V1
VOL. XLVL-NO. 14,554.
PORTLAND, OREGON, THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 1907.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
V (
i-
TRUTH LEAKING
ABOUT DEAD GIRL
Dr. Thomas Makes
Few Admissions.
COEY WROTE LOYINS 1ETTERS
Coroner's Jury Declares She
Died by Own Hand.;
RUMBAUGH WAS LOVElCjt
Injsccted Family in Pennsylvania to
' FHow Her Mysterious Talk
' Ao.Ambn8h Goey Believes
XEW FACTS IX MATTHEWS MAS
TERY. ' (
Dr. Harold E. Thomas, of Chicago,
admits supporting- tAurs Matthews
In sumptuous apartments hvN ChlcWg-o.
Charles B- Coey, the aurmolblle
manufacturer, of Chicago, provedby
letters read at Inquest to have beera,
iin mt f.flnn.t trmi with her.
Coey and the girl's mother both
say she was murdered.
Coroner's Jury says she committed
suicide.
'Coroner attributes Rumbaugh's sui
cide to infatuation for her and grief
at her death.
Rumbaugh deserted family at
Mount Pleasant, Pa., to follow her,
and m-anted her to marry him.
Inquest brings out telephone con
versation Miss Matthews had, in
which some person spoke to her of
ambush.
CHICAGO, July 31. Special. During
the hours occupied by the Colorado
Springs Jury In deliberating on the girl's
death stories were being told In Chicago
of the gay life led by Miss Laura. Mat
thews while she lived in a luxuriously
furnished apartment at 4313 Greenwood
avenue orj money furnished by Dr. Harold
B. Thomas, one of the owners of the 101
ranch In Oklahoma, who at the time oc
cupied an apartment directly across the
corridor from the nest In which Miss
Matthews had settled herself.
When seen at his handsomely furnished
home on Lawrence avenue tonight Dr.
Thomas admitted that his friendship for
the Matthews girl went further than he
had hitherto admitted. When asked
whether he had signed the leases for the
Greenwood-avenue apartments, . Dr.
Thomas said:
'I believe I did sign those leases." x
"Is that as far as it went?" he was
asked.
"Why, if my memory serves me rigrptl,-,
I think I also paid the rent of Miss Mai
thews' apartments," was the dentist's re
ply. "I don't like to be dragged into this
matter, but It seems unavoidable. I
made na secret at the time of my friend
ship for Miss Matthews. We went about
a great deal together."
Dr. Thomas figured conspicuously six
years ago as one of the central figures in
a divorce suit he brought against his wife,
who was the widow of his uncle. Testi
mony was brought out at the time to the
effect that the dentist had employed
people to assist him in securing evidence
against the woman. The Jury refused to
grant him a divorce. Later Mrs. Thomas
became the plaintiff in the suit and was
granted a decree.
Dr. Thomas met Miss Matthews two
years ago through C. E. Denser, Western
manager for the White Steamer Automo
bile Company.
THINKS GIRIi WAS MURDERED
Coey Believes Rumbaugh Did It and
Cast Suspicion on Him.
CHICAGO, July 31. C. A. Coey, who
lias been prominently mentioned In the
developments following the suicide of
Laura Matthews at Colorado Springs, held
& conference today with Mrs. Jennie
Matthews, the mother of the girl, who ar
rived here today from Kansas City. At
the conclusion of their interview both of
them declared that In their opinion the
girl had been murdered. Coey said he
had traced the telegram said to have
been sent to him by Miss Green, the
nurse of Miss Matthews, and was satis
fled that she did not send it. He further
said:
- "I believe that Miss Matthews' death is
a plain case of murder. In my opinion,
Rumbaugh committed the deed and sent
a telegram calculated to cast suspicion
on me as being the cause of the girl's
death. About 10 days ago I wrote Miss
Matthews a cheerful letter, and she was
talking of returning to Chicago. Rum
baugh was evidently afraid of losing the
girl."
DIES FOR UNREQUITED LOVE
Coroner's Opinion on Laura Mat
thews Coey Wrote Lovingly.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., July 31.
