New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-15
PRAISE FOB MATHEWS.
Gruber and OLcott Speakers at His
Club.

Five hundred members Of the Riverside Repub-
lican Club Of the 2st Assembly District, No. II
West @th-st,, last night gathered to honor the
memory Of their late president, Armtage Mathews
The clubhouse was draped in black A life sized
portrait of the late president was also draped IN
heavy black and evidence of sadness and gloom
could be at every side.
J. NJ Thompson jr.. first vice-president of the
club, called the meeting to order and. after short
speech. introduced Abraham Gruber a lifelong
friend of Mr.. Mathews and his attorney.
Mr.. Gruber spoke feelingly Of the dead president
extolling him and a friend. He said he
had known Mathews all his Hfe and told of his
career. He said.
OF the thousands he met, no one was his enemy,
city is mourning his death tonight. and there is
sadness and sorrow wherever he was known.
l remember well meeting him Il" train
one cold morning last winter, l asked him where
he had been. and he replied: You don't know how
on Hottest, in a wretched condition for the want
visit and cheered them up Bit
And that was Armltage Mathews. Do you won
our heads are now bowed with sorrow because he
Death is the end of joy as well as of sorrow.
Our friend loved this life. His that happy
nature which thrIvad and grew mirth and song.
love and confidence friendship and doing good
His years had known only the pleasant and sweet
IghG e4joying perfect day p@arns for more; he
pectation and confident Of a happy future.
Suitable resolutions, introduced by Alexander o.
Zinke. were unanimously adopted
Ex-Judge w. NJ. h Olcott then introduced.
He said that he and Mr. Mathews had been boys
together and had been brought up the principle
of BE fair" He saidI
When I heard of the charges against Armitage It
didn't possible, and when I examined them
q a lawyer it shown clearly that they were
unprovabe. Every word the prosecutor expected
to put to the jury we knew to be false
Armitage was a martyr for those who would cloak
themselves with mis- honesty. These words were
received by a who would have used them to
prosecute without sitting the truth from them 1t Is
that rests the shoulders of the man downtown
of driving 20 death. Was this done with a
purpose? No, but Just bad a purpose, by the
of perjured evidence. If a public prosecutor
made a righteous examination. The grand jury
would have said 1t was not possible.
Evidence to have been given. and If II worked
the conditions were that sentences OF rascals in
prison be lessened What a creed for district at
torneyl Who is safe If the public prosecutor de-
sires to prove Gruber guilty TO prove Olcott guilty
to prove Roosevelt guilty by the of per5ured
evidence? AS fast as typewriters rattle of
affidavits Of this sort of evidence. who is safe?
Arnltage was broken hearted. unhappy, and the
hardest thing he had to bear the fear that
wrong would triumph before petty jury as he
had 1t triumph before grand fury. He was
not himself He had courage. It was accident
We know that he could do nothing uncourageous
lost his courage for moment. because he would
have said goodby to his friends.
Let me say that the happenings of the day
before his death had nothing to do with his tragic
death myself took the case 10 other courts be-
this is the time OF politics, and we thought
that perhaps some member of the jury might from
political have some III feeling against
Armitage and this seed would bear evil fruit.