Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1907-08-08
SUICIDE MYSTERY.
A Woman Kills Herself and So
Does a Man
Who Knew the Woman Well and
Was Summoned as a Witness at
the Inquest.

the Inquest.
Amos II. Rumbaugh, of Washing
ton. ID. c., a close friend of Miss
Laura Matthews, the young woman
who committed suicide near Broad.
moor, Colorado, Sunday night, added
morrow and mystery to the gruesome
case by shooting himself through
the head Wednesday, in the same
manner adopted by Miss Matthews.
Rumbaugh committed the act In
his room at the Alta Vista Hotel.
The hour when the fatal shot was
nred is not known as it was not
heard by any one in the hotel and
the deed was discovered only when
ofncers went to his room to ascertain
why he had not responded to the
subpoena to attend the coroner's in
quest over Miss Matthew's body on
Thursday morning.
When the officers appeared at the
hotel bell boy was sent to Rum
baugh's room to see what was the
matter. The boy found the door
locked and could get no response.
The officers forced the door open and
there on the bed Rumbaugh was re-
clining. his brains oozing out onto
the floor. A hasty examination show
ed that the man was still alive. and
he was taken t. a hospital, but at a
late hour the attending physicians
say he cannot recover.
That the act of Rumbaugh was the
direct result of the death of Miss
Matthews Is not doubted by the Off
cials. He was to have appeared as
a witness at the coroner's inquest to
tell what he knew of his friend s
tragic end: Rumbaugh claimed to
be but chance acquaintance of the
girl but 1t developed that he know
her In Chicago and also knew c. A.
Coey. OF Chicago, and DR.. II. A.
Thomas, of the "1O1 Ranch" He
was frequently a member of the par
ties at which Miss Matthews and the
other men referred to were members
Rumbaugh was the one who ac-
companied Miss Green, the nurse, to
the livery stable about 5 o'clock
Monday morning to see IL Miss Mat
thews' horse had returned. 1t was
he who had sent the telegram to
Coey asking that he do the right
thing by the girl and it was with
him that Miss Matthews left the let
ter in which was enclosed another
letter to Coey.
III Rumbaugh did not destroy the
letter left him by Miss Matthews to-
gether with the letter to Coey, it is
believed they will show startling
facts that may entangle other people
The telegram sent by Rumbaugh to
Coey. taken in the light of his sui
eide. has more meaning than before.
1t was as follows:
Laura committed suicide on ac-
count of you. Letters left behind.
Send $30O at once for expenses"
The officers say that the letter
shows that Rumbaugh knew Coey
we'll enough to speak to him of
Laura" and to threaten him. Rum
baugh was about % years of age. A
served with distinction in the Tenth
Pennsylvania Infantry in the Philip
pines.
Two brief notes are all that ex-
p aims the young mans act. One
note Is addressed ITO whom 1t may
concern" and reads as follows:
ship my body to Mrs. j. II. Rum
baugh, Mont Pleasant, Pa, West
moreland county. Notify the Travel
ers' Insurance company of Hartford
Conn, and the Fraternal Order of
Eagles, of Scottsdale, Pa. Amos Il.
Rumbaugh."
The second note was addressed to
his mother, Mrs. J. II. Rumbaugh. at
the above address. Rumbaugh
wrote:
Dear Mother: There is nothing
for me to say why I did this awful
deed. SO lay my body away to rest
have about $3.50 on my person
You and Charlie settle things up.
Your son
Richard r. Rumbaugh,"