The concluding; testimony in the in
quest over the body of Miss Laura
Matthews went to show that she com
mitted suicide through love for Charles
A. Coey, the wealthy Chicago automo
bile manufacturer. Letters from Coey
were read showing that he entertained
deep affection for her and often sent
her money, but Coroner Richardson
nevertheless expressed the opinion that
the girl's unrequited love for Coey
caused her to take her life. He also
expressed the opinion that Rumbaugh
was guiltless of connection with the
girl's death and committed suicide as
the sequal to hard drinking and grief
at her fate, as he was infatuated with
her.
The Coroner's opinion is voiced in the
verdict of the Jury, which follows:
"We, the Jury empanelled to inquire
into the cause of death of Laura Mat
thews, find that she came to her death
from gunshot wounds inflicted with
suicidal intent."
The verdict was rendered this after
noon at 2:45 o'clock after the Jury had
been out exactly 30 minutes.
An Inquest was later held over the
remains of Rumbaugh. The verdict was
that he came to his death by his own
hand.
Miss Tillie Green of Scottvllle. Mich.,
wwwauMs; I
1 i 'S
General T. A. Bingham. Commissioner
' of Xrw York Police, Who KxpeUed
a Man From the Force for Cow
. ardion.
who was Miss Matthews' nurse and
whose effects had been held by the
authorities ponding developments, is
declared in no way to blame for the
young woman's death.
Miss Tillie Green was the first
witness called to the stand this morn
ing. Miss Green testified that C. A.
Coey, tha wealthy Chicago automobile
dealer, had sent her several telegrams
since the tragedy, one of which read:
"Will meet you at train. Forward let
ters. Keep your own counsel."
The) witness admitted receiving $245 from
Coey yesterday.-
Miss Green testified that Rumbaugh on
Monday told her that he and Laura had
been driving in a closed carriage on Fri
day, and that after Laura had disclosed
to him her relations with Coey she sud
denly drew a revolver and attempted to
shoot herself. Rumbaugh wrested the
pistol from her. Rumbaugh also told
Miss Green that he and Miss Matthews
had determined to marry and go abroad.
Rumbaugh had engaged a section in a
Pullman for himself and Miss Matthews
and they were to leave for New York on
Monday.
The nurse said Rumbaugh was very
much agitated when told of Miss Mat
thews' death, and talked excitedly
about going East and taking revenge
on Coey. Miss Green said she had no
(Concluded on Page 3.)
CONTENTS TODAY'S PAPER
Hie Weather.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 88
degrees; minimum, 67.
TODAY'S Showers and cooler; south to
west winds.
Foreign.
Massacre of foreigners In Morocco cause
France to prepare for intervention.
Page 3.
Ralsull threatens to kill McLean . unless
hostilities cease. Page 8.
Hague conference votes to abolish contra
band. Page 3.
National.
Roosevelt sends Curry to reform Govern
ment of New Mexico. Page 4.
politics. .
Tart's programme of speeches on Pacific
Coast. Page 3.
Domestic
Chemist finds evidence Mrs. Maglll was
poisoned. Page 3. .
Dramatic scene when coward is driven from
New York police force. Page 1.
Chanter tries to avoid going to Insane
asylum when he goes to New York to try
suit. Page 2.
One Butte train robber confesses and impli
cates soldier, who Is arrested at Fort
Stevens. Page 2.
Miss Matthews' death attributed to suicide,
but Coey says it's murder; Dr. Thomas
admits Intimacy, with her, Coey wrote her
love letters and Rumbaugh deserted wife
for her. Page 1.
Chief of (Police Sheets, of Salt Lake, re
signs. Page 2. '
Superintendent Jones, , of Oregon Blind
School, elected superintendent of Illinois
Blind School. Page 2.
Pacific Coast.
Mayor Taylor's Supervisors get Injunction
against Schmltz's board. Page 2.
Sport.
Brltt gets decision over Nelson and almost
knocks htm out. Page 1.
Crowd swarms on Seattle race track and
threatens judges. Page 5.
Portland and Vicinity.
