The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-03-26
Mystery Of a Famous WaterVille
Murder Case Explained.
THE GUILTY MAN ESCAPED FROM
PRISON BY FEIGNING DEATH.
He Was Young Physician Who Was
Convicted of Killing His Friend Many
Years Ago-Now. a Story Told in Cali
fornia by a Woman Who Knew Him
There, Confirms Suspicious That the
Murderer Escaped.
Especial to the Press.1

Especial to the PreSs.1
WArEgvILLE, March 26-An article
published in an obscure California
weekly, and copied into local paper, has
occasioned much gossip here concerning
murder committed some forty-four
years ago. Along in 1s41, Y. P. Coolidge
M. D., came into Waterville and hung
out his shingle. He was a nice appear
ing young man of twenty-three, or there
about, and as he seemed gentleman
and to have thoroug knowledge of med
icine, he soon took high place in the
then small village.
Among one of the leading families of
this city, almost from it's founding, has
been the Matthews family. MI. Edward
Matthews at that time was about the
same age as Doctor Coolidge, and engag-
ed in buying cattle for the Brighton mar
ket. He also took leading position
among the young men of the community
Of course the two social leaders met, and
strong friendship developed itself.
Along in '4S, Coolidge lost considera-
BILE money gambling, and applied to his
friend for a loan, at the same time
swearing him to secrecy, as such a re-
port would hurt his practice.
Matthews agreed to lend his friend $1,000
and keep absolutely quiet about it. But
as his money was at that time almost all
invested, he was obliged to get part of
it from his uncle, Mr.. John Matthews,
and he told his uncle that he was going
to lend the money to Coolidge and take
his book accounts as security.
The night after John Matthews gave
this money to his nephew, there was
A Dance at the Balkum Tavern,
now the Wheeler House, on Silver street.
1t came out afterwards that Matthews
told Coolidge he had the money, and the
doctor replied that during the intermis-
sion they would go up to his Office,
settle the matter, and sample some of his
brandy. During the intermission, as
planned, they went up to the office,
located over the store now occupied by
o. S. Emerson. Coolidge poured out
some brandy, Matthews drank it, and
then fell dead. Just then in walked
Tom Flint, of Arson, then studying
medicine with Coolidge. Coolidge, ON
threat of proclaiming him the murderer,
swore him to secrecy and made him help
dispose of Matthews, who, Flint saw,
had been poisoned by drinking prussic
acid. They lugged him out, and placed
him at the bottom of the cellar rollway,
where it might look as if when drunk he
had failed and broken his neck.
The utter absence of any bruises, such
as would accompany a fall proved that
supposition wrong. Although last seen
with Coolidge, so high was the latter's
reputation thatno suspicion was directed
to him, until to his great astonishment
John Matthews told about the loan.
+,,so
Flints evidence sent to state prison for
life. His sister, beautiful girl, at once
moved down to Thomaston to comfort
her brother, as much as possible. The
business of both men gave them state
wide reputation, and the murder made a
great sensation, which had hardly died
away when report came that Coolidge
had been
Found Dead In His Cell.
Some of his acquaintances went over
to the prison, and upon seeing the corpse
declared up and down that it was not the
body of the medical murderer. Soon a
report came from California that Cool
idge had been seen there, working under
an assumed name. Numerous corrobo-
rations of this report followed. Then
the announcement of the marriage of
Miss Coolidge and the prison warden
confirmed the belief that V. P. Coolidge
had escaped.
The last number of the Tuolumne In
dependent tells the story of meeting
between Mrs Richard Parker, formerly
of Maine, and Coolidge, on the street in
Columbia. This meeting took place
many years ago, shortly after Ooolidge's
escape. He tried to deny his identity,
but could not deceive Mrs. Parker, and
finally confessed. Mrs. Parker became
friend to Coolidge and nursed him
through case Of small pox in 1852.
Finally, the culprit died a natural death,
and was buried in Springfield, Cal. Mrs.
Parker lately revealed the secret, which
for the first time was given to the pub
lie through the columns of the indie
pendent.