary, be went to Monroe, from which place be came to Charlotte in the hope of eventually reaching his home. On the yellow stained panlon, worn from much handling, was written: "1 do not believe L. J. Hinckney committed the crime for which he was arrested, and Ill that his conviction was a mistake. "HEYWAKD, Governor." Mi n CITY EDITION. did everything possible to restore her and in the afternoon she seemed to be growing better. About 5 o'clock, when the condition of Mrs. Matthews seemed more hopeful, Dr. Matthews requested the attending physicians to retire from the room, as he felt sure that his wife could not live long and he desired to have a last word of prayer with her alone. This the physicians declined to do, saying that Dr. Matthews could pray as well with them present as in their absence. Caught in the Act. They, however, retired to the other side of the room, and Dr. Matthews knelt at his wife's bedside in an atti tude of prayer. Dr. Turner observed that Dr. Mat thews had one hand upon the arm of his wife, as if he was testing her pulse, and a few moments later he noticed that Dr. Matthews had thrust his hand be neath the coverlet. Dr. Turner at once rushed to the bedside, snatched the hand from beneath the cover and in do ing so discovered that Dr. : Matthews had injected into her arm what proved to be strychnine, by means of a hypo dermic syringe. In a few minutes the symptoms of strychnine poisoning became manifest and -although the physicians exacted their utmost efforts to save her, the wo man died two hours later without re gaining consciousness. Every known medical appliance and antidote for poi son by strychnine were used, but to no avail. - Dr. Matthews Tells Conflicting Stories. When the physicians first reached the home of Dr. Matthews he readily gave to each nis explanation as to the cause of Mrs. Matthews' peculiar symptoms. The stories, however, failed to corre- FOUR LIVES LOST E 'Only One Man Saved in Disaster Which Occurred Off Mll nots Light WENT DOWN SO QUICKLY AID COULD NOT BE GIVEN Sunken Vessel Thrown Upon Her Beam Ends By a Terrific Sea And Her Coal Laden Hold Flooded Was a New Ship. ' . Boston,' Mass,, Dec. 1. The founder ing of the new steel barge Delawanna and the loss of four persons on board, including Captain John B. Munsey and bis wile, was reported here today by the tug Scranton, which had been towing the Delawanna from New York. The barge went down in a heavy sea at 8:30 o'clock last night about eight miles east by south from M.lnots Light. One of the crew of the Delawanna was saved. So quickly did the barge foun der after the snapping of the hawsers that the crew had absolutely no time j to assist the tow, which disappeared al-! most before the Scranton could be put about. The sole survivor was found clinging , to a fragment of a broken boat. He I said the Delawanna was thrown on her beam ends by a terrific sea and the water flooded the hold. The Scranton, with the Delawanna in tow, left New York Monday, the barge carrying 1,15(1 tons of anthracite coal consigned to Boston. The Delawanna was owned by the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western rail road. She was a new vessel. ON TIL FOR SLAYING NORTH CAHQL1NA GIRL Norfolk-Va., Dec. 1. The trial of Captain K W. Jones, of the Seventy first Virginia Regiment of Infantry, vol unteers, charged with the murder of Maude Cameron Robinson, of Selma, N. C, by cutting her throat with tho same razor he afterwards used in cutting his own throat, began here today. When arraigned the prisoner pleaded "not guilty." Then began the exam ining of talesmen s.immoned for jury service. From ' questions asked by counsel for the defense, it was indicated that the defense of Jones will be that the Robinson girl committed suicide by cutting her own throat and that Cap tain Jones then tried to end his life in a like manner. 