New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-18

HIS WIFE DrcsPONDENT FROM ILL HEALTH
CONSENTED TO THE DEED-A TERRIBLE
TRAGEDY N cOLUMBCs-ANE.
49, ,,or,,ar Matthews killed his wife and two
Sns~n, some time on Sunday night in the Tour
tiny rooms they occupied behind his grocery S'o.V'
at No 49s Columbus-ave. outchering 'hem WIN a"
axe IN cold blood. after an unaNailns attempt ~
end the lives OF the whole family oy tu'ini'e y"
.ba Gas Then he shot himself through tho breast
,,,,'g down beside them. nude from the waist up
and all despatched with their blood The man was
plainly mad but the strangest part o. the "aseus
Is that tho woman was a Wiling Ncum. anu ''
agreed 20 die with hor husband, conserving also
that her two li:tlc pretty. DARK hA'leu 81
called Hattie thirteen years OLD. and many niue
nov Two years Younger should share their tate,
though perhaps Il Is doubtful that she unHeIS'oou
that The three should die as they Old "hHel "ne
terrible blows OF a carpenters axe IN 'he '"''''
hands.
II v-os the ole story OF a strong man unnerved
BY business revorses and woman weakened oy
sharing his anXiet!es and troubled by III hea''"'
Matthews came from Texas sixteen years ago
He had roughed II as cowboy. had made some
money and came East TO live In ciViIzatoh 50
he said and TO make more. SO he married prev
~ cirl from Iehland Falls. and invested MS
money IN a d~ygoocs store In Mount vernon. II
was no easy work FOR man from the plains
and he lost money. first little then more me
losses worried Inn. and he moved 20 the CITY
opening furnishing store In Broadway oppos'e
the Sturtevant House. II failed. and he started
new store in fremont. which succeeded as little as
the Others. Then ne hired the shop in Coumous-
ave and stocked It with groceries. Every tenant
before Matthews had failed in business IN that
store. but he did not know that when he took It.
He knew Il soon. however and the knowledge
and his continued losses worried him more ana
more until the strain reached the breaking point
He had still a balance OF $500 at the Colonial BANK.
but he me last part or MS capi'al 'aHls"iHs'
,fvh
The upper part Of the building IN which the store
Is and the family lived Is occupied by kinder
garten school IN the daytime and dancihs acao
envy az Night. that on sunday Inc eh're Pidco
was tenantless except for the Matthewses. 1ester-
day morning when John Ford and William Johh-
so, the TWO store clerks arrived. they found the
store sill closed and the living rooms behind II
silent as though the family was not yet up Ford
waited for a while but 10y and by he went through
the fruit store adjoining and tried TO Waken some
one by tapping at the window Ihere was no ~
sponse SO nc raised the sash. and a volume OF gas
,o,,rne On, nearly sufocated him Then ne rushed
FOR the policeman On the beat They climbed IN
together through the window when the gas nan
ESCAPED. and In the rear bedroom they sd"
What had happened There two folding
beds IN the room. a little table and a big one d
sewing machine and mantepiece adorned VII"
cheap br'c-a-hrac On the beds and under inc
table tie whole family Jay dead, the woman ana
her children literally covered with fearful Wounos'
An ordinary carpenters axe. blood-stained 10 inc
and Of Tho handle lay near the door. and the room
looked Ike d shamh e., and over the dtad mo'he'
head there stared down the motto. worked ou' IN
worsted. Thine Is the kingdom
There were many letters the table showing
how the crazed ranchman had done his ~orH' anu
showing also that the woman had al nrst al
least been willing. Before retiring 10 bed ne han
ev,dentlv stuffed up the cracks in the doors ana
windows and had turned on the gas While the
children slept ignorant Of the fate awaiting thefn
Later. fearing lest the gas would not hlH anu
frenzied ~ is fumes. he had seized the axe ana
killed the three as they lay there. ending ms IRE
with bullet when II was done. his Moou was
plainly shown BY some Of the letters. 4hiS was
oh horrible Thing have to do to keep ts f my
W.. ,o ,tod II could only have died alone.
loved ny wife and children told her l., l dd ia
gone and guess my nerve j. all tf that vas vs eis
9r Eve ~ yeaG5 in We boat aV and have it capsize
mis- was written in pencil. on pad, the olooo-
Saa been on seri6bed alter the bGcheTy In other
letters. written so coherently that ue Secnee I'ne
Tie clerks and left instructors as 10 Sn1 usSpeSf
Herman is going 10 DIE ana l a am T,,s gong slo with
she had written TO ner COUSIN sr"ceI ssl5I' -
Lukes Hospita last summer and mad an operation
performed adding want my Att,e slri n9ii I1o II
lands" and closing with request TO keep this
out Of the papers II YOU can. g.. ,-,.,,o.a -,
toys for a neighbours children. she said: You must
,9{i INN 49, We nave done Il more taan this: Va
are both tlreG - lic We can't get well Mr.
Sor ', Se~s vel ai.6oug6 ne ooks healthy May
tho proper thing is doac for US and no strangers
allow 20 enter ani saYe. ,.,,, ,.or, r,,h ~,
ih4d ietrer from Mrs Matthews 70 her cousin. de
s.Sie blame. no one knows now We nave suffered
ana can't seem 20 get "elI-iieInaa es wen rs !