The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-03-27
WIN. MATlIEWSS WEALTH.
THE YIEID or 4 BUSINESS CONNEC-
TION WITH THE NAVY.


street, md PniatiaI Residence In West-
chester Couutv-very Profitable Dusiness.
AZ "a CnthHrine street is n small four
story brick building owned and occupied as
dry goods store by VIM. Mathews. The show
windows nre nblaze with the bright-coored,
low priced goods that delight the eyes of Caiha-
rine street buyers. Over the narrow entrance, on
a dirty white background. IA inscribed "Onc
price" The store occupies a dark, low room.
Its shelves are hcaped high with callcocs. dress
goods, and damaged cloths. that give out
musty and pungcnt odor. A number Of poorly
clad mon are examining second hand goods, and
some red hooded old women are tumbng prints
about ahd chanering with two or three
clerks over head Il store room, filled with
bales Of cloth. and In ono corner is a modest
Office
At Harrison. y Y, q station on the New York
and New Haven Railrond about twenty four
miles from New York. Is the residence Of viii
liam Mathews. the owner of the Catharinc street
store. II Is tho finest mansion In that part "
the country. II stands ON the summit of gem
tie risc ~ ground about q milc and 4 half from
the iAiirond station 4 beautiful valley dotted
with houses and chcc.ercd with meadows and
Woodlands. strrfrhc. away toward the horizon.
where distant church stccplcs mark tie location
OF the ~uhuhHu village ut Wc~t,hc-tcr county
in another direction. from the lofty tower of the
house, or ",d-te" as u Is called hv many.
Nliii' k-'7 " NV ff'Nil NV n'N WIN 0Ail7 are
caught.
PALACE ANp ITS SURROUNDINGS.
The mansion Is of freestonc. trimmed with
brown stone. and ornamcutcd with beautifully
towers. one round ard the other square. The
grounds occupy several acres of gently sloping
land. laid out with winding walks, and beautiled
10y trained trees, flower beds. and fountains. a
dollhouse and greenory. through the glass sides
and roof OF which masses OF brilliant tropical
flowers blaze in the winter sun. and which !.
said tu have cost s~.tpl stands ut the lower end
of the grounds. Scar by i- an ornamental stable
have been S:auJ The douple ratevays 20 these
grounds are cos'ly and beautiful. The furniture
ut the house b. ui the richest description. having
a. said. been made To- order. and the luxurious
capcis were Imported from Paris. The total
cost of THIS r1snihrcui residence with Its sur
rouudin,'. i4 piii down M about s.,l"O.
The owner i- said TO he a. hard student ~ the
Bible. lie nu elder In the l'rc.h,tcriau huroh
huilt "A chanel which h. sad To- have cost se5t.Ei
! Al bis own cNren-e he is now having conducted
iu Rye free rel suus serN ices twi, week. over
| these he sometimes rre-ilc- himself. lie owns
/ the I've Seminary and half dozen houses IN
the same town. "a hotel and store nt Harrison,
and several hpu-c- Bon that vicinity, he-ide- hum
dreds of acres ~ luud. He has the reputation of
brlut a puhii' rhflh 'iNf' having uullt lnt Iall-
road depot At liaui~on. and given great stimui~s
| to the growth ~ that scattered town. Notwith-
standing his wealth b" IL unpieieuuoVs and
anahlc. lli- rich stables cnntuiu no fast horses
| paatial mansion ON the hin. which wa- finished
only last iall having been three year. 10 build
| Ing. stands Mr Mathrw,s former residence, a
| plain, white, wooden hou-c among trees.
wnENCE TnE MONEY.
For twenty years Mr.. Mathews has been a
| heavy naval contractor with the Government.
and 1t IA asserted that from the proceeds ~
| those contracts, and not from the humble
Catharinc street store. his great wealth
| has accumulated. II has also been asserted that
| beef, pork. hardware. blankets, Sc. to the Navy
| department; that he has made immense sums
| 10y nj, connection with tho Navy Department as
! a faVortc; and that In his case the law which
/ provides that no person shall he received as a
! contractor who 10 not n manufacturer Of or
regular dealer In the articles he offers to sup
| ply." ha- been violated.
Gcorge r cutter the navy pay director and
| ptlrchH-ing agent In New \ urk. lien questioned
| about Matthew's relations with the Navy lle-
| partment -aid That no inpr9pricty on the part ~
| Mathews could I've suspected, because Lee was " n
| good Christian man II was absurd. MI cutter
| said. to suppose that the business Of making
purr haSes had been transferred from the navy
| yard to Washington under AN order from
| Secretary Roheson In regard to that sec
| tion Of the law requiring that contractor
| must be manufacturer of or regular dealer in
| the articles furnished. Mr.. Cutler said he pre-
| sumed that such was the law. because in the
| printed slip shown him II was put IN quotation
| marks As to It's having been violated in tue case
| of Mathews, he thought that berause Mathews
had for twenty wears. nj least furnished sat sHc-
| tory supplies Tor the Government, he ought tn
he regarded ~ regular dealer. ne know o.
OF pork and other provisions. Afierward, when
Mr.. cutter was pressed with questions about the
| method OF dealing with Mathews, he hccame
| somewhat excited, and exclaimed. you must
yet the Secretarys permission 10 ask me the-s
questions. | have no night to explain de-
| tails
| WHAT Mr.. MATHEWS SAYS
Mr. Mathews himself treated tho matter very
Quirti 81 have been a Government cpntrhc-
! tor" D." -''l " for twenty year,. and have fur
! ni-n"a uolr -upiii-- than any man living. A.
i0 the law heing violated in my case because
q not regular dealer in provisions, that !,
! noae 81 my business rs q merchant. ii Is my
| business to fulhl the contracts ] make, hut !
have nothing To DO with the question of the
| strict legality 81 the acts Of the Government.
A. matter of fact. though. | have furnished
| provisions so long and I'm such large quantities
| that am virtually dealer in them. Bc-id-s.
| there are few dealers who know how 10 put y
! the provisions properly for naval supplies. The
| question Of proper barrels. hoops Ac comes
| in. II the law were enforced t. the letter, II
| would throw out an but two or three dealers.
| A. To- my doings with the Government, they ara
| matters of record, tnd ! am ready 10 stand by
| them. have lust been giving testimony before
| the Congressional Committee iu Washington,
| and expect 10 appear before them again. oon,o-
| quently al present am not prepared 10 speak
| further In reference To the natter
Mr.. Mathews has been tatlhrinc street mer-
| chant since 1857. His business ueighhor, nearly
all speak Of him as an hone man and a