Interview: Mrs. Jennie Standifer

Mrs. Jennie Standifer, news reporter 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: Have you ever seen Will Mathis?

A: Yes sir I saw him in the County jail here in Oxford.

Q: When?

A: Saturday afternoon after the killing of the Montgomerys.

Q: Tell the jury in what capacity you were acting when you saw him?

A: I was acting as correspondent for the New Orleans Picaune -- they telegraphed me to get a sketch of his life from him if possible and I did so.

Q: You are not an officer of the law?

A: No sir.

Q: You used no threats or persuasion to make him tell you anything?

A: No sir.

Q: Did you make him any promises or hold out any promise or reward?

A: No sir.

Q: Tell the jury what he said about his connection with the killing?

A: He volunteered the statement that he didn't do the killing he said that Orlandus Lester did it -- he said he could have prevented it if he had wanted to but that he did not do the shooting -- he repeated that several times.

Q: What part did he say he did?

A: I didn't ask him -- I asked him where he was born and who his father and mother were and about his carreer in life.

Q: Did he say whether or not he was armed?

A: I asked him if he was drunk on the evening of the killing -- he said he was pretty full of whisky that he had been drinking all the afternoon but that he wasn't so full that he didn't know what he was doing and that he treated them right and got them to stay.

Q: Did he say he was present when the killings occurred?

A: No sir.

Q: Have you got it in print as to what he did say?

A: It is in the Eagle that was mentioned here yesterday.

Q: He told you that he could have prevented it if he had wanted to ?

A: Yes sir.

Q: Was there anything said by him about the light -- as to who held the light?

A: I think he said he held the lamp but I am not certain -- but I am certain that he said he did not do the shooting -- he said Hugh Montgomery had mistreated him and threatened his life and that others had threatened his life and that he carried a pistol and was oblige to carry it and that Hugh Montgomery had taken this pistol away from him and that he had paid $20.00 for it and that that was what the fuss was about.

Cross examination

Q: Did he say anything in that conversation about shooting at the negro?

A: No sir.

Q: Did he tell you to ask the negro anything?

A: Yes sir he told me to ask the negro if he didn't do the shooting and that the negro would tell the truth about it.