American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1877-12-01
A VENERABLE MYSTERY,
Was Old Lawyer Thomas Colds Funeral
Mock CeWemOny?

Was Old Lawyer Thomas Colds Funeral ;
Mock CeSemOny?
The Pittsield (Mass.) Eagle gets III
a mystery over the death and burial O.
old Lawyer Thomas Gold that makes a
least very interesting reading. Mr.
Gold was a smart young lawyer who
came to Pittsfield in 1872 when % years
old, and became afterward with Ezekial
Bacon the leader of the county bar. He
was as much respected as old Parson
Allen, and was prominent in all town
matters. His fine house on East Street
is the same now owned by the family OF
the late Thomas F. Plunkett, and the
one pictured by the poet Longfellow,
who married a granddaughter of Mr.
Gold, in his cold Clock on the
Stairs:''
Somewhat back on the village street
Stands the old-fashiOned country seat,
Across this antique portico
Tall poplar trees their shadows throw.
In that mansion used to be
Free hearted hospitality;
His great fires up the chimney roared,
The stranger feasted at his board.
But Lawyer Gold in the height of his
prosperity took to speculating, and
though losses came to forging paper to
tide himself over his troubles. When
discovery of his crime became inevita-
BILE, the wretched man took to his bed,
and his son-in-law, DIR. Wright, was
called. His gradual decline was an
nounced to the public and at last his
death. Touching obituaries in the local
papers and an imposing funeral follow
ed. 1t was only a few days after the
funeral that it was revealed that Thos.
Gold was implicated in forgery. Notes
had matured, had been presented for
payment, were protested as forgeries.
1t ws easy to trace it back, but too late;
Gold was dead, and his prop
erty in the hands of his family.
We have all reason to believe that our
narrative so far, says the Eagle, is strict
ly true. What follows, we have obtain
ed as facts from responsible persons,
and believe it was the common report
ut the time. A servant of the Gold
family at the time spoke in the village of
4 stranger man who was locked into a
chamber over the front entrance during
5he funeral. This man, it was said, sat
1t the window and saw the process
sion leave the house. After the funeral,
1nder cover of night, this same gentle
nan left the Gold place alone, driving
in the family carriage, drawn
oy pair of horses long owned by Mr.
Gold. He drove to Boston, where the
carriage and horses were sold, to the
of the family, and the man
disappeared. 1t is strange story, but |
t was supposed by those who knew the
circumstances that this mysterious gen
leman was Mr.. Gold himself.
There had been, in previous days, in
colds parlOr, plaster bust of Mr..
iold, but since his funeral it had not |
'een seen. Some one had remarked,
.fter the funeral, that the face in the
Offin, although very natural, was very
mike flesh and bones. 1t was remark
d that the coffin "was as heavy as lead''
the pall-bearers, heavier than human
odles generally are. These several
tems being put together by those vii
ayers who were given to gossip, there
Fas fabricated and circulated a story
hat had fair showing for truth. 1t
Tas that Thomas Gold, fearing the ex-
osure of his crime, caused the report to
e circulated that he was dead. Funeral
ervices were held over plaster bust,
nd other weighty material, in an ele-
ant coffin. He sat in his chamber and
aw his funeral cortege leave the house.
hat night he fled.
Considering the mans social station,
nd the morality of the deed, it seems
lid to believe such a story. But we :
re told it came to be generally believed,
nd moreover that the family never di-
ectly denied it. Perhaps there were
ther and fuller proofs then known than
hose we have cited. We can but think
lat there must have been. or. the allie
alton would never have been credited. !,
was whispered truth, never until
ow openly published But there re-
eAAAA OWO " OO etuOSQ. L OF S6Y- |
al years after the reputed death of her
1sband, Mrs. Gold spent considerable
me in England. No one knew why
le went there. After having made
veral annual visits to this country,
lie ceased to go, and made the remark !
lat ''she should never go again, that i
ere was nothing to go for" She nev- |
did. Further, it is questionably said !
at Mr.. Gold was seen in England {
after his DEATH This is, however, t
Id on doubtful authority. The life of |
homas Gold had strange denoue- ,
ent if these rumors be true. We give {
e story of the mans life. Is the story S
his defalcation and feigned death S
ueP This is the mystery. I
improvements in the Loom.