Interview: George Jackson

George Jackson, Will Mathis' friend and witness for the State being first duly sworn, testified as follows in the Circuit Court of Lafayette County during a special December term in 1901.

Q: Do you know Will Mathis?

A: Yes sir.

Q: Do you remember seeing Mr. Mathis about the 17^th of last November?

A: I don't remember the date.

Q: Do you remember hearing of the burning of Mathis house and the killing of the two officers?

A: Yes sir.

Q: How soon after that did you see him?

A: That night -- a while before day next morning.

Q: Where?

A: At my mothers house.

Q: Did you live there with her?

A: Yes sir.

Q: What time?

A: About an hour before day.

Q: How come you to see him?

A: He come to our house, and hollered at the gate.

Q: Did you go out to him?

A: I was sleeping in the back room and my youngest brother heard him and got up and went out and he asked was I at home and my brother told him yes

By the Court: -- Did you hear that?

No Sir.

Q: Did you get up and go out to Mathis?

A: Yes sir.

Q: Tell what he said to you in that conversation?

A: When I got out there he spoke to me and I to him and I says Will what the devil are you doing here this time of night so sorter laughed a little and says George I am in trouble and I says what about -- he seemed he didn't want to tell me much and he says can you do anything for me or will you and I says I always do all I can for a friend -- I told him to tell me what was the matter -- he seemed he didn't much want to tell me but he finally told me what had happened.

Q: Give his language as near as you can.

Counsel Deft: -- Did you tell him to tell you about it or did you insist on his telling you about it -- that is he was reluctant to tell you and you urged him to tell you?

A: Yes sir.

Q: You told him you would befriend him?

A: I told him if I could do anything for him I would always do all I could for him.

By the Court: -- Was that all that occurred?

A: No sir.

By the Court: -- Was that all the conversation before he told you?

A: Yes sir.

By the Court: -- Did he ask you about doing anything for him?

A: Not until he told me there was some trouble up and I insisted on him telling me to find out what was the matter.

Q: What did you tell him about doing anything for him?

A: It seemed like he wanted to tell me and yet didn't want to tell and I allowed from what he said something was up.

Q: You are not an officer of the law?

A: No sir.

Counsel Deft: -- Objected as incompetent -- confession not being voluntary --
Objection overruled -- Exception taken.

Q: Now go on and detail the conversation as near as you can?

A: He told me Mr. Hugh and Mr. John A. Montgomery come to his house late that evening and arrested him and was going to take him to town and that he had a hog killed and was cleaning it and that him and Mr. Hugh had a talk and he finally got them to wait until the next morning and he was to go to town with them the next morning -- he said him and High had a private talk and that he told Hugh about some kettles being there in that neighborhood.

Q: What sort of kettles?

A: Something they make whiskey in.

Q: Go ahead now?

A: He said he told Hugh that Mr. Jim Pilcher had a kettle, and Franc Jackson, and Hennell Sigler had some beer but he didn't know whether they were at work or not.

Counsel Deft: -- Objected &endash;Objection sustained.

Q: Tell us what he said about the killing?

A: He told me it was understood with him and the negro to kill those men and he said the negro was to do the shooting but he said when the time come for them to do the work he said the damn negro give down and that he had to do the shooting himself -- he said he shot Hugh Montgomery first right in the mouth he thought and that he had to shoot John A. Montgomery twice -- he said the first time he shot him he didn't know for certain whether he hit him or not and that he shot him the second shot -- and he said after he killed these men he taken his wife and little chap and they went down to Whit Owens and said "did you do that sure enough --

Counsel State: -- Objection &endash; Objection sustained.

Q: What did he say when he returned?

A: He said that he decided to burn the men up and that they had bled on the bed clothes and in the house and he decided he had better burn them up too -- and he said he taken them by the heels and drug them off the bed onto the floor and put the straw mattress on top of them and then split the mattress open and stuck fire to it and shut the door and went out and left.

Q: What did he say, if anything about any pistols they had?

A: He said he got them -- said they had three.

Q: Did you see them?

A: Yes sir.

Q: Did you examine them?

A: Yes sir.

Q: What condition were they in?

A: They had some blood on them.

Q: What became of those pistols?

A: He let me have them.

Q: Did he point out either of them as any special property of the Montgomerys?

A: Yes sir -- he said the one that had the piece broke off the handle was his and said that Hugh Montgomery had that one.

Q: What about the others?

A: I don't know that he told me whose they were -- they were right new.

