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Sir Charles Willie Mathews

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

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"SIR CHARLES WILLIE MATHEWS (1850-1920), English lawyer, was born in New York Oct. 16 1850, the son of the actress Mrs. Davenport, who became in 18J7 the second wife of the comedian Charles James Mathews ( see 17.887). The boy took his stepfather's name, and was sent to England to be educated at Eton. In 1868 he entered the chambers of Montagu Williams, the well-known criminal lawyer, as a pupil, and in 1872 was called to the bar. His rise was rapid, and he soon built up a wide connexion and became known as an extremely skilful cross-examiner. In 1886 he was made counsel to the Treasury, from 1893 to 1908 was recorder of Salisbury, and in 1908, on the retirement of Lord Desart, became director of public prosecutions. Mathews, who was knighted in 1907 and received the K.C.B. in 1911, was concerned in most of the important criminal cases and causes celebres of his time, among them being the Colin Campbell divorce suit (1886), the trial of the Jameson raiders (1896), and the prosecution of Lynch for high treason (1903). He was also well known in the theatrical world, being a constant attendant at first nights, and was besides an excellent after-dinner speaker and all-round sportsman. He died in London June 6 1920.