The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-31
Brumbaugh Who Was Expected
to Throw Some Light
On the Laura Matthews Suicide
Kills Himself.
CASE OF INFATUATION
Declares Miss Green, Mutual
Friend of the Parties.
COrOner's Inquest Arr ested by
the Startling Development.

Colorado Springs. Col, July al
The horrible Matthews tragedy of
Sunday was rendered more compn-
Gated yesterday by the attempted sui
eide of Amos r. Rumbaugh, one of
the principal actors in the affair.
Rumbaugh shot himself through the
head with 44-caliber army revolver.
Rumbaugh was removed to st.
Francis hospital where he expired at
6 O'Clock this morning.
Runbaugh committed the act in
his room at the Alta Vista hotel. The
hour when the fatal shot was fired is
not known. as it was not heard by any
one in the hotel and the deed was dis
covered only when officers went to his
room to ascertain why he had not re-
sponded to the subpoena to attend the
coroner's inquest over Miss Matthews
body.
That the act of Rumbaugh was the
direct result of the death of Miss
Matthews is not doubted. He was to
have appeared as & witness at the
coroner's inquest to tell what he knew
of his friends tragic end. Rum mbaugh
claimed to be but a chance acquaint-
ance of the girl but it developed that
he knew her in Chicago and also
knew c. A. Coey. the wealthy Chi
cagoan, and DR.. H. A. Thomas of the
"101" ranch.
parties at which Miss Matthews and
the other men referred to were mem
berS.
Rumbaugh was the one who accom-
panied Miss Green, the nurse, to the
livery stable about G O'Clock Monday
morning to see If the actress horse
had returned. 1t was he who sent the
telegram to Coey demanding that he
"do the right thing by the girl" and
it was with him that Miss Matthews
left the letter in which was enclosed
another letter to Coey.
The Telegram to Coey.
The telegram sent by Rum baugh to
Coey Monday morning taken in the
light OF his suicide has more meaning
than before. 1t was as follows:
Laura committed suicide on ac-
count of you. Letters left behind
Send $500 at once for expenses" The
public officers say that the letter
shows that Rumbaugh knew Coey
we'll enough to speak to him of
Laura Rumbaugh was about 2S
years old and was a son of wealthy
Washington. D. c., family. A service
medal of honor says he served with
distinction in the Tenth Pennsylvania
infantry in the Philippines.
Two brief notes are all that explain
the young mans act. One note, ad-
dressed ITO, Whom 1t May Concern
Mrs. j. H. Rumbaugh, Mt. Pleasant
Pc, Westmoreland county. Notify
the Travellers Insurance company of
Hartford, Conn.,, and the Fraternal
Order of Eagles of Scotdale, Pa
Amos Richard Rumbaugh."
The second note was addressed to
his mother, Mrs. ]. H. Rumbaugh, at
the above address. Rumbaugh wrote:
Dear Mother: There is nothing
for me to say why 1 did this awful
deed, so lay my body away to rest.
have about $3.50 on my person. You
and Charlie settle things up.
"RICHARD r. RUMBAUGH."
1t was learned through a guest OF
the Acacia hotel, where Miss Matthews
was registered, that she feared
Rumbaugh, who was infatuated with
her. She is said to have told ac-
ouaintances that she was afraid to go
back late at night to the hotel for
fear her admirer would blow her
Miss Tillie Green. who came here
with Miss Matthews and who has act
ed as nurse is under police surveil-
lance pending the findings of the in
quest.
Miss Green declares she knows
nothing of Coey's relations with Miss
Matthews.
Miss Green Talks.
With regard to Rumbaughs
suicide. Miss Green had the following
"Rumbaugh was desperately in love
with Laura. He had previously told
me that he was engaged to marry her
that they would go east on their hon
evmoon, etc. He did not know Coey,
but seemed to take a boyish delight in
describing how he would go to Chi
cago and parade his bride in front or
the millionaire manufacturer When
I told Rumbaugh that Laura had
committed suicide he seemed like one
possessed He swore he would go to
Chicago and kill Coey and his entire
motive from that time until his sur
eide seemed to be that of revenge on
Coey He killed himself through love
of the girl.'/
mains of Miss Laura Matthews, Miss
Green was the principal witness
called.
Chief of Police Reynolds testified to
an interview he had with Miss Green
on Monday, the day Miss Matthews
was found. Miss Green told him that
at O'Clock Sunday afternoon she
went unstairs and looked in Miss
Matthews trunk and saw the revolver
was gone. From this, she said, she
knew the girl intended to commit sui
eide. When Laura left for ride in
tbe afternoon she kissed her nurse
goodbve and gave her her Jewels. Az
fer mounting the horse, she sudden
Iv dropped her handkerchief, and
while the nurse was reaching for 1t.
the girl started off, saying: Goodbye.
grille
Said She Would Kill Self.
Thomas Holton. residing at the Alta
Vista hotel, was the next witness call
ed Laura Matthews had told him
on Saturday, the day previous to the
suicide, that she would take her own
He said he believed from what Miss