The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-08-13
ThrOckmOrton,s &c Ghost.n

cohIllIioH. AS early as 1892 the public
began to talk of John Throckmorton
and John Throckmorton's "ghost. y
Wherever John Throckmorton was seen
shabbily dressed girl followed after
him, logged him with her presence and
haunted him like q. nightmare. If he
left his hotel in the morning to walk
down the street, this shadow in dinov
black would appear promptly at his
heels, saying not q word nor breathing
to those who observed an intimation Of
her purpose. If John Throckmorton
was at his club this woman hung faith
fully about the door until he made his
appearance, and then wherever he went
she followed until perhaps he sought
refuge in his private chamber, where
bolts and bars kept her back. No mat
ter If 1t rained pitchforks, if it were hot
ter than hades or colder than the breath
OF the Arctic, John Throckmorton ap-
peared not in public but that his shadow
was close at 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 abou. him as relentlessly as
Edgar Allen Poe's raven sat upon
"The pallid bust of Pallas, ,l..
Just above his chamber door," .
not phrophet or thing of evil, but a
woman full of vengeance, full of deter
animation, woman scorned
Throckmorton went to Boston, to
New York, to Philadelphia, to New Or
leans, but it was all the same. His
shadow was faithful in its pursuit. 1t
couldn't be lodged. Even when this
man sought refuge and surcease in the
army his shadow, like a Nemesis, was
still on the track. John Throckmorton
grew gray, and thin, and shaky with
age; the girl grew into a woman, and
with her maturer womanhood came in
creased determination. She would make
him suffer; she would teach him contri-
ton. The picture has been seen a
thousand times on the streets of Louis
vile. A tall, slim man with white side
whiskers, white hair and face express
ing mingled modification and reckless
ness,in front; a woman, shabbily dressed
and closely yelled, shrinking along be-
hind.
COll anu SuOoUf Wills
pered the spectators, as the two marched
silently down the street.
"The woman he ruined" speaks an
other voice.
"The woman he scorns, rather" says
somebody else.
"The woman who will die at his
heds," says another still, and Sc they al
talk.
John Throckmorton and Ellen Good
win keep up this weary journey through
life. 1t is rare that they SPEAK to each
other. Occasionally Throckmortor
breathes an oath or a threat, but the
woman only smiles. Sho 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
Throckmorton, among his friends
laughs the matter away, but his preten
sion of carelessness is all assumed. Up
on one occasion, as the story goes, he
meets her on bitter cold day in thu
Second Street market and curses her
For once, the woman's temper gets the
better of her. She seizes an ignoblt
weapon, frozen rabbit, and in the
twinkling of an eye John Throckmortor
has received blow across the face ant
is lying stretched out upon the sidewalk
Upon another occasion there is, accord
ing to public testimony, dramatic
scene in the mouth of an alley. Throck
morton has become desperate. He meet
her and brings forth razor to cut he
throat. She throws back her veil will
q smile of scorn and says: . ...
"Kill me, John Throckmorton, bu
kiss me first .....
The man becomes powerless with awe
at the reckless bearing of the woman
and fees from her sight, but soon sht
is on his trail again, and it is the old
old story of "Throckmorton and hi.
ghost"
At the expiration of twenty-thret
years trial takes place in the Louisville
Chancery Court. Ellen Goodwin il
charged with lunacy by John Throck
morton, and an inquest is held. Tht
Court house is filled to OVERLOOKING, anC
the excitement is intense. The prose
cutting witness, with scores of other wit
nesses to back him, tells the history O
the long years that the accused has dog
ged his footsteps.
After while Ellen Goodwin is placed
upon the stand to tell her story. She
was girl but fifteen years of age, sh'
says, when she first met this mar
Throckmorton. He sought her out a
home and she learned to love him, sub
sequently falling victim to his licen
tious caresses. Even after this 'IloveC
the man," she said, $50 passionately
that found the desire to be at his side
irresistible. began to follow him upor
the streets solely because | loved him
He laughed at me and spoke sneeringl.
of me to his friends. He forgot thu
promises he had made me, and forgo
| my love for him. learned to hate him
Before l had followed about after hin
because / worshipped him. Now de
termined to follow him because he ha6
scorned me and because hated him az
intensely as l had loved him. sought
to teach him contrition, but he was toe
proud to repent, too stubborn to seef
my forgiveness, and was too resolutt
to forget my purpose, and so day after
day and night after night | have beer
upon his track. l have suffered and Sc
has he."
Upon the occasion of this trial Eller
] Goodwin stood the examination anc
J nf tho aOnncal fO1. thf