F. J. Catterlln wrecks costly auta to save
Policeman's life. Page L
Water Department gives satisfactory service.
Page 10.
General Electric Company Installs steam
heat service. Page 9.
Harriman roads encourage fruit industry in
Oregon. Page 16.
Custody of City Hall in dispute. Page 10.
F. W. Mulkey comes out for United States
Senate. Paga 11.
Weather more comfortable with mercury at
89. Page 11.
E. E. Morgan, famous Portland athlete,
marries. Page 1.
O. N. O. rifle team to be sent to National
tournament at Fort Clinton, O- Page 10-
W. R. Ellis again a candidate
for Con-
j
' ft ' I
Pasta 6, '
COWARD
OUT BY BINGHAM
Dramatic Event Among
New York Police.
STEPHEN WALSH IN DISGRACE
Stripped of Star and Ejected in
Sight of Comrades.
DRAWS HIS CHIEFS TEARS
Man Who Fled Before Loaded Re
volver of Warner, the Mad Hat
ter, Punished and Made
Text for Moving Speech.
NEW YORK, July 31. A remarkable
scene, closely paralleling that memorable
one in Paris when Captain Alfred Drey
fus was publicly disgraced before the
French army, . was enacted in the trial
room at police headquarters. For the
first time in more than 30 years a patrol
man had been adjudged guilty of coward
ice. He is Stephen S. Walsh, who, ac
cording to the charge made against blm
last week, fled from an armed man who
had shot and killed a woman.
The keen interest with which the un
usual case was followed rose to a point
of dramatic intensity when Police Com
missioner Bingham, who had presided per
sonally at the trial, announced in a voice
choked with emotion that the charge
against the unfortunate man had been
proved. Then the Commissioner turned to
Inspector Richard Walsh, in whose dis
trict Stephen- Walsh was a patrolman,
but who is no relative of the dismissed
man, and directed the inspector to strip
Walsh of his shield and uniform buttons
so that he might not even leave the trial
room with the emblems of his former
position as a policeman in good standing
on his person.! 'The crowd lioked on -in
wonder and excitement aa the inspector
advanced to perform his unpleasant
work.
Resents Loss of Buttons.
The dismissed man stood still and of
fered no resistance as the shield was un
pinned from his breast, hut when the
Inspector 'started to detach the buttons
of the uniform Stephen Walsh stepped
back and appealed to his attorney against
any further humiliation being put upon
him In the presence of his former com
rades. Commissioner Bingham, who was
laboring under great excitement, then In
terposed and directed the inspector to
conduct his former subordinate to the
steps of the police building and eject
him. Stephen Walsh offered no resist
ance and went with the inspector to the
outer doorway, where he was formally
directed to leave the building. Through
out the unusual proceeding Stephen Walsh
maintained his composure.
As Stephen Walsh was being escorted
from the room Commissioner Bingham,
with a wave of his hand, indicated that
tees, eeee.eeeseseeseeeeeee.ee. esses, sseses.es ess. see .............. ........ ......
UNCLE SAM'S PROTECTIVE TARIFF NURSERY 1
he desired the other men in uniform to
remain.
First Coward in Thirty Years.
"Come up close in front, all you men in
uniform,", said the Commissioner in a
voice husky with feeling, while his eyes
brimmed with tears. "I have a word to
say to you all, but I can scarcely say it.
My cheeks have burned with shame here,
even to think of a charge of cowardice
being preferred against a man in this de
partment. It has been our pride to say
that whatever other faults there may
have been there was no cowardice in this
department. , I gave the accused in this
case every chance to defend himself, but
it has been clearly proven that he failed
just at the .moment when he should not
have failed. This thing must never hap
pen again while you and I are together.
You must forget this, but you must re
member the proud record of SO years be
fore, when not one man in the many
thousands failed to do his duty in the
face of danger."
Stephen' Walsh was one of the two men
against whom a charge of cowardice was
1- . . -
Jimmy Britt, Who Gets Decision After
Getting Clear Advantage Over Bat
tling Nelson in. 20-Iionnd Fight.
made last week when Frank Warner was
permitted to escape after killing Esther
Norling. Before Warner was captured he
shot and mortally wounded John C. Wil
son and terrorized hundreds of persons.
