The Washington herald., 1907-07-31

Colorado Springs. Col. July a0.-Richard
r. Rumbaugh, Of Washington, D. c.. who.
with Dr. Harold Thomas. Of Chicago,
and Thomas Holland. Of Denver. had been
among Miss Laura Matthews admirers.
shot and killed himself this afternoon
while waiting 70 be called as a witness
at the inquest Of tie Chicago girl. who
committed suicide yesterday
He chose death rather than testify as 10
the probable cause Of Miss Matthews
tragic death Rumbaugh. who was a
wealthy. ex-army officer, was expected TO
throw light on the mysterious death of
Miss Matthews
He was waiting TO be summoned to the
witness stand when he fred the shot.
which caused instant death. The report
Of the weapon and the death cry Of Rum
baugh. as he fell fun length upon the
floor. caused wild CONSERVATION in the
court room. Women tainted and tae
reign Of panic lasted for half an hour.
Tillie Green, Miss Matthews nurse, and
star witness in the inquest stated to-day
that the coroner was keeping the lid
tight on the correspondence left IN Miss
Matthews trunk, said to be for the pur-
pose Of protecting a rich Chicago man.
who, she intimated. had knowledge Of
the girls intention to commit suicide.
Marriage Always Put on.
She declared she had been a companion
Of Miss Matthews In Chicago three years.
and that Charles A. Coey and Miss Mat
thews were intimate friends for two years.
She said Miss Matthews expected Coey to
marry her. and the date was set several
times, but alwa IS postponed by Coey.
Before leaving Chicago. she said. Coey
and Miss Matthews Quarreied. and owing
to the quarrel. the girl announced that
she would go West and end her life. She
swore positively that Coey knew the
girls intention
Dr. Harold Thomas. whose name ap-
pears in the case. is a wealthy Chicagoan.
the scion Of a dS-ing lished family He
Is prominent IN automobile circles, and
figured conspicuously several years ago in
a sensational divorce suit and subsequent
litigation Of a startling nature. He now
makes his home on the 10l Ranch. Okla
homa.
Death Pact Is Suggested.
The evidence before the coroner did not
implicate Rumbaugh, but evidently he
knew more about the case than he wanted
to tell. II he murdered the girl. then
he took judgment on himself before the
law, which he would have feared. At
present the mystery is locked up. It
may be unraveled by statements or other
evidence from among his personal effects,
OF which the officers have charge.
One theory that is gaining ground is a
death pact between the young actress
and Rumbaugh.
Nurses Accuses COey.
The identity of Miss Matthews was
fully established to-day
TiIlle Green, the nurse, telegraphed to
Charles A. Coey. a millionaire automo-
bile manufacturer Of Chicago. as fol-
lows:
Laura committed suicide on account
Of you. Letters left behind Send 500
at once for expenses"
Another dispatch was sent by the
nurse TO Dr. Thomas, OF the famous
lO1 Ranch. in Oklahoma. who. she said,
was a friend of the beautiful young wo-
man.
Miss Matthews, the nurse said, had been
suffering from a nervous disorder and
was respondent over a love affair. She
had committed suicide to avoid disgrace.
A note was found in her room addressed
ITO Whom it May Concern" reading:
I can stand it no longer. 1 do not
want to live. give all my things to my
mother"
Murder, COey Declares.
Chicago July 3O-C. A. COey. the au-
tomobie expert, whose name has been
mentioned in connection with the suicide
Of Laura Matthews, at Colorado Springs.
in an interview tonight declared stoutly
that Miss Matthews had probably fallen
the victim of a murder plot.
4 do not believe that she ever killed
herself. 1 can't believe it. She was mur-
dered, I'm sure" declared Mr.. Coey in
his apartments at the South Shore Coun-
try Club, where he is a resident member.
Mr.. Coey declared further that he does
not know Rumbaugh, that he never heard
OF him, and that he could advance no
reason why the young man should end
his own life following the strange death
Of the young actress. The dispatches
from Colorado Springs stated positively
that Rambaugh before his suicide had
told the police that he knew Coey in
Chicago. where he also had met Miss
Matthews.
Denies Rumbaugh's story.
L sent a telegram TO COey telling him
Of Miss Matthews death, and that he
was implicated because of letters she
had left I wired him for $500 for funeral
expense, and he sent it. I have a letter
which Laura Matthews wrote before her
death, and I won't publish 1t. because
Coey is going to do the right thing" is
the declaration Rambaugh is said to have
made
When Coey was informed Of this state
ment he said;
"7,he telegram received in regard to
Miss Matthews death was sent to me by
Tillie Green, the nurse who was with
Miss Matthews. I sent the money to
her.
Rumbaugh was mentioned in the dis
patches as r. A. Richards. He had pass
ed under this name while in Colorado
Springs. A medal found shows Rum
baugh served with distinction with the
Tenth Pennsylvania in the Philippines.
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