The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-07-15
.TaROCKM0RTOx's GHOST
Death Of Maj. ThrOckmorfOn,
the Hero of Truth stranger
Than Fiction.

shrewdnesS and bravery Ia attention 10
his duties. He was also in the late war
between the North and the South, serving
first as Quartermaster upon the staff OF
Breckenridge, and subsequently being
with Buekner and Bragg in the same
capacity thereby obtaining the rank OF
Major. In this war. as in the war with
Mexico, he acquitted himself with brave
ry and judgment. He was the personal
friend of these several Generals, and all
of them liked him, not only because he
was more than an ordinarily good man
in his official capacity, but for the reason
that he was intelligent aud educated and
good companion. But it was not
Throckmorton war record that gained
him his notoriety.
THRoCKAoRToE' "GHosT."
1t was a woman. Her name was Ellen
Goodwin, aud twenty-three years of her
life were passed in teaching the man
contritiOn. As early as 1852 the public
began to talk of John Throckmorton and
John ThroekmortUn' ) ghost" Wherever
John Throckmorton was seen shabbily
dressed girl followed after him, logged
him with her presence and haunted him
like a nightmare. If be left his hotel in
the morning to walk down the street this
shadow in dingy black appeared promptly
at his heels. saying not word. nor
breathing 10 those who observed au init
nation of her purpose. IF John Throck-
morton was at his club this woman hung
faithfully about the doors until be made
his appearance, and then wherever he
went she followed until perhaps he sought
refuge in his private chamber, where
bolts aud bars kept her back. No matter
if it raiued pitcbforks, If 1t was hotter tsan
Hades, or colder than the breath of the
Arctic. John Throekmorlon appeared not
in public but that his shadow WAS close
st hand to torment him with her presence.
to taunt him with his crime, to teach him
repentance. Her image was ever before
his eyes; she perched about him as relent-
lessly as Edgar Allen Poe's raven sat
upon.
The palid bust of Paras,
Just above bis chamber door,
not a prophet or thing of evil but a
woman full of vengeance, full of determi-
nation, D woman scorned.
Thsckmorton went to Boston, 10 New
York, 10 Philadelphia, to New Orleans,
but il was the same. His shadow was
faith full in its pursuit. 1t couldn't be
lodged. Even when this maa sought re-
fuge and surcease in the army, his shadow.
like a Nemesis, was still on his track,
JOhn Thockmorton grew gray, and thin,
and shaky with age, the girl grew int
a woman, and with her maturer woman
hood came increasing determination. She
wosld make him suffer; she would teach
him coutrition. The picture has been
a thousand times on the streets of Louis
Vile. \ tall, slim man with white side
whiskers, white hair, n face expressing
mingled modification aud recklessness in
front, a woman, stability dressed. ana
closely vailed, shrinking along behind.
"Throckmortou aud mis- ghost, whis-
pered the spectators, as the two marched
silently down on the street.
'The woman he ruined, speaks another
voice.
The woman he soOrns, rather" says
somebody else
THE woman who will die at his heels,
says another still aud 80 they all talk.
john Throck and Ellen Go1w:n
keep up this weary journey trough life.
Ii is rare that they speak to each other.
Occasionally Throckmorton breaths an
oath or q threat, but the woman only
SMILES. She is carrying out her purpose
What does she care what Throckmorton
says, or what the world thinks Some
say she Is insane, but those who know
her best say not. Throektaortsu, among
his friends, laughs the matter away, and
refers TO Tire woman
suIs HELLs DELIGHT"
But his prelensiOn Of carelessness is all
assumed. Upon one occasion, as the story
goes, be meets her on bitter cold day in
the SecOnd-street market and curses her
For once the woman's temper gets the bet
ter Of her. She seizes an ignoble weapon,
a frozen rabbit, aud in the twinkling Of
an eye John Tbrock morton has received q
blow across the face aud is lying stretch
ed out upon the sidew ak. Upon another
occasion there is, according TO public es
timony, a dramatic scene in the moGt Il Of
an alley. Throckmorton has become des-
perate. lie meets his "Helrs Delight"
and brings forth razor 10 cut her throat.
Size throws back her vail with smile OF
scorn, and says:
"Kill me, John Throck M rtou, but kiss
me first" The man becomes powcriess
with awe at the reckless bearing o. the
woman and fees from her sight, but soon
she is on his trail again, and it is he old
old story of "Th rock mOrton and his ghost.
At the expiration OF tweuty-three year
a trial takes place in The Louisville CHAINS
Gerry Court. Ellen Goodwin is charged
with lunacy by John Throckmorton, and
an inquest is held The Court house is
filed TO overlooking, ami the excitment
is intense. The prosecuting witness, with
scores Oh OtEtE v lknt7Scs 10 UhChf At4lS
the history of the long years that the ac-
cused has logged his footsteps.
ELLEN GoDwINs STORY.
After while Ellen Goodwin is placed
upon the stand to tell her story. She was q
girl but fifteen years of age she says when
she first met this man ThrockmOrton. He
sought her out at home, and she learned
to love him, subsequently falling vic
l. Eyau e.
this al loved the man she said, $50 pas
sionately that l found the desire 10 be at
his side irresistible. ] began to follow
him upon the streets, because loved him.
He laughed at me and spoke sneeringly
of me TO his friends. lie forgot the prom
Uses be had made me, and | forgot my love
for him. l learned TO hate him. Before
| had followed about after him because
worshiped him. Now | determined to
follow him because he had scorned me,
and because hated him as intensely as 1
had loved him. | sought to teach him
oontrition. but he was too proud TO repent,
too stubborn 10 seek my forgivness, and
| was too resolute to forget my purpose,
and so day after day aud night after n g ht
have been upon his track. have suffered
and so has be.'
Upon the occasion of this trial. Ellen
Goodwin stood the cross examination of the
counsel for the prosecution as firmly as
she had carried out her purpose of teach
ing John Throck morton that woman
scorned is a woman wronged. The jury,
without leaving their seats decided that
the defendant was a sane woman; and the
court promptly dismissed the petition OF
John Throckmorton asking that she be
committed to the lunatic asylum This
trial, however, parted Throckmorton and
his ghost. Ellen Goodwin declared that
she had exposed her faithless lover suiIi-
cientlE and gave up her intention of teach
ing him contrition. The counsel upon the
trial were w. K. Thompson and Albert S.
Willis for the prosecution, Hon. +. Y.
Parsons and Mark Munday for the de-
Tense. Mr.. Parsons made such an elo
quent appeal fer his client that he became
q great fayorite with the public, and was
subsequently, sent to Congress-it has al
wars been said upou the strength of this