Q: What kind of handles?

A: Black -- gutta percha.

Q: What make?

A: Colts -- 38 I think.

Q: What became of those pistols?

A: I took them and hid them and told John Welch where they was -- they agree to risk John Welch to go and get them -- and I told him where they were hid and he went off and got them.

Q: Did you see them after he brought them in?

A: Yes sir.

Q: Was Will Mathis riding or walking the night he came to your houes?

A: Riding.

Q: Did he have anything else beside the pistols?

A: He had some money.

Q: Did he tell you where he got it?

A: Yes sir -- off them men.

Q: Did he tell you how much he got off each man?

A: No sir -- he didn't have but very little.

Q: Did he have a knife and some cartridges?

A: Yes sir he had a knife.

Q: Did he say who he got that from?

A: I think Mr. Hugh.

Q: What became of it?

A: I put it away too and they got it.

Q: Do you know what horse Will Mathis had when he came to your house?

A: He said it was the one Mr. Hugh Montgomery was riding.

Q: What did he do with it?

A: He carried it up close to Curdie Halls and left it with the bridle up on the saddle.

Q: And the saddle on the horse?

A: Yes sir.

Q: Did he make any statement to you as to what he had done with the other horse?

A: He said he left it over close to Jim Mathis'.

Q: What was the color of the one left near Halls?

A: Grey.

Q: Where did you go then?

A: To Bill Jacksons.

Q: Where did Mathis go?

A: He went too but he stayed out behind the store until I went down to Bill Jacksons and got him to come up where he was.

Q: Then where did he go?

A: Over in dog town.

Q: Sis you all keep out of the way of people and the houses by going through the woods?

A: We didn't go by nobodys house -- we stayed out of the way as much as possible.

Q: For how long?

A: Plum on till we over to Vines.

Q: How long before he was arrested?

A: That was Sunday -- he was arrested on Wednesday.

Q: How many days were you out with him?

A: Plum until Wednesday morning.

Q: Was he dodging all the time?

A: He was trying to keep out of the way all he could.

Q: Was there anybody in pursuit of him?

A: Not that we knowed of but we thought it.

Q: You found out when?

Q: When I struck up with these men in the road on Wednesday morning.

Q: Where did you leave Mathis?

A: Down in the botton -- Yocona bottom.

Q: Did he say where he was going?

A: Yes sir -- he said he was going to Mr. Samelbards -- he wanted to get some of the boys to go over to Mr. Owens and find out what the people had decided about the men being killed.

Q: And whether they were after him or not.

A: Yes sir.

Cross examination

Q: Did you say you buried the pistols?

A: No sir I hid them under a clay root.

Q: Did the men force you to tell them where they were?

A: They asked me and I told -- there was a crowd of them and they was talking every which way and I told them.

Q: Without any further provocation?

A: Yes sir.

Q: Didn't they tell you what they would do to you if you didn't tell them?

A: They was talking pretty rough and I told them -- they never even asked me about the knife and cartridges but I told them.

Q: When they got to talking pretty rough you told them the whole thing?

A: Yes sir.

Q: Did you see a rope anywhere?

A: No Sir.

Q: Why did you hide the pistols?

A: I hid them because I knowed they would be called for and I wanted them where nobody else could get them and I had no chance to put them in a safer place at that time.

Q: Was there nobody you could give them to to keep?

A: Of course I could -- but me and Mathis was out and wasn't with nobody.

Q: What kin are you to Bill Jackson?

A: Brothers they say.

Q: He is now under arrest and indicted for the same offense as is Mathis.

A: I don't know that it is for the same -- he is under arrest for it.

Q: Have you ever been convicted of any crime?

A: No sir.

Q: Haven't you been convicted for illicit distilling?

A: No sir.

Q: Are you under bond for illicit distilling now ?

State Objected -- Sustained.

Q: Are you and the defendant on good terms now?

A: We never had any trouble in our lives.

Q: You haven't any prejudices against him for testifying against your brother?

A: No sir -- Mr. Mathis is a man I never had any dealings with much -- he was always good and kind to me - we pass and repass and never had any trouble in our lives.

Q: How far did you live from him?

A: Three or 4 miles.

Q: How far from Whit Owens?

A: 6 or 7 miles.

Q: Are you and Whit Owens on good terms?

A: Yes sir.

Q: Close friends are you not?

A: Yes sir.

Q: Have you been to the jail to see him?

A: Yes sir.

Q: Been in his cell and talked with him have you not?

A: Yes sir.