Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-07-24
Kate SGOddard.

Burleigh, the correspondent of the
Boston Journal, foreshadows the defense
in the case of Kate St0ddard as fol
lows
OF course insanity will be pleaded il
this case. as it has not been in any cast
tried within the last ten years. On the
Goth of May, 1872, as Kate relates the
story, she was married to Goodrich. anC
passed the night at one of the New
York hotels. The register bears an as
sumed name, but it is said to be in the
handwriting of Goodrich. A mock mar
riage is no uncommon thing in this city
One can lay their hands on dozen
women to-day who have been decoveC
from home and betrayed by a mock
marriage. AS men Iget living 10y
hanging round the courts becoming
witnesses. straw bail and jurors so mel
earn their bread by personating minis
tcrs of religion. They have gown
bands, prayer books and witnesses il
necessary. The victim secured, con.
science appeased, they are thrown ont
ON to the cold bosom of the earth de
graded and desperate. Returning from
work on cola night in February tc
what she considered her home in Brook.
| lyn, Kate found the door barred against
her, while near it stood bogus watch
man threatening her with arrest if she
cKoSsed the threshhold On a Saturday
night she was led into a cold, rcpulsivc
| unOccupied house. There WAS no fire
no warmth. no lights. no food. Hci
trunks and clothes were hcaprd togeth
er in the middle of the floor. WA
those surroundings she learned that She
was deserted and turned adrift to staryt
or do worse. She saw the cheerful light
in the room from which she was eX-
cluded. She heard the merry voices,
knew that a woman occupied the cheer
ful saloons where she claimed the right
to be as a wife. Amid those miserable
surroundings, and in despair, she penned
that letter that might have moved the
heart of stone, but did not touch
either the elder Goodrich OF either OF
the sons.
From that moment the fate of Good
rich was sealed She stood by the form
twenty-four hours after death, but the
authorities believe she could not have
been alone, and 1t would have required a
miracle for that frail girl to have dress
ed and laid ont the body in the order in
which it was found She could easily
have destroyed the evidence which tells
50 fearfully against her. The watch,
the Pocket-book, the diary, the pistol
and other memoranda she could have
placed in a sack and sunk beyond sound
ings. But she folded them all with care
and put them away as if they had been
jewels. Nearly starved, and actually
suffering from want, she could have
spent the money to have relieved herne-
cessitics, and nobody have been the
wiser But the ebills-two $10's and
one S5-were folded with female tact,
covered and daintlly placed in the wal
let to testify against her. To her the
earth gathered and put into the trunk
was as sacred as that that cOmpOses the
Champ Santa of Naples. She believes
still that the spirit of Goodrich hoyers
around her, and will in some way aid
her in escape.
At first she was disposed to talk to
every one, denying her insanity, confess
ing the murder, detailing all the circum-
stances of the case, and uttering always,
with a plaintiye wall, II loved Charley
SO well | could not see him the husband
of any one else"
Under the advice of counsel she now
declines to speak on the matter, or to
hold any interviews with reporters or
visitors.