Interview: Shell Vines

Shell Vines, 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: Did you see him a short time after the killing of the 2 Montgomerys?

A: Yes sir I saw him the next day at my brother Kin Vines'.

Q: Did he make any statement to you about that matter?

A: Yes sir he said something about the matter.

By the Court -- See how come the statement to be made first?

Q: You are not an officer?

A: No sir.

Q: Did you know at that time of the killing or burning of the house?

A: No sir.

Q: Had you offered him any inducement or made any threat against him?

A: No sir.

Q: Was the statement he made voluntary?

A: Yes sir.

Q: Now state what he said to you?

A: He come and wanted me to swear that he stayed at my brothers where I saw him, on Saturday night.

Q: Was that the night the house was burnt?

A: Yes sir -- I asked him what for and he said the Revenuers had come in on him and that he give them a "high ball" and got away and I told him they would take him up as he was under bond for his appearance at Court and he said he didn't want to go to jail and he would stay away from the officers and not go in jail till Court come up and I told him there was no use in me swearing that for I didn't know where he stayed last night and I told him I never saw you until just awhile ago and then he said that wasn't all of it and I asked him again what had he done that he wanted me to make such testimony and he didn't say -- he said his house might have burnt up the night before and that the damn sons of bitches were in it.

Q: Was that the first information you had of it?

A: Yes sir.

Cross Examination

Q: Have you seen any of the Jacksons since that occurrence?

A: Yes sir.

Q: Have you talked with them?

A: Yes sir I talked with the one that come from Texas yesterday.

Q: Did you talk about this occurrence?

A: No sir.

Q: You have talked to none of the Jacksons about this affair or these confessions?

A: No sir I have not.

Q: Is there anything you have failed to tell that Mathis said to you?

A: I don't recollect anything else. He said they come in on him while he was cleaning a hog and that Bill Jackson was there -- he said he asked Jackson to help his wife dress the hog that he was going to step off and then he said his wife come to where he was and he told her to go get his pistol and bring it to him that he was going to get away and he said she went back and opened the bureau drawers and wrapped it up in the babys clothes and brought it to him and then he told her to get ready and he would carry her to her fathers and that she come back and he carried her.

Q: Did he say whether or not the officers were killed?

A: No sir he said it might have been.

Q: No didn't say he killed them?

A: No sir.

Q: Did Mathis say anything to you about the negroes difficulty or being afraid the officers were after him?

A: No sir not that I recollect -- I wouldn't firmly say he didn't.

Q: Are you related in any way to the Jacksons?

A: I reckon not -- my brother married Bill Jacksons daughter.

Redirect examination 

Q: What kind of ball did you say he said he give them?

A: High ball.