Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-10-12
LAWYER MATHEWS
 JUMPED TO DEATH
He Was Charged With Fraud-He hisappropriated Money Placed in His Charge as Trustee Was Active in Politics and Was Secretary of tn Republic can County Committee.

l 4NO" lOIh, oCL l%.-hdtuPr IudU lace
 trial OH the indictments charging him
 with fraudulently taking money from
 the Weissel estate, Armitage Mathews,
 lawyer and secretary of the county re- publican committee, committed suicide
 to-day by jumping from window in
 hls apartment to stone paved court
 yard. He struck on his head. fractur
 Ing the skull, and died In short time | Matnews, who was young man, had
 advanced rapidly, both in the practice
 or his profession and in politics He was friend of former Governor Black
 and of Abraham Gruber and they were
 loyal to him in his trouble, acting as
 legal advisers and doing all they could
 to aid him to obtain the change of
 venue from this county, for which he applied. The change of venue was de- nied yesterday and trial of the case was set for today before Justice Davy in the criminal branch of the supreme court. Early this morning Mathews received special delivery letter. After reading It his housekeeper heard him go to bathroom and open a window. A few seconds later he jumped to his death. Several tenants fin a house in the rear of MT Mathews's apartment saw him jump. A doctor was hurried ly summoned, but could do nothing and Mir Mathews died in a few minutes.
 District Attorney Jerome, who had directed the prosecution of the case case, was notified at once of the trage- dy. Poor fellow" he said. T cannot with propriety discuss the matter now"
 Former District Attorney Olcott, at torney for and friend of MT Mathews, said: Tt Is too shocking too awful to believe. He was with me until late last evening. preparing his case, and he expressed the highest confidence of acquittal. have known him since he was child, and knew his father be, fore him. I was fond of the boy, and Believed in his entire innocence"
 Armitage Mathews was indicted last May on charges of conspiracy and grand larceny growing out of the loot ing of the Weissel estate, of which David Rothschild, wrecker of the Fed eral bank, was administrator.
 The district attorney intended to try Mathews first on the conspiracy indict- ment and follow with the larceny charge, whether he was convicted on the first count or not.
 Rothschild, John w. Wooten ana Lawyer Samuel l.. Ferguson were all indicted with Mathews on the same charges. Rothschild was already serv- ing a long term in state prison for wrecking the Federal bank, and Woo ten was convicted in June and sen- fenced to nine years and five months in Sing Sing.
 At the Wooten triai Mathews ap- peared as witness for the defense, but 1t was said that Wooten was to be called as witness by the prosecu- ton. Ferguson was also expected to be a witness for the prosecution of Mathews.
 Mathews was the local representative of the Bankers Surety Co of Cleve- land, which was on Rothschlld's bond for $400,000 as administrator of the Weissel estate. It was agreed by the four accused men, accortllng to the in- dictment, that Rothschild was to nave sole possession of the estate, and that whatever money he borrowed on it was to be shared by his associates.
 Mathews came into political promi- hence as supporter of Abraham Cru Der when that leader was struggling to control the nineteenth assembly dis trict in republican councils.
 He was appointed an assistant dis trict attorney by W. NJ. K. 0lcott in | 1896. He remained in the office unti, | Asa Bird Gardner was elected The | Na4 ..rs ed member of the board of aldermen. and continued as member for three | years.
 Two years ago Mathews was made | secretary of the county republican com mittee.
 After Rothschild was convicted and | sent to Sing Sing prison he drew upon bits of paper series of statements fin | which he accused Mathews of having | a share in the footing of the WeIssel estate. The statements did not reach | District Attorney Jerome until Abra- ham Grliber had received them and | had returned them to the prison. This caused an investigation in which Mir | Gruber stated that Rothschlh gave bis tO Martin Conlon, who no- AAufu hE hIuutA AAAiAA ut udQ Iltul Mir Gruber said he secured them by permission of the warden fin a regular way and returned them to the warden. they reached Mir Jerome and Rothschild was brought to New York and has been kept here for weeks to testify against Mathews.
 Congressman William s. Bonnet. n friend and political associate of Mir had an appointment with the indicted lawyer for this morning lt the lar Is home. When Mir Ben net arrivd to keep the appointment be was mortified to learn that Mir Mathews had committed suicide.
 ''I was with Mfr Mathews last even Ing up to o'clock" said Mir Bonnet. He was in cheerful and pleasant ;pirts. and gave no indication that he bought of doing such a thing. He ap- leared 10 be confident of successful ssue of his trial I know nothing bout the letter he fs said to have re- ,eivef this morning.