Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1848-03-02

SHOCKING lNHUMANITY.-Ihe testimony taken up
the trial of one James Goodwin, for the murder of
his wife, at Montreal. the Both ut discloses de-
gree of brutality seldom reached by any creature bear
ing the form, and claiming the character of humani
ty. II seems that this man Goodwin, who had fam
lily, house and something of an establishment, for
which does not clearly appear. turned Lis
wife out of doors, and refused to allow her TO enter
the house again, dead alive She was supposed to
be partially derunged, and took refuge in Pigpen,
near the house, Were she lived from November until
February, when she starved and froze to DEATH We
make the following extracts from the testimony given
at the Coroner's inquest:
Rev. F. S. Neve-Resided on the Ottawa, about
six miles from the residence of the prisoner In con-
sequence of something which he had heard in the
month of December, 1916, he believed that the de-
ceased was in pig-pen, near the residence Of her
husband. Prisoner said he had not confined her, but
had turned her out of his house, and that she had
gone to the pigpen herself-tbat she might get out
as she got in-that she was very comfortable she
had plenty of straw, and that she received food from
bis family. Witness saw the body of deceased in a
pg-pen after her death. 1t was horribly emaciated
and had on it only one garment, with a cap, and rags
bound round the feet--there straw strewed over
the pen and coverlet but no bed whatever.
The only door to the pen a hole about three
feet high. where he supposed the animals
toned to 60 in. The hole was open: and there were
other open holes. The weather had been very severe,
| and there no fire. On the removal of the rags
from of the feet part of the foot found be
gone, as if cut off with a coarse axe. There were
bruises her face which might have been caused by
her turning on her face. The body drawn up,
and the wrists clutched tin vessel which would con-
tain about half pint. Prisoner did not attend the
| inquest; but pursued his ordinary avocatioDs. He
ltOl1 ho Ioc L.,
of the deceased. that if he would take care of his
wife, he (Mr. Neve) would pay him for it. Prisoner
refused
Mary Goodwin, sister of the prisoner Prisoner
and deceased had been married twenty years they
had seven children of whom the youngest was twelve
years the 26th of last December. Deceased came in
to the pen the first week in November, and died the
first week in February. She continued there till she
died. She came out twice and got drink at the
house. She did not get into the house during all tina
tme-when she went to the door he ordered her off
| This was only once. He told her to go out of his
sight, for she had denied him being her lawful hus
band. Prisoner allowed deceased to be fed by bel
children. They used TO go into her at first; but af
forwards she did not; but sent word by the children
to inquire after her feet, which witness knew wer,
frozen. When the children told prisoner of her fee
being bad, he ma,e plasters and sent them out.
When the deceased went into the pig-pen she had
good golcn Uith nice quilted skirt and cap, bu
nothing else. Witness afterward took her a quilt
and then, as she was complaining of the cold gave
her another Deceased was fed the night before sh,
died. She had teapot and tin with bread and meat
and the children took the food and brought the
back again. When the children took her breakfas
In the morning their mother was dead. Witness wa
neither ruler governor of the house, and did no
like to insist upon anything, and prisoner refused
admit deceased in the cold weather, when they expect
ed her to die.
John Alex. Sturgeon, M. DIE was requested il
February last 10 60 and the dead body of the wo
man in the pig-pen. He had TO creepin on his hand
aud knees with great difficulty, in consequence Of
accumulation of substances within. The smell was 81
offensive he was obliged to retire. Having had tn
roof removed. he found some straw. under that
clean quilt, and under that quilt cloak. She wa
crouched up with her knees up to her chest the bod
was frozen into a complete mass of ice up to the mid
die, and the arms quite rigid, being stiffened b.
death and frost.
There nothing on the body but a cap, a sort o
belt about the breadth of hand under the breast,
some rags on the feet. The body was put on doc
to take it indoors prisoner objected, because he sal
ne had sworn she should never enter, dead alive
Prisoner was demonstrated with, and the body wa
taken inside. The night when she was said to hav
died was fearfully cold the only way in which h
could account for her living long in such weahe
was that she insane. Insane people are less sen
sible TO cold than others
She could not have eaten for thirty-six hours--th
indications those of starvation for a considera
Die time. The frost would have been enough to xii
hers but it had not time to do so death was cause
by determination of blood to the extremties, whic
was induced by exposure to cold and starvation. Th
pig-pen was seven feet square, and where the woman
lay only two feet four inches high
This wretch of husband acquitted of murde
and convicted of manslaughter.