Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-11-07
REV. ALFRED THOMPSON.
He is Forced 20 Accept a Cali for
Five Years I'm Sing Sing.
Il. WHITMORE,
Publisher and Proprietor.

He is Forced 20 Accept a Cali for
Five Years I'm Sing Sing.
New York Sun
The Rev. Alfred Thompson, pas
tor of the Primitive Methodist
church in Elgin, ILL.,, was proved a
thief in the general sessions yester-
day, and sentenced to five years in
Sing Sing. He is a young man,
with smooth face, not indicative
of great mental power. His man.
ner and dress were in keeping with
his professor, and he exhibited
plenty of audacity. The complain
ant, Mrs. Ellen Gotham, wife of a
Presbyterian missionary in the West
Indies, is young, intelligent, edu-
Gated woman, and her demeanor on
the stand was ladylike. She testi-
fed that she was married to the
Rev. William Gotham in Hamp-
shire, England, in August last. He
was under engagement to go to the
West Indies as a missionary, and
was compelled to start about two
weeks after the wedding. She and
her husband expected to live many
years in his chosen field of labor,
and they decided that the wife
should, before settling down there,
come to America and visit brother
who lives in Kansas. This brother
is a Methodist Clergyman. So the
pair separated, the wife to come to
this country, and her husband to
go to the West Indies, where they
are to reside next winter.
In the steamship City of Rich
mond the prisoner was a passenger.
He introduced himself, said he
knew some of Mr.. Cobham's rela-
tives in Hampshire, and proved to
her satisfaction that he had charge
of church in Elgin. He was
pleasant and respectful, and she
found his companionship agreeable.
He talked much on religious topics,
and did nothing that aroused her
suspicion of his honesty. On their
arrival in this city he said he knew
of a good hotel where prices were
reasonable, and they went together
to the West Side Hotel, at ~ West
street. He registered their names
properly, and they were given
rooms not very near each other.
That was on Saturday. On Sun
day they went to Central Park.
They were to start for the West to-
gether on Monday, but on that day
the Rev. Alfred Thompson slipped
away. Mrs. Gotham missed her
money and iewelry. She promptly
reported her loss to the police, and
detectives were sent with her to
Jersey City, where they watched in
the Pennsylvania and Erie depots.
One Of the officers caught Thomp-
son in brokers' office, where he
was exchanging Mrs. Cobham's
golden soyereigns for United States
currency. Her jewelry was found
in his travelling bag. He had also
bought a ticket for Elgin with
her money.
The clergyman went on the stand
to testify in his own behalf. He
made no pretence of spotlessness of
character, and was defiant in his
manner but he denied that he was
q thief. He testified that he OBJ.
tanned leave Of absence from the
congregation last spring to go to
England and return with one of his
children, He left his wife and other
children in Elgin, and made the out.
ward voyage alone. The child did
not desire to come with him, and SO
he started for America without her.
On the voyage he fell in with Mrs.
Gotham, as she has described, but |
their relations, he said, were more
intimate than might be inferred |
from her testimony. She proposed |
that they should not return to their
families, but should live together as
husband and wife. They went to
the West Side Hotel as a prelimin-
dry, and she gave her money and
Jewelry to him. He decided to 90
home, however, and slipped away
quietly, SO as to escape scene. he
took her property because she had
made him a present of it. She was