1 . Free Pardon for life Prisoner. Columbus, 0., Dec. 1. Governor Her rick today issued a" Thanksgiving par don to Jefferson Shanks, of Miami county, who was sent up for life on July 0, 1803, for murder. - He has acted as coachman for . the wardens for the past twelve years. Shanks Was over joyed at his pardon, which ha had not expected. . IE BAHG SINKS GREENSBORO, N. In the Agony of Her Death Throes, the Wife of Physician Sends Her Little Boy for Medical Aid Which Her Husband Had Refused Her, But All Efforts Failed to Save Her Life Dr. J. P. Turner, the First to Reach Her Bed-side, Sus pected Husband from the Outset, Who, Later Declared, That He Had Given His Wife Opiate to Counteract the Effects of Strychnine She Had Swallowed in an Effort to End Her Life The Syringe Wrenched by Coroner from the Suspected Murderer's Hand Contained Sufficient Poison, He Declared, to Kill at Least Three Persons Tradgedy Creates Intense Excitement in the City. spond in many important details. To one physician he said that Mrs. Mat thews had come to him Thursday night and asked what poison she coulu take and remain conscious until death re leased her. He said he declined to tell her and she left. He went on to say i that a few minutes later, when lie en jtcred the room she was in the act of swallowing a handful of strychnine pe.l I lets and before he could prevent her she Iliad accomplished her purpose. He also stated that soon alter -hug- took ...ho pel lets "strychnine pains'' set in and he gave her morphine to relieve the pain and during the night he continued giving her morphine at intervals. To others he declared that she was suffering from neuralgia and had taken an overdose of morphine. And to a newspaper mnn Dr. Matthews said that his wife was very ill with heart trouble. Dr. J. P. Turner, who also is County. Coroner, suspected very soon after he was called yesterday morning that Dr. Matthews nad drugged his wife, but not MYSTERY OF WHISKEY GOT IN SMITH RAID SOLVED BY FORMER POLICEMAN RHEA Ex-Officer, Smarting Under the Imputation That Liquor He Had Captured Could Not Be Accounted For, Volunteers the Information That Upon Re signing From the Force He Turned Over Five Gallons of Whiskey to Chief Neeley Queer Prac tices of Confiscation Long in Force at Police Head- quarters. The Daily Industrial News in response to a widespread demand from some of the best people of the city, asked what had become of certain lots of liquor seized by the police and it now seems that the question was timely and that unless somebody does some explaining it may attain a serious aspect for somo of those involved. The Daily Industrial News has at least gotten an answer to its first ques tion. The mystery in regard to the Wesley Smith seizure has been solved ami more may follow. It seems that Chief Neclley will not discuss the matter or answer the ques tions of the Daily Industrial News, and it may be that his subordinates will fol low his lead. However, there is one man who does not propose to sit quietly down and refuse to give any account of his official acts. Mr. John M. Rhea, formerly a police man of Greensboro, called at the office of the Daily Industrial News last night and said that his attention had been called to an article in the paper in quiring as to what had become of the five gallons of whiskey taken from Wes ley Smith last August. Mr. Rhea said that as a "great many people knew that he was the officer who had seized this lot of whiskey and had, sinco the appearance of tho article referred to, been asking him about it, he desired to be set straight before the public. Mr. Rhea waHJold that the Daily Industrial News had no desige to, , ao him an injustice and wanted all the light obtainable on the question, and that any statement he could m-ke would be published. FOUR KILLED BY BURSTING OF A NATURAL GAS MAIN i i . Weston, W, Va., Dec. l.r-Charles F, Douglass, a farmer, his wif.; and two children, were instantly killed last night by an explosion of a natural gas main running past their home, three miles from here. Their home was wrecked and later caught fire, almost consuming the bodies. The explosion was felt for a distance of five miles and caused much excite nient. It is supposed the main sprung a leak ami that the gas was in some way ignited, : 1 1 C, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1905. having any '' proof, awaited develop ments. Had it not been for these suspicions he might have left the room when Dr. Matthews requested him . to do so, and would thus have failed to catch the husband administering poison ! hypodermically to his wife as he did. I s soon as' Dr. Turner wrenched the 'syringe from the hand of Dr. Matthews ; he told him to leave the room. Dr. Mat 1 thews went out and did not return un 'til his wife had breathed her last. I It appears that Mrs. Matthews had 1 predicted Hint a violent death would be her lit. To a neighbor she said inly a ; few weeks ago, that if she