The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1880-05-08
ROCKVILLE TRAGEDY.
Details of the Shooting Of Dr.. Goodwin.
AMultitude of Mourners at the Funeral.

Especial TO the Cincinnati Uommercial.1
BRooEvrLLE Ind May 5.-The Goodwin
tragedy. which occurred in this place last
Monday, WAS one of the most brutal, cold
blooded murders that has ever taken place
in this or any of the surrounding Counties
The facts of the case, as far as we can learn,
are about as follows: Some eight months
ego Colonel Goodwin (the murderer) was
pronounced insane, and cent to the Insane
Asylum at Indianapolis, and H. T. Hutchin
son and M C Armstrong. of this city, sign
ing the papers necessarily required to admit
him The Colonel. beng q man of the dis
position that never forge, nor foIgtvee,
therefore remembered these two men and
his own brother. and as soon as he was pro-
noupced cured and set at liberty again, he
Immediately returned 10 this place-no
doubt from what we have been able to learn
for the express purpose of taking the lives
OF Hntchir son, Armstrong AND his own
| brother. When he arrived at this place he
went to the Her House, kept by Leonard
eagle. and told him that he had come here
to do job, and that probably he could finish
II up In one day. and maybe it would take
| him week. But here Is the money with
which TO pay my board for a week, sad il
do the job In less time than that you can
give me back what money will be due me. "
The Colonel had made no bold threats but
| kept perfectly quiet until Mondsy after
noon, when he went into Mr.. Hutchinson:
grocery store, on Main street, aud without
speaking TO or recognizing any one, kept NJ
. continual pace backward and forward o.
the store room, aud az the same time, it il
supposed, kept watching for his brother and
when his brother had go ten within about
half square of Mr.. Hutchins' store he tolC
| At Inf biEc In, # Oh
thst h. wanted to talk to him, but Mr.
Hutchins told him that he would be back IL
one minute, aud then he would see him
and as be made the remark he stepped int
the store sdjoining his. and just as ne en-
tered the store he heard the shooting com
mence. aud, on looking around, saw Colone
Goodwin shooting at his brother. nn.i
There is no doubt but that bis intention
were, when he went into Mr.. H. IS store, 4
wait there until his brother came along
knowing that he had to pass there on hi
way home, and then call Mr.. H. out int
I, toe street and then shoot them both down
but he failed in this attempt so far as gel
ting a chance 10 shoot Mr.. H. When III
; Colonel met his brother coming up tn
; street, he waited until they were With
|, four or five feet of each other when th
} Colonel drew a thirty-two caliber revolve
and com meDced shooting bafOre his brOthe
, bad time TO turn around.
AT er he had shot hun twice the Docto
grabbed him by the arms and begged {
: him not to shoot him any more, but
broke himself loose from his grip and sht
him twice more va
The funeral of DR.. John P. Goodwin toe
place st his late residence, on Main stree
ut IL O'Clock this morning. The funer
2 services we're conducted by Rev. Thomas
= w. McCair, pastor in charge at this plac
assisted by Rev. A. n. Marlatt, OF Rushvill
9 Spacious rooms of the house were crowds
while yet larger number OF persons +
NAMED upon the outside. The crowd
= variou,ly estimated at from 200 to ], so
The funeral ceremonies were. solemn al
o impress ive, every one taking the beIeav
% ment as his own. The murder of DR.. Goo
N win is regarded as public calamity and
- might be said that almost any one In Il
u town could be spared better than he. As {
honorable tribute to the deceased, pap
was circulated requesting all business OF 81
town to be suspended for three hours, al
the paper ives literally signed-not refus
u being met with. A large number OF perso
rom a distance were present, and commi
q tee OF four of the delegates from the Meth
: dist General Conference attended.
handsome iron casket contained the !
mains. On the face of the casket were tv
l. silver plates. Inscribed upon one was Il
a name, "Dr. John R. Goodwin" Upon Il
l. other was the text, blessed are they tn
b die in the Lord, for they shall zee God"