Patrolman Rossa, the officer whose name
was coupled with that of Walsh in the
cowardice charge, was exonerated after a
full hearing before the Commissioner.
Where Yellow Streak Showed.
Warner, who once was a prosperous
hutter but had. suffered business reverses,
went to a store where Miss Norling, who
had once been his cashier, was employed,
and shot her to death. When he dashed
from the store. Stephen Walsh and several
pifdeatriaua started br yuntiild Warner
outran them and took refuge in a near
by building and darted up the stairs to
ward the roof. Walsh at the time was
only a short distance behind the fugitive,
but it is charged that when Warner
turned and aimed the revolver at him he
turned and fled to an office on a lower
floor of . the building. Other policemen,
Including Rosea, soon arrived on the
scene, but Warner escaped. Two hours
later he walked into Wilson's store and
shot Wilson in the back. Wilson died
several days later In the hospital. War
ner was struck down and captured as he
ran out through the front door of Wil
son's store. He is now In a hospital in a
serious condition from the found inflicted
by his captor.
New Washington Postmasters.
OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU,
Washington, July 31. Washington
Postmasters appointed: Brighton, B.
R. Vannlce, vice T. M. Woriey, re
signed; Glencove, Severn Clum, vice F.
A. Nelson, resigned; Mae, Ella M. Hill,
vice M. A. Shoemaker, resigned.
BRITT IS VICTOR
IH GREAT FIGHT
Endurance Alone Saves
Nelson's Fame.
DANE'S FEATURES SPOILED
Californian Outshines Him at
Every Point.
RAINS IN BLOWS AT WILL
Decision Goes to Brltt After Twenty
Rounds In Which Dane Always
Leads and Brltt Always
Lands With Effect.
AUDITORIUM, San Francisco, July 31.
Jimmy Britt. of Ban Francisco, gained the
decision over Battling Nelson, of Hagen
wisch. 111., at the end of 20 rounds of as
fast and pretty fighting as has been seen
in San Francisco In many years. At no
time was either man in danger of a
knockout until near the end of the last
round, when Britt's right and left swings
and uppercuts, which he landed one after
another at will on Kelson's face, all but
put the Dane down and out.
Nelson did the greater part of the lead
ing from start to finish, but he was out
done by Britt In cleyerness. ring general
ship and gameness and ability to take
punishment. Referee Welch in announc
ing his decision gave Nelson only two
rounds out of the 20 the second and the
seventh.
Britt's Splendid Tactics.
By his game fight Britt wiped out final
ly the aspersions that some f irmer bat
tles had placed on him. He showed that
keeping away from his adversary is the
chief part of his ring genereishtp. His
defense showed up better thai ever be
fore and his accuracy was never so
marked before. He found his man almost
at will, and from the opening tap of the
gong to the end of the last round there
was no lack of steam in his blows. If
anything, he showed up strorger in the
last five rounds than In the fir it 15, while
in the last half of the mill Nelson's hit
ting powers obviously diminished.
While Britt took no foolish chances, he
gave Nelson plenty of close quarter oppor
tunities to put him out, if trie Battler had
been able to land. Nelson disappointed
many of his admirers by his wildness.
In the last eight or ten rounds he swung
with right and left for the face scores of
times and missed by a big margin of
Inches. His favorite fighting tactics were
to crowd his man, go in to a clinch and
then, with his bull head pressing his ad
versary's neck, uppercut him again and
again to the face and body.
Nelson's Great Strength.
The great strength of Nelson was
nothing new to the crowd of 10,004 ring
followers who watched him tonight,
but the equal and undiminished
strength of Brltt was a surprise that
set them by the ears and won for the
local fighter ringing yells of applause
in at least half a dozen rounds. Nelson,
on the other hand, was distinctly weak
ened toward the close of the fight and
in the 19th was jarred backward sev
eral paces and all but off his feet by
right and left swings to the head. The
Dane showed his lessening strength in
his faltering footwork and the utter in
effectiveness of the blows he failed to
land. All throughout the , force of
Britt's blows, a great majority of which
found their mark, was such that a
fighter with less than Nelson's Immense
stamina would have taken the count a
couple of times and then stayed down.