was ever j found unconscious she wanted Dr. ! Turner to be summoned. She did not 1 explain- why she thought there would ever lie a necessity lor a coroner ti investigate her death, but from this conversation it is supposed she had ex pected that something of the kind might occur. Former Attempt Made. It is learned that a year or more Mr. Rhea then said that When he ar rested Wesley Smith he captured about live gallons of whiskey and in accord ance with general instructions he had previously received he stored this whis key in his locker at police headquarters. Mr. Rhea said that each member of tho police force was provided with a roomy locker and a key which would unlock only his own locker, but that the Chief of Police had a key that would open all the lockers. Mr. Rhen declared that one quart of gin that was included in this seizure had been claimel by a woman named Hetty Smith ns her property and that he refused to give it to her, but later at the request of Mayor Murphy turned over this bottle to the Mayor and that the Mayor found the name of the wo man on the bottle and gave it to her. Another quart, so Mr. Rhea says, he took out and gave to a brother officer upon the statement of that officer that his family was sick and needed it. Mr. Rhea said further that he had since bought a quart of whiskey in another town to be put in place of the one taken by him. With these exceptions, Mr. Rhea said, the whiskey was still in the locker so far as he knew, tt he had turned it over to Chief Ncelley when he resigned from the force. When asked as to the instructions received by the officers in regard to captured w'hiskey, Mr. Rhea said thot he did not know of any definite instruc tions having been given, but that the custom was for the officer who made the seizure to putjthe captured liquor in his locker, but what tinally became of it he did not know; that he had never (Concluded on Page 2, Column 3.) 143 LIVES; SEtENnSHIPS; SEVEN MILLIONS IN CASH Detroit, Mich., Dec. 1. The Journal to day says one hundred and forty-nine lives have been sacrificed, over seventy ships wrecked and a loss of nearly 000,000 has been sustained iu the three big storms on the Great Lakes this sea son. That this is the most disastrous sea son in the history of shipping on the lakes is beyond doubt. London, Dee. 1. Queen Alexandra was sixty-one years old today, and her birth day was ccleitrated with the usual heart iness throughout the Kingdom. ago Dr. Matthews gave morphine to his i wife and had not it been for medical laid she would doubtless have died, j The circumstances surrounding this for I nier incident were very peculiar, though I the facts never reached the ears of the public. I This was perhaps the cause of Mrs. j Matthews' -"apprehensions. . It is said j that she lived in constant dread and ' her life recently had been anything but I happy. From a source, -'quite reliably, comes the information that recently Dr. fund Mrs. Matthews had become greatly addicted to the habit of using opiates. Examination of Contents of Syringe. j After the death of Mrs. Matthews : last evening, Dr. Turner brought the i hypidcrmiu syringe, which, he had l snatched from the hand of Dr. M.it I thews, lo his ollice and examined the contents. The test .showed that it contained strychnine- and when Dr. j Turner took it there was enough pois on remaining in the syringe to kill j persons. If . the last injection of the AS THEY SLEPT Crew of "Pull" Boat on the Mid dle River Alabama, Meet Awful Death. ILLNESS SAVED THE ONLY IE ROASTED ftVC lifun CCfiPFn PI AMF5! ' ' ' mo,,My stolen trom treiglit cars Ufllt WnU LOvMLU 1 LAI'lL J ' Ilf ,1C chiongo Terminal Transfer Com- ! pany near Lemoyne, 111., has been cap- I tured alter a .desperate -light.. -Negro Steward Warned By Crackling of j The police found silverware, silks. Flames-Unable To Arouse Others In j ''"' firearms ai.daln.ost all con- Time To Save Them Origin of Fire a Mystery. Miibile. Ala., Dec. 1. Nine persons whose names are not yet known, occu pying a "pull" boat on Middle river, which runs between the Tensas and Ala bama rivers, burned to death today in a fire which destroyed the boat. Sidney Wheat, the negro steward, was the only survivor of ten men who lived on the craft. Wheat escaped death by being awake ' owing to illness. Tlie crackling of burning timbers, warning him in time, he jumped into the river and escaped just as the boat