The killing of Dr. Mather at New Orleans.
--The killing of
Dr. Mather at New Orleans, by
a Mr. Withers, has already been noticed in our columns.
We find the following particulars of the affair in the N. O. Delta of the 31st ult.:
Yesterday afternoon as
Dr. Mather was sitting in his house, a servant came and whispered to
Mrs. Mather some message from
Mrs. Withers, which, on inquiry by
Dr. M., proved to be a request for quarters at his house,
Mrs. W. saying that her husband was much excited and had threatened to take her life if she did not leave.
Dr. Mather, against his wife's earnest entreaty, proceeded to Wither's, and was there met by his mother, who told him that her husband was up stairs, much excited, and had a pistol, with which he had threatened to shoot her.
Dr. Mather said he would go up stairs and expostulate with him; his mother endeavored to prevent him, and not succeeding, followed him into the room, where
Withers stood with a revolver in his hand.
On his entering the room, W. said: ‘"I suppose you come to call me a coward, too, as your mother has."’ The
Doctor replied, ‘"no, he did not."’ ‘"I intend to kill her for it,"’ exclaimed
Withers, ‘"Oh, no,"’ said the
Doctor, ‘"you cannot do that."’ ‘"Then I will shoot you."’ At this,
Dr. Mather threw open his coat and said, ‘"You can do so if you dare."’ Whereupon
Withers fired, the ball lodging in
Mather's breast, who fell upon his knees and called out: ‘ "Don't shoot me !"’ But
Withers fired a second and a third time.
The second ball took effect in
Mather's body, and at the third,
Mrs. Withers rushing between them, the ball passed through her hand and up her arm, where it lodged.
Dr. Mather died of his wounds last night.
Withers is in prison.
Dr. Mather had quite recently returned from
Pensacola, where he had been engaged with the Army, and was, at the time of his death, raising a volunteer company for the war.
Withers, from all we can learn, had been drinking freely.