. A ringslder summed it up rather
neatly at the close of the fight when
he remarked:
"Let's call It 'Battling Brltt,' and The
Enduring Dane.' "
Dane Almost Knocked Oat.
Both men came to the center of the
ring with a jump when the gong
sounded the opening of the last round.
pi
1 W 1 1 m lit 11 1 mint I
Battling Nelson, Defeated by Jimmy
Britt in Savage Sight.
Alternately the two men vied with each
other in holding on, and Nelson, who
in a previous round had been warned
by the referee for butting, appealed to
Welsh. to break Britt's hold. They ex
changed light blows and then Nelson
crowded Brltt to the ropes In a neutral
corner and jabbed his sore nose with a
left. Ducking his way out, Brltt
turned, swinging right and left to the
Dane's face with a vicious force that
sent him reeling backwards to the
ropes, and, following up his advantage,
he uppercut and smashed with both
hands, while the blood flowed down Nel
son's face and the crowd sent up a roar
of delight that shook the lncandescents.
Nelson failed to come back. The
round ended with half a clinch and
Nelson essaying a weak uppercut with
his left. , It looked as though the final
gong was all that saved him froqs a
knockout. In his corner a moment
later Nelson vomited freely.
Nelson carried away as a memento of
one of the hardest 20 rounds he ever
stood up to, a right eye all lut closed,
a slight gash over the left cheek, a
cut mouth and a badly battered nose.
Brltt showed up at the finish without a
visible mark.
MOB SURROUNDS THE RINK
Police Charge and Some Are Tram
pled Last Fight In City.
AUDITORIUM RINK, Se-n Francisco,
July 31. A few minutes before 9 o'clock
the crowd outside the building had grown
in size and temper to a mob and, when
the thousands started to charge the en
trance on Fillmore street with ths evident
intention of overwhelming the foot police
and breaking into the hall, half a dosen
bluecoats charged from several directions
simultaneously, and in the wild disorder
a score of persons were knocked down
and trampled upon, some of them falling
under the hoofs of the borses. It Is not
known that anyone was badly hurt.
The latest betting was in favor of Bat
tling Nelson at odds of 10 to 6. . Even
money was wagered that Nelson would
not win inside of 18 rounds. Betting was
not very brisk.
Both Brltt and Nelson weighed in at t
o'clock. Both made the specified wiigh;
133 pounds easily. After the weighing
In Nelson went to a nearby restaurant
and partook of a hearty meal. Britt was
driven to his brother's house and there
ate a sumptuous meal.
At 9 o'clock every seat in the rink had
been taken and close on to a thousand
people were standing on the floor and
in the gallery. The police stopped admis
sions to the galleries before the first pre
liminary went on and this caused hard
feeling among the surging crowd ouutde.
The turning out of all the lights in the
hall but the four central lights, caused the
ring to loom up in a blaze of light.
May Be Last Fight In City.
The size of the crowd in attendance ex
ceeded even the best hopes of the club
management. The great outpouring of
ring followers, it is suggested, is partly
accounted for by the fact that this Is the
first top-notch fight pulled off in San
Francisco proper since the earthquake
and fire, and, judging by the attitude of
Mayor Taylor's new Board of Supervisors,
probably will be the last professional o
any class that will be witnessed here for
a long time to come. The action of the
Supervisors this afternoon in returning by
unanimous vote 36 Britt-Nelson tickets
left on their desks was taken to mean
that no more permits will be issued by
this body.
A four-round go between George Martin,
of this city and John Conkey, of Mil
waukee, was won by the former in the
first round after about a minute and a
half of fighting. Conkey was floored and
counted out by the referee.
Two well-dressed young women, es-
f Concluded on Page 4 )
SACRIFICES AUTO
TO SAVE A LIFE
F. J. Catterlin Makes h
COSTLY MACHINE. WRECKED
Owner and His Wife and Two
.. Guests Thrown Out.
