The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-07
ROTHSCHID, STORM CENTRE.
GRAND JURY CALLS GRUBER,
MATTHEWS, PRISON OFFICIALS.
4 Long Reach into sing Sing Gets Hold
OF ROthschild COnfessiOns-Just How
IL Not Explhined-The supeFinten.
dent OF State Prisons Questioned.

OF ROthschild COnfessiOna-Just How
IL Not Fxplnined-The Supernten.
dent OF State Prisons Questioned
Before the Grand Jury gets through
with the investigation II began yesterday
OF the stories told by David Rothschild
since he was brought from Sing Sing by
District Attorney jerome on Tuesday, It Is
limited that a few Republican politicians
and several State officials will have to do
some explaining.
One Of the witnesses examined yesterday
WIS Abe Grlber. Republican leader Of the
Twenty-hrst Assembly District and member
Of the law firm Of Black, Oloott, Gruber
a Bonynge. Mr.. Gruber Is TO be examined
again on Monday. Armitage Mathews,
secretary Of the Republican county COM
mittee, and Grlber's handy man, is under
subpoena. For two hours he sat in Assistant
District Attorney RAnd's offico yesterday
waiting 10 be called, but evidently the Grand
Jury wasn't quite ready. Mr. Mathews will
get his chance either tomorrow or Mon
day.
Involved in the investigation are several
State prison officials. Cornelius V. Collins,
Superintendent Of State Prisons, was
witness yesterday. Warden johnson OF
Sing Sing and Supt. johnson Of the Indus
trial Department, or the workshops OF that
institution, were also examined. Under
subpoena for to-day are State Detective
jackson Martin Conlon, a lawyer who is
in Sing Sing for larceny, and Rothschild.
It appears that written confessions made
by Rothschild in Sing Sing got into the
hands Of Gruber through the agency Of the
prison officials, Apparently Mr., jerome
is seeking to find out how that happened.
Gruber says that he got them through
Supt. Collins.
Gruber was the last witness examined
yesterday. Outside Of the Grand Jury
room he ran into Assistant District Attorney
Kresel.
You're a crook and a perjurer and a.
he shouted. Mr.. Kresel made a few re-
marks himself Then Abe had a session
with the Grand Jury. Mr., jerome was
there. Mr.. Gruber says he told Mr.. Jerome
in front Of the Grand jury what he thought
Of him and informed that body that the
whole thing was a plot conceived in the
mind Of jerome. When he came out he
said:
This is a put up job, Jerome put it up
to implcate my client Mr.. Mathewsl in
this alleged confession by Rothschild.
Now ! have another confession made by
Rothschild In Sing Sing, previous TO the one
he made to Jerome, and the two are con-
fiicting. Assistant District Attorney
Kresel was sent TO Sing Sing TO promise
Rothschild that they would use their in
tiuence with the Governor for a pardon IL
he would make a confession duplicating
my client ] was informed Of that Just by
Accidentally man in Sing Sing"
delegation Of reporters laid before Mr..
jerome what Mr.. Gruber had said.
If Gruber says that, and / believe he
did Mr.. Jerome replied, +he says what Is
unequivocally false, and he knows IT, No
pardon was promised TO Rothschild No
promises were made Of any kind except
that he was told that II he made any state
ments that we're valuable and true and an
application for executive clemency was
made In his behalf, the facts would be certi-
fed TO by this Office.
But Gruber says that he has another
confession from Rothschild, made before
the one you got, and IL Is at variance
with yours Mr. Jerome was informed.
How does he know what we've got?
We've got the one he had, but he hasn't
seen the one we have. The confessions
Gruber got were found on a prisoner in
Sing Sing, They were forwarded TO the
Superintendent Of Prisons, who then sent
them TO Gruber, who, 20 far as l know,
is not and never has been Rothschild's
counsel
There Mr.. Jerome stopped. He was
asked il the investigation had been con-
mot much, he said. 1T has only begun
Later in the day Mr.. Gruter said
About the middle Of February / re-
ceived a letter from a man named Conlon
in Sing Sing. saying in effect, 1 have clear
evidence that a conspiracy is being Matched
by David Rothschild and Jerome 10 put
Mathews in prison. In the name Of com
mon humanity feel compelled to disclose
the truth. Send man up here 70 see me
at once ! sent for Mr.. Mathews and
showed him the letter. Mathews got a
lawyer friend to see Conlon. Conlon showed
him a half dozen statements purportng
90 he a confession and duplicating Mathews.
The statements were written on the backs
Of envelopes and on prison paper Conlon
said that he and Rothschild worked Side
by side in the prison and that Rothschld
had been comforting with him, because he
was a lawyer, as the best way Of preparing
the confession. Conlon said he was willing
TO turn over the statements II there was no
objection by the p rison authorities.
Il wrote to State Superintendent Of
Prisons Collins, and these confessions Of
Rothschild we're mailed to me in the usual
way. They we're conflicting and proved
conclusively that Mathews Is entirely in
nooent | didn't hear anything further
until some time later, when Conlon wrote TO
me and asked me TO come up myself. He
had some more statements from Rothschild,
and these were mailed 10 me in the regular
way. / have sent them all back because
the prison authorities wanted them back
The first letter ] got from Conlon is
one Of the most interesting documents
ever saw. / handed Il over to the foreman
OF the Grand Jury. / asked for a further
hearing because they seemed TO be In a
hurry to-day, 70 ] will be examined again
on Monday. ! told KTesel 10 his face that
he went three times to see Rothschild and
offer him a pardon II be would make CON
fession. In other words. Jerome Ia willing
TO pardon a man who stole 500, 900 nom the
poor of the East Side in order TO get at a
man he does not like. Rothschild Is willing
to swear TO anything. One of the letters
SAYS KTesel asked him for heavens sake
not 20 let bis own lawyer know what was
going on, / have 1t In. black and white
that Kresel promised Rothschild a pardon.
What right has Kresel and what right has
Jerome TO try e. convict an limo
mani"
II has been stated that Mr.. Jerome has
been investigating the administration Of
the Weissel estate by Rothschild while
he was running the affairs OF the Federal
Bank and the Globe Security Company.
Rothschild was bonded by the Banker
Surety Company Of Cleveland, Of which
Armitage Mathews was counsel. Mr..
Gruber was asked yesterday what was the |
trouble with the Weissel estate He said.
what was the trouble3 Trouble enough.
Rothschild got away. with 10000. He