Press: Will Mathis, Whit Owens, Will Jackson and Orlando Lester Arraigned

Oxford Eagle, January 02, 1902

Will Mathis, Whit Owens, Will Jackson and Orlando Lester Arraigned Monday
For the Horrible Murder of John A. and Hugh Montgomery on Nov.16^th — They Are Trying to Make a Scapegoat of Orlando Lester, the Negro, who is now on Trial for his Life — Will Mathis will be Placed on Trial this Morning.

The special term on the Circuit Court, called for the trial of Will Mathis and accomplices for the murder of the two Montgomerys convened Monday morning. Judge P.H. Lowrey presiding. Mr. C.A. McCharen was selected foreman of the Grand Jury, and true bilis were found against Will Mathis, Whit Owens, Bill Jackson and Orlando Lester, for the murder of John A. Hugh Montgomery on Nov. 16^th. The four men were jointly indicted Monday afternoon.

Judge Lowrey appointed Hons. J.H. Kimmons and J.E. Holmes to defend Will Mathis; Hon. J.W.T. Falkner and Prof. T.H. Somerville to defend Orlando Lester; Judge B.T. Kimbrough and Hon. D.M. Kimbrough to defend Will Jackson. Judge Z. M. Stephens, of New Albany, has been retained to defend Whit Owens. The prosecution is in the hands of Hon. W.A. Roane, assisted by Attorneys James Stone, J.C. Wilson, C.L. Sivley and U.S. District Attorney Montgomery. The defendants when arraigned plead not guilty. A change of venue was asked for Whit Owens by Judge Stephens, but was not granted, owing to the feeling of the people in regard to the accused men.

Orlando Lester, the negro, was placed on trial, Tuesday at 1 o’clock. Mrs. Will Mathis was the first witness examined. Her testimony differed materially from the statement she gave before the coroner jury. She said that Will Mathis, Bill Jackson and Orlando Lester were at her home the night of the killing of the Montgomerys and that a dispute arose between her husband and Hugh Montgomery about a pistol. She said they got into a scuffle and Lester ran in with a gun and killed both officers. Mrs. Mathis stated in her examination before the coroner’s jury that she had tried to dissuade the men from committing the crime and that Mathis held the lamp and Lester did the shooting.

Lester, when placed upon the stand, testified that he was sent by Will Mathis for a gun with which to do the shooting, and that Whit Owens told him when he loaded the gun not to let the Montgomerys escape. He said that he held the lamp and Mathis shot Hugh Montgomery with a Winchester rifle and Bill Jackson shot John A. Montgomery with a shotgun. Lester also stated that Will Mathis had written him a letter since they had been confined in the Oxford jail saying that if he, Lester, would confess that he did the killing and take the blame, he, (Mathis) would get up a mob when he got out of jail and release Lester before he could be hung.

At 4:30 o’clock yesterday afternoon the case was closed and given to the jury. At 4:40 the jury returned with a verdict of guilty as charged in the indictment. Sentence will be reserved until the completion of the trial of the others implicated.

Will Mathis’ trial will begin this morning. Whit Owens’ case is set for tomorrow, and Bill Jackson’s case will be called Monday.