ESCAPE SERIOUS -'INJURY-
Policeman R. H. Field Cause
fimashnp by Running Into Path,
of Approaching Motor la
Attempt to Board. Car. '
F. J. Catterlln, a mining broker living
at 285 Eleventh street, in order to)
avoid killing policeman R. H. Field,
drove his automobile containing him
self and Mrs. Catterlln and Mr. and
Mrs. J. Purvlne, of 233 Eleventh street.
at full speed Into a telephone pole cni
the corner of Twenty-first and Wash-!
lngton streets at 8:30 o'clock last night.,'
Field's life was saved by a hair's'1
breadth, but the tour occupants of the
wrecked car were hurled from the'
machine and suffered injuries mora or'
less serious.
Mr. Purvine, a member of the firm of
Eggert Young Shoe Company, sustained
a bad scalp wound, was knocked
senseless, and was severely bruised and
cut about the legs. Mrs. Catterlln was
badly shaken up and bruised. Mrs.
Purvlne had her clothing torn to shreds
and her right leg cut and bruised. Mr.
Catterlln was badly .shaken up,
scratched and bruised,-but was able to
go home with Mrs. Catterlln In a car
riage. Machine Badly Wrecked.
The engines of the machine, a new
13500 White Steamer, were ruined and
repairs to the machine will cost o00.
Even the telephone pole did not escape,
for an iron bar of the machine was
driven into it over four Inches, and
the surface of the pole was splintered
to the depth of two inches.
J. F. Sherill, a streetcar conductor,
who saw the accident said last nigi.t:
"We were delayed farther up Wash
ington street by a blockade and we
were the lead car, so we were run
ning at the full speed limit of ten
miles an hour to get out of the way
of the other cars behind us. I aw
Mr. Catterlln's automobile coming be
hind us, running fully twice our speed.
We were coming- down Washington
toward the center of town of course
on the right band side of the street.
Runs In Front of Car.
"Suddenly the motorman saw the
policeman run out from the lefthand
side of the street, cross the tracAs
almost In front of the car and turn to, j
jump aboard. We bad elowed up somf '
for him, when the automobile behiny J
d V. (ha a nn lh. Hffli en trt
ahead of us and the policeman dashed A.
across the front of our car right into
its path.
"It was all done in an instant. Tha
officer Jumped for the car to get away
from the automobile and the machine
turned sharp to the left to avoid run
ning him down and hit the telephone
pole. I saw the four people in it go
into the air like baseballs from a bat,
and one of the men came tumbling over
and over along the pavement right by.
the car and almost under its wheels."
Policeman Telia Story.
Policeman Field said: "I was in a
hurry to catch the car and ran across
the street ahead of it to jump on. I
did not see the auto, which was hidden
from me by the streeetcar, and coming
fast. I had no time to do anything
but jump for the car to save myself
from going under the auto's wheelq
and give It a chance to get by between
the car and the sidewalk without run
ning me down."
The crash of the machine against the
pole was heard four blocks away and
brought a crowd of people on the run.
The four occupants of the car refused
to allow Policeman Field to call an
ambulance, as Mr. Catterlln had at
once placed Mrs. Catterlln fn. a car
riage that was passing, while Mx. Pur
vine was carried, by direction ot, his
wife, into the home of A. J. Winters,
674 Washington street, before the gate
of which the accident happened. Dr.
Horace M. Patton was in the crowd
which assembled and under his care,
with Mr. Winters' assistance, Mr. Pur
vlne was revived and his wounds
dressed.
Refuses an Ambulance.
Mrs. Purvine again refused to allow
the ambulance to be called, while Mr.
Purvine, with more grit than strength,
insisted on trying to walk home, but
later they were taken to their resi
dence in a private conveyance.
When asked how it happened Mr.
Purvine nodded to his wife and joking
ly remarked: "Ask her. She does the
talking in our family."
"It was over in an instant,"
Purvine said. "We were sailing a
hi a preciy good speed to pass trie i.
while it was slowing up, when ua-l
denly the officer ran around from xc
(Concluded on Pas 3.)
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' lijlED 105.2! ("-
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