New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-27
THREE INDICTED AT LAST.
ARMITAGE MATTHEW'S ONE.
alleged Conspiracy in Looting of
WeiSeU Estate.

O4stI4Cl attorney Jerome, after submitting evil
uehce to three grand jures, yesterday secured in
olctlnents against Samuel l. Ferguson John w.
"ooten and ex-Alderman Armitage Mathews.
charges Of grand larceny and conspiracy in their
| administration OF the estate of William Weisell.
who died April o. 1903. David Rothschild, one
tina head of the defunct Federal Bank. is named
with tho lawyers but he has turned Suites evil
dence and will be used witness.
All three men indicted for conspiracy and
grand larceny in the second degree with add
tonal indictment for larceny in the second degree
against Wooten. The amounts named stolen
are $4,000. Sa25Oo and $1,000. The total value Of
the Weisell estate. Of which Rothschild was tenn
porary administrator, was S15Oo. The additional
500 is covered by The second larceny indictment
against Wooten
After the indictments had been returned the three
defendants were arraigned before Judge Cowins, in
General Sessions. Their counsel asked that they
be paroled, but Judge Cowing. at the request OF
Assistant District Attorney Kresel held them in
5000 each. Bondsmen secured. John J.
Harmon. the Republican leader of the 7th Assem-
bly, District, offered the property at No. 4S7 West
16th-st., valued at 49, 500 security for Wooten.
Armitage Mathews was bailed by John P. Win
dolph, who offered the property. valued at $4,000
at No 32S West sSth-st.. and Samuel Mitchell went
the bond for Ferguson.
District Attorney Jerome has been working
the several months. The possible indictment
Of the three has been a subject of comment, and
Mr Jerome has been criticised in various quarters
for his efforts to have the indictments returned.
especially in the of Mr.. Mathews his activity
in that direction being ascribed to political enity
Mr. Mathews has practlsed law since he
graduated from the law school Of the New-York
University, in 1888 When William NJ K. Olcott
was District Attorney he made Mr.. Mathews an
assistant. Since that time Mr.. Mathews has been
q member Of the Board of Aldermen and president
Of the Riverside Republican Club. He is now sec
rotary of the Republican County Committee.
The whole case is based confession made
by Rothschld in Sing Sing which sent to
District Attorney Jerome Later another confess
sion radically different, passed into Mr.. Jeromes
hands by way of Abraham Gruber. counsel for
Mathews. Charges Of perjury, intimidation and
what not passed freely between all those concerned
When the case went to the grand jury last month
Mr.. Gruber asserted that "Kresel went to Sing Sing
three times to promise a pardon TO Rothschild If
he would make confession"
Two witnesses called Miss May Trimble and
Miss Kathryn Cary, formerly stenographers at the
Federal Bank Miss Trimble made affidavit that
in Office in the Criminal Courts Building she had
been frightened into signing and swearing to an
affidavit that she had written the stipulation be-
tween Mathews and Wooten in regard to the
Wesell estate. The other corroborated her state
ment to the point of her being coerced into signing
the statement.
Respecting the indicting Of Armitage Mathews
his counsel. Abraham Gruber, practically repeated
his former statements when he said last night:
is honest man There Is ABSOLUTELY - Rothins
against him Of which he need be ashamed This in
use of perJured testimony for evidence First he
used Jacobs to get indictments. Jacobs Is now
DO you consider that Mr.. Jerome has any poIit-
ical motive IN this case?"
from Sing Sing and got him to swear against
Mathews Mathews's whole connection with Roth
schlld consisted In that he was attorney for the
schlld's bond as temporary administrator for the
Weisell estate. The statement that Mathews is
member of the firm of Black, Olcott Gruber &
Bonynge is untrue. He never has been He is sim
ply my client have known him for fifteen years
and know him to be a straight, honorable, high
toned fellow. He asked for hearing before the
grand jury, but his request was denied. He
dicted on the ex parte statement of a tailbird.'
The indictments accuse tho with having
obt-ned the appointment Of Rothschild as tempo
Of the conspiracy to get the estate into their
possession. 1t is alleged they borrowed S2 900 from
$4,000 more October II from the Title Guarantee
and Trust Company. and on December %, SIS 900
more from the Mercantile Trust Company. fraudu-
lently hypothecatng the assets Of the estate and
turning the profits TO their own
It is alleged an agreement was made July 20.
1903, that ROthschild, Ferguson and Wooten were
able TO Rothschild as temporary administrator and
that it was agreed by Ferguson to pay Wooten
one-quarter of these fees. Mathews, as assistant
secretary Of the Bankers Surety Company, is
alleged to have got that company to give a bond
for 100000 for Rothschtld to qualify him tenn
porary receiver. For this service Rothschld is said
to have agreed to pay per cent OF all money bor-
rowed on the assets of the Weisell estate.
Included in the indictment is copy OF written
TO Rothscnld upon the unlaWtul, corrupt and
fraudulent authorization of Armitage Mathews.
1t provided that, IN consideration OF $3.50 paid to
Mathews, he agreed TO withdraw the motion for
substitution of surety by the temporary admins
traitor of the Weiseu estate and to inform the
company that effect, also TO inform the
pany that the securities intact and that Joint
control would be given with him representing
and acting for the surety company.