The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-24
W00TEN TELLS ON MATHEWS.
MAKES a LONG. SWORE-TO CON.
FESSION TO JEROME.

Girl stenographcr VINO Was . witness To-
wsotcn Again Sought BY Mr.. Jerom,
Convicted Lawyer Said to Have Toll
How the Weisell Estate Was Looted
John w. Wooten, who was convicted o.
grand larceny for stealing q 81 900 checl
from David Rothschild, the wrecker OF the
Federal Bank, has made q statement t.
Dist riot Attorney Jerome OF what he says
isthe true story Of the looting Of the Vessel
estate under tho management Of RUthschild
II Ia understood that Wooten has impli-
Gated Armitage Mathews, secretary OF the
Republican county committee and Abe
Gruber's lieutenant, who Is indicted for
conspiracy and larceny with Wooten.
Rothschild and Samuel I. Ferguson for
estate.
Mathews Is In Europe and It Is not known
when he Il expected back, although his
trial has been fixed for Sept. II. Mr..
Jerome would give no indication yesterday
Of what Wooten had told, but with Roth
schild and Ferguson eliminated the general
impression around the District Attorneys
Office was that Mr.. Jerome would not be
concerned in any statement from Wooten
unless he produced evidence that could
be used against Mathews.
The examination Of Wooten has been
conducted with some secrecy by Mr.. Jerome
in order that 1t might be concluded before
Mathews's friends heard Of what was going
on. Wooten was sentenced to nine years
and ten months In Sing Sing and he made
q fight for a new trial, Gen. Tracy arguing
for him.
When Justice Fitzgerald denied his mo-
ton there was no alternative for Wooten
but to 60 to Sing Sing pending an appeal.
He was taken to the Tombs q couple Of
weeks ago, and then 1t was that he made
overtures to Mr. Jerome.
On Monday Wooten' was taken from the
Tombs to the library on the top floor of the
Criminal Courts Building. For two and a
half hours he was examined by Assistant
District Attorney Kresel, Mr.. jerome being
present most Of the time. Wooten was
questioned for few minutes on Tuesday
and yesterday he made another long state
ment to Mr.. Kresel. 1t was taken by a
photographer and sworn to by wooten.
1t is not known that Mr. Jerome has
made any promise to Wooten except per-
haps that the District Attorney would sub
scribe to an application to the Governor for
Communication Of his sentence II Wooten
should tell about footing the Meisell estate.
II is evident, however, that Mr.. Jerome
intends to look carefully into Wooten's
story.
For two days detectives from the District
Attorneys Office have been hunting for
May F. Trimble, a stenographer who was
employed in the Federal Bank and who
took dictation from Wooten. She was a
witness for Wooten at his trial. There was
introduced at the trial an agreement which
stated in effect that for $3.50 Mathews, as
secretary Of the Bankers Surety Company
Of Cleveland, which gave $500 900 bond for
would see that Rothschild
should continue to have sole control Of the
Weisell estate, point to which the surety
company was then objecting.
1t was contended by the prosecution that |
Wooten had dictated the statement to Miss |
Trimble and before the trial she was sup
posed to have made an affidavit to Mr.. |
Kresel that she had typewriter the agree
ment At tho trial, however, she declared
that she had been inundated by Mr. Kresel
and made to sign false affidavit. She had
admitted to Mr.: Kresel that she usually
spelled appellate with one 81 and that is
how the word was written on the agreement.
For time Mr.. Jerome thought Of arrest
ing Miss Trmble for perjury and for two
nights she was guarded by detectives.
Mr.. Jerome thought she had been i'll advised
md told her to 60 home and consult her
relatives and then come back and tell the
ruth. She stuck to her story and was
never prosecuted.
II was learned last night that Miss Trimble
would be at the District Attorneys office.
10 Mr.. Jerome wants to question her, it is
Presumed that Wooten has told something
bout the $3.50 agreement which Mr.. Jerome
wants her to verify.
In charging the Wooten jury Justice
)avy said that IL Wooten was guilty
Matthew's was equally guilty in the 81 900
heck transaction. Wooten admitted that
'e got certain moneys from the Weisell
state. Wooten was counsel for Roth
child as administrator and Ferguson was
ounsel for heirs who were contesting the
'eisell will. 1t is charged that Wooten
nd Ferguson we're to share the fees for the
administrator and his attorney and that ,
>~~d9"S was W kCC PCi Scht. VI al tuc |
,oney borrowed by Rothschild on the
ecurities Of the Weisell estate. Roth
child had sole control OF the estate, but he
ypothec ated the securities
Rothschld is still in the Tombs and he
Ill probably be witness against Mathews. {
1hen he was brought from Sing Sing
IT. Jerome made a stir about the way !
srain statements made by Rothschild
Sing Sing got to the Office Of Black.
lcott Gruber Il Bonynge, counsel for
lathews. 1t is understood that ex-Gov.
lack will defend Mathews.
Mr. Jerome is eaid to have some i'm
ortant evidence against Mathews, con-
sting Of letters and papers in Mathews's :
lndwrting. These documents were Z
und, 1t is eaid. In Rothschild's house q
ter his arrest. 9