The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1911-05-10


Of Edward e. Brehm, millionaire
bachelor lumbermsn, who shot him
self and dropped into the bay April
20. vas a womsn's heart.
II have nothing more 10 live for,
since he's gone" cried the woman.
She had wealth. luxurious apart
nents, living admirers. but the man
she loved was dead She had moth
ing 20 live for.
But for ten days the woman-Mrs.
Katherine Matthews, 4O4 eelqrayia
spartments-wrestied against oes-
ponoency.
For ten days 8. r. Strickland,
wealthy Alaskan mining operator,
and an ardent admirer. guarded her
against selfdesiruction.
She Read Passion Poems.
Yet The Influence Of poems deal
ing with love and death. OF beauty.
and OF happiness which she had
not known since her Idol died by
his own hand. had an overpowering
effect yesterday noon. She cried,
yielded. went into her bathroom,
drank carbolic acid. and was dead
i
Not until after she had followed
Brehm's example Of suicide did II
become known outside the circle OF
a few close friends that Mrs. Mat
thews a divorced woman OF 30, was
cnamored Of the millionaire lumber
man.
So the question Is renewed: Why
did Brehm kin himself?
WHY Nobody knows.
Lived Here Ten Years.
Mrs. Matthews had lived in Seat
lie about ten years. For the last
few years she was a member OF
the Hotel Archibald colony. She
left the Archibald only few weeks
ago following a fIsfic encounter
with an enemy. She had been d.
vorced from her husband for sew
oral years. Il is said.
Brehm had paid attention to her
for several years. Strickland met
her at the Archibald, where he
stops at the present. about two
years ago. He. too. became an ad-
mirer. He was attentive to her
when she was III. and few months
ago when she fractured her leg by
falling down a flight OF stairs.
So when Brehm was gone, when
AIRS Matthews was griefstricken,
Strickland was her mainstay. aided
by Mrs Della T. Hammond. house
keeper Of the Archibald, who was q
second mother 10 her.
She Threatened Suicide.
Mrs. Matthews threatened SUI
eide when she first learned Of
hrchm's deed. she wanted to fol-
low him at once But Strickland and
Mrs. Hammond dissuaded her.
Strickland took up watch. He
put off a trip to Alaska and guarded
for ten days.
Monday night Strickland was
with her in her apartments. when
she said:
"Striok. want you to handle my
property when I'm gone"
Strickland protested. knowing
what she meant. and tried 10 laugh
i off, but she would have none Of II.
Leaves All to Her Sister.
Il want my favorite sister. Mrs.
Marie Thomas. at CASTOR. Ore. to
have everything" she continued.
She wanted TO write II down. but
Strickland insisted her idea was
foolish: that there was plenty of
time for a formal will before she
died Strickland had advised her
In buying oil and steel stock and
Seattle real estate. investments ag-
gregating perhaps s60.0 Now he
advised her to go to sleep.
u Have Taken Poison
Strickland was with her again
yesterday noon. She was lying on
her bed in a dressing sack. Strick-
land sat nearby She read poems
OF love and death from Lucille. She
read a spring beauty poem from a
magazine. Then she cried. got up,
stepped into her bathroom and came
out presently and announced. IL
have taken carbolic acid"
Strickland went to Whites drug
store, Eighth av. and Pike. Mr..
White sold him alcohol, but Strick-
land seemed too dazed to know lust
what 20 do. so White started to the
Belgnyia. He met DR.. Sprague.
gave the antidote to him. and Or.
sprague and four other physicians
tried To save her. but she died after
forty-five minutes.
Her last cries were for Mother
Hammond. but Mrs. Hammond ar
rived too late.
Grleved Herself 10 Death.
"She grieyed herself to death
over Brehm," said Mrs. Hammond.
She had said she had nothing to
live for after Brehm was dead"
Strickland refused TO discuss his
connection with the suicide. except
ing TO say he was attracted to her
by her intellectual attainments.
she was one OF the brightest wom-
EN- | ever knew" he said. Il ad-
mired her and did all could TO save
her from herself. She simply was
overpowered by dependency.
Strickland admitted Brehm's
death had been one OF her chief
griefA although her own father had
died hIt two months ago.
Attractive Woman.
Mrs. Matthews was OF large, state
~ physique. a decided brunette, a
fashionable dresser, wearer OF
much jewelry, and beautiful
woman. Her body is at Butter
worth's undertaking parlors. where
her sister, Mrs Thomas, is expected