Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-18
Curious Story froim Kcntucky,
CHARGES OF coNsPIRAcY-LEAr ERoM FAMILY

HISTORY.
A telegram from Louisville, Ky, December
Is says: Last week Friday detective arrested
| in this city young man named Griffin Forwood
on charge Of conspiring to murder farmer
! named Thomas S. Elder. The local papers at
the time devoted large amount Of space to
Elders story, as it was sensational in the ex-
treme. His statement was substantially
| as follows: Young Forwood, impelled by
strong infatuation for Elders wife.
had, in order to get him out of the
way, not only attempted to assassinate
him on three different occasions, but had tried
to hire negro named TOmlin to aid him In
killing Elder and kidnapping his wife. The negro.
Iomhn. asserted that ForNcod approached him
aid offered him money to aid him In his plot.
that he. (fOmlin.) with desire to expose the
crime, pretended to enter heartily into the con-
spiracy and that Forwo God then instructed him
to meet him at a railway station, whence they
were to proceed to Eastwood. the home Of Elder
and accomplish the double crime. Tomlin fur
ther asserted that on leaving ForwOod he i'm
mcdiately placed the story in the hands of the
police and in consequence of his and Elders
charges young FOrwOod was arrested as he was
about to take the train. When ForwoOd was
presented to court he was put under $500
bonds, and the case was continued until to-day.
He is a young man of excellent breeding and
belongs to one of the wealthiest families in JEFF
ferson county.
ForwOOd. Immediately after his arrest en-
gagged counsel, and the latter set to work to
make up the defense. In the brief periOd of a
week ne has succeeded in unearth!ny evidence
which not only clears his client, but which shows
that the only conspirator in the case is Elder
himself and that the charges against Forwood
are trumped up as cloak to conceal the machi-
nations OF the accuser. 1t appears that some
years ago Samuel F. Tucker. the father of Thos
S. Elders wife. died, and by his will left his
large and valuable estate to his four children,
share and share alike. If any of them were to
die without issue, their portion was to go to the
other children. Two of Them Hiram Tucker
and another, died without children and their
property. under the provisions of the will.
went to the two remaining. Mrs. Thomas Elder
and Clarence Tucker. a young lad then at school.
Before his death Hiram Tucker sold his interest
In the estate to man named Forsyth. giving
the latter fee simple title and invested the
proceeds in other lands. After Hiram died
Thomas 5. Elder brought suit against Clarence
to obtain control of the latters property, but
failed. On leaving school Clarence sold his life
interest IN the property to W. H. FOrwood,
father of Griffin Ii Clarence were to die his
entire interest in the estate would revert to his
sister, Mrs. Elder. Evidence was produced
showing that during the past two years per-
slstent attempts have been made upon
Clarence fuckers life. He had been shot
the bullet holes in the door. On one
occasion while in bed gun was fired at
him., the bullet penetrating the bed-cloth-
ing, but, fortunately; doing him no injury. An
other time he was waylaid at night and fired
upon. Finally. believing his life to be in immi-
nent danger, he left his home In this county
and went to Nelson county. While there the
family with which he was stopping was aroused
In the middle of the night by loud knocking at
the door. and on opening it man was found
who asked to see Clarence. The latter went to
the door and found it was Elder. The latter
tried to induce him to go out doors, but Tucker
refused, and Elder went away cursing. Since
that time Clarence has been hiding, in constant
fear af assassination.
The story of Forwood's fnfatuation for Mrs
Elder will be dsproved by showing that the &C
cused was but five years and six months old at
the time of her marriage. So all apparent cause
ON FOrWood's part for putting Elder out of the
way is done away with. The defense expects
to show very cOnclusvely that Elders motive
In accusing ForwoOd was to divert suspicion
from himself as the wOuld-be assassin of young
Tucker.