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Interview: Cordie Mathis |
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The following witnesses were called to the stand in the rubuttal phase of the trial in the Circuit Court of Lafayette County during a special December term in 1901. Witnesses: A. Z. T. Johnson, Will mathis, Tom Ragland, and Reverend Mills.
A. Z. T. Johnson, witness for the State being first duly sworn testified as follows: — Q: Where do you live? A: Tippah County. Q: Are you an officer of the Federal Court? A: Field Deputy Marshall. Q: Were you at the time the Coroners jury was investigating the killing of the two Montgomerys? A: Yes sir I was. Q: State whether or not you arrested Mrs. Mathis after the investigation had proceeded? A: Yes sir I arrested her over here in the southeast corner of town. Q: State after you arrested her whether she made a statement to you about the killing? A: Yes sir — she said to me "I reckon they have arrested me for making two statements — I says no you are not arrested for that the writ reads Murder and conspiracy to murder — she says "I was there and done everything to keep them from killing them — she first asked me who all was in the writ — She then says I couldn’t help it I done everything I could to keep them from doing it and thought that I had got them out of the notion and come satisfied they wasn’t going to do it".
Q: She didn’t tell you the reason she made those two statements? A: No sir. Q: You didn’t tell her that you didn’t know why they had arrested her? A: No sir. Will Mathis recalled by the State. Q: Do you know Rev. Mr. Mills, presbyterian minister of College Nill? A: Yes sir. Q: Did you write him a note to come and see you? A: I wrote it but I don’t think this is the one I wrote. Q: Who did you give it to? A: Mr. Raglands boy. Q: Why don’t you think that is the note? A: It don’t look like my handwriting. I wanted to talk with him to get him to get them to let my baby come there to see me. Q: Are you certain you didn’t write this? A: Yes sir — Give me a piece of paper and let me write you one like this.
Tom Ragland, witness for the State being first duly sworn testified as follows: — Q: Do you know Rev. Mr. Mills, presbyterian minister of College Nill? A: Yes sir. Q: Did you deliver at anytime any writing from Will Mathis to him? A: Yes sir Mr. Mathis give me the note from his cell. Q: Was there anybody in the cell with him? A: No sir. Q: Look at that and see if that is the note? A: Yes sir this is the note Mathis gave me and I gave to Mr. Mills — It was the day his baby came down here and they wouldn’t let it in the cell.
Q: You sure he gave that note to you and not to your son? A: Yes sir.
Q: Look at that hand writing and tell the jury whose had writing that is. A: I think it is Mr. Mathis. Q: Compare it with that. Look at the C’s and the signature and the whole body of the letter and tell the jury whether it is the same hand writing or not? A: I have read a right smart notes from him and I think that is all his hand writing. Q: Now look at this and state whether that is his hand writing or not? A: I think it is.
Q: Were these two last letters you identified ever delivered? A: I know nothing about but one of them. Q: Which one do you know about? A: The one about the pistol. Q: Was that ever delivered? A: It was delivered to me. Q: Was it ever delivered to the party addressed? A: No sir. Q: You have never seen the other one before? A: No sir.
Q: You say the letter in reference to the saws, hammer etc., came into your possession? A: Yes sir. Q: Did it come direct from Mathis? A: No sir it wasn’t intended for me to know anything about it. Q: How did you get that letter if you have no objection to telling it? A: I had a man in there named Bennett he expected to make bond and he failed that day and Bennett told me that Mathis thinks that thing is burnt up and he thought it was his duty to deliver it to me as he got it. Q: So he gave it to you? A: Yes sir. Rev. Mr. Mills, witness for the State being first duly sworn testified as follows: — Q: You are a minister of the Gospel? A: Yes sir. Q: Did you visit Mr. Mathis in jail? A: Yes sir. Q: Look at that note and see whether or not you ever saw it before? A: Yes sir I got this note from Mr. Ragland, the jailor yesterday morning. Q: Compare that letter with that note —
Q: Are you acquainted with the hand writing of Mr. Mathis? A: No sir this is the first time I have ever seen it. Q: Are you an expert on hand writing? A: No sir — of course I am brought in contact with a great many kinds of writing but as to being an expert that is different.
Q: You visited Mr. Mathis several times and talked with him? A: Yes sir. Q: He talked with you as a confidential advisor? A: Yes sir. Q: And as a preacher? A: Yes sir. Q: He submitted to you what professed to be a confession didn’t he?
Tom Ragland, recalled by the Defendant. Q: Look at that and see whose hand writing that is if you know? A: I can’t say. Q: You don’t know whose it is? A: Some of it looks like Mathis’ hand writing and some of it doesn’t.
Q: Did you deliver a letter to Mr. Brewer for the defendant? A: It seems like I mailed one to him. Q: Didn’t you read it before hand? A: Yes sir. Q: Did the hand writing of it look like the one you just identified? A: I never paid no attention to it — I just read it and mailed it. Q: About how many letters of Mathis’ has been submitted to you that he wrote? A: I don’t remember. Q: As many as a dozen? A: I couldn’t say — he wrote to his brother. Q: Did he write to some one as often as everyday? A: No sir. Q: Every week? A: I suppose so.
I, Walter C. Blount. ex-Court Stenographer do hereby certify that the fore going 33 pages contain a true and correct transcript of all the proof offered and proceedings had on the trial of the case of State — Vs — Will Mathis as shown by my short-hand notes properly extended. Mar 1st 1902. _________________/s/____________ Ex-Court Stenographer 3rd Dist.
I approve the foregoing as a true and correct transcript and copy of the Evidence and focussing on the trial of the said case of the State vs Will Mathis in the Circuit Court at Oxford LaFayette County at a Special Term of said Court beginning December 30th 1901. Witness my signature at Batesville, Miss. this March 12th 1902. /s/ P.H. Lowrey, Judge |
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