collapsed. Stewart and Butt, of Mobile, who owned the boat, say there had been no steam 011 her for three days. They were at a loss to account for the burning of tho ve-isel. According to Wheat's story the nine men were dumped into a roaring fur nace while some of them were sleep. j nev were roasieu auve. ine uoai was used by men- who were engaged in get ting logs out of narrow places for raft ing purposes. It was constructeiifke a dredge boat and had a structure for sheltering the machinery and -..'apartments in which the crew and employes lived. In this case those on the vessel occupied the becond story of the struc ture. , The fire had evidently been burning sometime when Wheat was awakened. He savs he rushed in nml yelled to the others' to get out as fast as thev could as the boat was burning. He does not joining liiiihlings, hut was tinally suit know whether any of the men heard I dued by the recently organized Arc. com hjm, j panics of Lexington. He- leaped from the vessel into the j 'The will amount to fifteen tu rner and a moment later tho vessel col- i twenty thousand dollars, witli $10,000 lapsed, precipitating the other men into insurance, the blazing hull. - Will Stay Ten Year, in Pen. Railroad Man Murdered. Joe Kourquerman was convicted on his Norfolk, Va., Dec 1. Henry C-resluim, : trial this week in South Boston of an employe of the Norf k &, Southern I wrecking local passenger train No. 11 at railway 011 its Currituck division out South Boston on August 29th last. The from Norfolk, was found murdered at judge sentenced him to ten years in the .M linden's Point, in Princess Anno couu- i penitentiary. Special Olllcor C. K. While ly, yesterday, jhas just returned trout thu trial. CITY EDITION. poison had not been made by Dr. Mat thews, the physicians would no doubt have been able to save the. life of the unfortunate woman. When Dr. Turner had completed the analysis of the contents of the syringe, accompanied by Policeman Skeens, he entered his automobile and went to the residence of Solicitor A. L. Brooks. The Coroner and the Solicitor then went to the office of Mayor Murphy in the City Hall, where -a warrant was issued upon affidavit of Dr. Turner for the arrest of Dr.. Matthews. The warrant charges him with the murder of his wife, and was made returnable before the Mayor and the hearing will probably be held Monday. The warrant was entrusted to Ser geant Patterson and Patrolmen Skoens and Oliver, who went at , once to the home of Dr. Matthews. They found that he had retired and went to ''is room and made the arrest. There was no ef fort of resistance upon the part of the prisoner, who was occupying a bed with his father, X. V. Matthews, who came here from Durham last night. He was-conveyed to the police station and confined in a cell. lie seemed to ".e-under the influence'-of some drug and Lad little to say. He expressed tho opinion that if he could see the Mayor he would be allowed to return to his homo, where his wife lay dead. Nothing in CrcensWo in recent years lias caused a greater sensation than the .'circumstances surrounding Mrs. Mat thews' death. As. the arrest -was. made at a late hour last night only a lew peo ple were apprised of-the affair. The fam ily is well known in the i-it y, which tends to increase interest as the revolt-, ing circumstances little oy little leaked out. '.'"'.'-.''. ' - Formerly, difficulties, are supposed to S L T Chicago Police Take the Boss Freiaht Car Thief After Fight. WITH RIFLE, HE OPENED FIRE UPON OFFICERS Band Stole $25,000 Worth of Material From Cars of Chicago Terminal Com pany Within the Last Two Months Booty Worth $10,000 Captured. Chicago, pec. 1. Henry Hockzemo, lender of a gang of robbers, whose loot I within the last two mouths aggregated j rename mm id ui . im-i cuuimi.m' Ditreu away m Hockzemo s house. 1 he value j of the booty is said to lie $10,000. Hockzemo. lived with his wife in a house in Archer - street, upon which a raid was made by the-police. When the .'police demanded admission Hockzemo.'. appeared at a window with a rifle and opened fire on them. A rail road detective who accompanied the of ficers was hit by one of the bullets, but not seriously wounded. The policemen returned the lire, Hockzemo surrendered and his wife was also taken' into cus tody. The prisoner is said to be the leader of a gang of nine who have been rob bing freight ears for mouths. FIRE DESKS CHAIR FACTORY AT LEXINGTON; Bla2e Said t0 nave Been of Incendiary Origin Prompt Work Saves Ad joining Buildings. Lexington. N. f Dec. I. Fire which is believed to have bicii of incendiary origin destroyed the plant of the Cen tral Chair Factory here at an early hour this morning. 