The San Francisco call., 1896-09-28

known San Francisco architect and q
member of the firm of Howard & Math-
lsen, doing business in the Crocker build
ing. San Francisco, strangled himself to
death in the woods to the rear of the
Bind Asylum, with a four-in-hand neck
tie which he had suspended to a small
cypress branch.
Dependency through complication OF
business affairs is attributed as the cause
of the deed.
The peculiar phase of the case lies in
the fact that the branch to which he had
hung himself was only about three feet
from the ground. When found Mathisen
was in kneeling posture, his head
thrown forward, and his hands and arms
dangling by his sides.
He bad literally strangled himself to
death. There was not the slig htest sign
of struggle or that he had passed through
any paroxysms of pain while in the tnroes
of death. He al gone to the lonely spot
IN the woods, and in an evident fit OF mo-
mentary insanity had deliberately ami in
a spirit of determination which had char
acterlzed his life com mitted suicide. He
had been despondent for some time past
because of the heavy load of business af-
fairs with which he was weighted down,
but his rash act came as q great surprise
TO his friends, both in Berkeley and in
San francisco.
The deed was wholly premeditated, for
in his pocket was found a postal caro- ad-
dressed to G. B. Vorce, a draughtsman in
his office, with the followin. written on
the back: please look for directions in
safe.-M." That he purposed ending his
life last night does not seem 10 follow, be-
cause of the peculiar method he employed
in tying the four-in-hand about his neck.
HIS body was not found until this morn
n W a c ran vvh hop 70 he
walking through the grove of trees, dis
covered it and bore the news TO Joseph
Aikalay, who lives near the asylum.
Douglas Keith, who lives in house ad-
joining that of Alkalay, and with whom
Mathisen boarded for the past year, went
with Alkalay to the scene. Keith was
overcome when he discovered that the
suicide was his friend Mathisen.
The dead architect came to the United
States from his native country, Norway,
about ten years ago. and in 1891 set UT
business in San Francisco with William
How ard on Montgomery street.
Mathisen was well acquainted with the
late Page Brown, and when the latter died
last year he and his partner took charge
OF Browns business in the Crocker build.
ing. Soon afterward Howard was taken
i'll and had to go to Japan for his health
leaving Mathissen in entire charge of the
business.
He had undertaken to carry too much
A high Office rental and a decreaslnp
monthly income did not go well together
Mathisen had few hundred dollars
when he took the Office, but he spent it al
in keeping up expenses.
Douglas Keith, with whom he boarded
said that he knew the deceased architect
had been hard pressed for some time. but
being man of strong determination, be-
lieved that he would overcome the difficult
ties confronting him. Mathisen was
generally known as temperate and up.
right in all his dealings on this side of the
bay.
Several of the most artistic houses in
Berkeley were designed by him, amone
which are the residences OF Pro essor E
b. Ciapp, Anson Blake and Dougla:
Keith. Last year he was appointed By
the Town Board of Education to draw VI
set of plans for the proposed new High
School building. He has recently been a
work on the plans of the new school build
ing to oe erected at Dwight way and a
North Berkeley. He was member O
Live Oak Lodge of Masons in Oakland
An inquest will be held tomorrow.
Charles B. Vorce, an architect. EN-
ployed as draughtsman by Mathissen, wa
seen last evening at his home in Oakland
he ascrlbes the suicide to general de
spondency over business prospects. H
said that Mathissen released two EN-
ployes within the last few days.
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