New Orleans Republican., 1873-08-10
A Strange Story.

| King, alias Emma Chase, has tnisbed fha
! account Of her experiences, winch she in
now writing in the New York Tombs, in tho
| absence of other amusement with which tn
| while away the leisure hours, she will
| probably include her sojourn to AttlebOro
| Falls in 1867 There she was. certainly.
| from the first to the last of October. il 1867.
| ann her department there was in keeping
| with her acts elsewhere. winch have been
| SO thoroughly reported by the press. Our
! facts are obtained directly from II. \. Dag.
gett, and are youched tor as eorrec. n every
detail.
In the first of the month OF October Of
the year mentioned, a young lady. ragged,
dirty and haggard, giving her name as
Emma Chase. appeared at the Falls seek.
ing employment. She was told that Mr.
Daggett employed a large number III girls
at the braid factory. and was directed to
Mr.. Daggert's residence. II happened at
tie time that no more girls We're needed at
the factory: but the young lady begged for
employment OF some kind and asked for
the position of servant i'll the household.
Mr.. and Mrs. DaggeUt, more out Of pity
than any thing else decided 10 take her
into the position she asked for. She was
clothed properly and soon ev;uced refine
ment in her manner that is not found among
girls in her position. A few days AFTER she
came to the house she was .eit with .he care
OF the children for day. and when Mr.,
Daggett and his wife returned q. night
they found her playing the piano and sing.
ing to the children. She sang IN sweet
voice and played finely.
Her history was sought, but she was very
reticent, and for several DAYS declined TO
give any account OF herself. Finally she
was persuaded, after more liberty had been
allowed her and she became better &C.
quainted. to tell her story. She gave no
other name than Emma Chase. She came
from Plymouth originally. she said, and
then told substantially the story OF her life
as it has been already widely published.
She came directly from the Taunton Lunatic
Asylum. Her escape was made IN Vhls way:
She had been there for about two months
when she was taken out 20 ride with two
old ladies' When they were driving through
piece of woods she dropped the window
to the carriage door and jumped "Ut, ram
into the woods and wandered aUoUr Tor two
days and nights. sleeping under the :reea
until she reached the Falls.
She displayed unusual intelligence and
taste for substantial reading. Her &nowl.
edge OF the languages was considerable, and
she devoted all her spare time TO playing
piano, reading, writing and studying She
learned the work OF the household rapidly,
though she knew nothing about II when she
went there The habit of answering adver.
tisements was practiced while here, and the
correspondence with a Brooklyn widower,
probably the same Goodrich whom she
says she shot, is very well remem bered by
persons to whom she communicated the
fact.
But evidences of insanity soon became
apparent. She acted strangely and became
wakeful and restless of nights: would leave
her bed and come down to the kitchen and
keep the others awake half the night sing
ing. Mr.. Daggett becoming aDprehensive
that she might do some harm. wrote a let
ter Of inquiry to Dr.. A. 5. Ch0ate, OF the
Taunton Asylum, about her DR.. Choate
replied that he could not recommend her as
safe or desirable person TO have about
ones house, and advised him to get rid of
her. She was accordingly dismissed. Then
she asked for work in the factory. and We
find the following record Of her work here
in the time books: Emma Chase. worked
two weeks: received $40 ~. Commenced
October II, left October %. 1867. Then she
began to show the bad ard crazy eide Of
her nature.
She boarded with number Of other
girls at Eliphalet Wilmarth's. On .he
Wrentham road, after she entered the fac.
tory. There is a young lady. now in the
employ of Messrs. Freeman ~ Co. who sat
next to Kate Stoddard a: the bench. This
her that slse carried pistol sometimes. and
that she knew how to Use one. Kate S'ods
hard was undoubtedly by Aab;: bad girl,
but the numerous thefts she committed are
very likely. as those who lost by her alb
think. the result of kleptomania.
She stole the shawls and hats Of two of
the other girls. which she carried gu, Of the
factory wrapped about her person gu: Of
sight. The girls told Mr.. Dagget. Of .heic
loss. and when he asked then. why they
did not go to her and get their garments.
they said they were afraid of the pistol she
sometimes carried and knew how to use.
Mr.. John Cooper had about foI ty yards Of
Scotch plaid taken from his store. Several
other thefts occurred about the same time,
and she was pointed out as the crlprit.
The keeper of the clearinghouse sent for
Mr.. Daggett to come and take her away. az
she was acting wilder than usual at the
time. He went. and with another lady
knocked at the door Of her room II was
some time before they were admitted, and
when Mr.. Daggett told ner. after all her de.
malls, that she must give up the articles she
had taken or he would send an officer after
aer, without saying anything or making
any other demonstrations she dropped
down on her knees and buried her face in
ler hands on the table.
In this attitude it could be seen tha: she
lad an unusual amount of clothing on At
he suggestion of Mr.. Daggett. the ladv
hat was with him removed a part of the
md limbs the forty yards OF Scotch plaid
above mentioned. She gave up other ar
icles that she hsd stolen also Mr.. Dag
,ett then gave her money and told her she
must leave town. which sine did the next
lay, and she had not been heard from ill
he Brooklyn murder took place.
The Identification Of Stoddard. or Emma
1hase, or Lizzie King. came about in his
way: When she was at work here her father
,ot some clew OF her whereabouts and
wrote to his relative. Mr.. Billings i. Day.
Ormerly member of The present sir,n Of
lessrs Bliss ~ Dean. jewelers.. OF At,lebcro.
Q know if she was here. and to ;puaire
bout her health. The circumstances OF tbe
correspondence are related by a daughter
i the now deceased Mr.. Day. and there can
'e no doubt Of the truth of the identity of
1izzie Lloyd King anu Emma Chase as ono
nd the same person.'
Her character. we learn. is no better than
Te represented in our editorial columns last
veek. We gather this opinion from Mr..
)aggett and from accounts OF her Neneanor
'hile one of the employees of the Gold Medal
'raid Company.
Diamonds.