1 The tire, which was discovered at the rear of the fnctorv about 3 o'clock this : morning, '-for a time threatened the ad- ROBBER CAUGH Daily Industrial News is first, last and all the time a NEWSPAPER for all the people. PRICE: FIVE CENTS I have been the cause' of Da Matthews' 'act. '.. . Grave and dark things are hinted as I causing a breach between husband and ; wife. This may all bo made public at the trial. j It is the general belief that the man, ': himself the victim of insiduous drugs, had nursed his grief until he grew mad dened and desperate and now occupies a felon's cell charged with the murder of the woman he had sworn to protect and : defend. j Coroner Turner stated last night that j no autopsy would lie held. As Dr. Tur ner is the. principal witness m the case it, was decided that the only hearing should be had ocforo the Mayor. While the arrangements for the fu neral have not been concluded, it will j probably be held this afternoon at 3 i o'clock from the residence, followed by interment at Crccne Hill Cemetery. 1 Mrs. Matthews leaves one child, Ben. JShe was a Miss liriggs, of Durham, where she w as married to Dr. Matthews, land with him removed to Pittsboro, where they lived for several years, and ; from which place they came to Greens boro about four years ago. Since ro 1 moving to this city Dr. Matthews has been engaged in the practice of his pro ' fession and has built up a very consul : era hie practice. j lie was quiet and reserved and had bul few' if any intimate friends. 1 This is one of the most interesting as i well as the most horrible and revolting ! a Mail's that has occurred in the State m I recent years. The prominence of the j family and the usual circumstances sur i rounding the case make it at once the most .unusual and sensational event rc ! corded in the recent history ot North ! Carolina. y .-. 5 , Wharf Laborers at Georgetown on i a Strike and Business is Suspended 'GOVERNOR BESEICED IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS Trouble Grew Out of Demand For High er Wages and the Governor's An nounced Intention Forcibly to Sup press Proceedings. Georgetown, British Gviana, Dec. 1. A strike of whnrf laborers which is in progress here assumed a very serious aspect this morning when the police were compelled to lire on a riotous mob. It is reported that, five of the rioters were killed. Later in the day rioters--attacked the (Jovernor's house. The (fovernor and other officers are now besieged in tho public buildings, The arrival of warships is anxiously awaited. The strike, which was the result of a demand for higher wages, began Tues day last and since !.nen the strikers have been parading the streets, loinn licts of violence were -committed yes terday, but they were not serious. 'Hie (invernor announced that he intended forcibly to suppress all riotous proceed ings. . As the result of today's trouble all business bus been suspended. Cruisers on the Way. St. Thomas, Danish West Indies. Dec. 1.- The British cruisers and Diamond have gone to 'fioorgcton 11. FROM DEFENSE COMMITTEE Will Devote Himself To His Plans For Universal Military Training. - r i- ..' ..7...;.... London, Dec. 1. Field Marshal Lord " llobcrts has resigned from the commit-. ; fee for .imperial detense to take up tho ! organization, throughout the country of work connected wit h his proposals for : universal military training, i The resignation of lirdllola-rts is un iderslitod to have been to a great extent due to differences of opinion between himself and other memliers of the com mittee on military policy. Ixml Roberta renounces a salary of $25,000 yearly. Distinguished Clerical Vtsiton The Rev. 0. L. Stringfteld, a distin guished Baptist minister of Western North Carolina, Is in the city, a guest of tho Rev. Dr. Battlo. Mr. Ktringfleld has just closed a wonderfully success ful meeting in Thomasvillc, having bap tized over eighty persons ou Thanks giving Day, - ; . - RIOTERS S TS 0
Greensboro Daily News (Greensboro, N.C.)
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Dec. 2, 1905, edition 1
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