Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-06-18

her TO be interviewed Oy any one, IrleDO or |
Toe. He stated that they had suborned this
girl BY threats and intimidation, threatening
her with prosecution and the penitentiary in
the event that she refused to aPpesr in court
and prosecute him for abduction and seduc-
ton. He asked me If they had right
thus to detain this girl in the Mission Home,
without the privilege OF communication with
friend or foe. answered him very promptly
that no such thing could be done in Mem
phis, and that l should investigate the mat
ter on the following day, and if 1 found 1t
10 be true that the girl was so incarcerated,
1 should take immediate steps for her re-
lease, and that | should at once take steps
against an Institution that would allow such
an outrage.
Ques.-What did he tell you about the
connecting him with the young
woman Ans.-He stated 10 me that he was
coming to Memphis TO Mardi Gras in 1881
that on the same train with him was Miss
Eudora Watkins, en- route for Shakertown,
XIV. He stated that she expressed an in
cliuation TO come by Memphis and attend
the Mardi-Gras celebration, and only hesi-
tated to do so on the grounds that her friends
were expecting her, and that her prepare
tions had not been msde with 4 view 10 any
thing of the kind. He said he told her if
she wanted TO come 10 Memphis he would
give her his escort and see that she was
properly cared for at the hotel. He said
Lndt aittE dITlNluE dA hcupuls ne sECuIcu
her q room at the hotel, and went to a COS
tuners and obtained costume for her in
which to attend the ball; that they attended
the ball together; that at its close ne carried |
her back to the hotel; that the next even |
ing they left the city on the Charleston |
train and stopped over at Grand Junction, |
where he obtained for her a room in which |
to wait for the train to carry her on to
Shakertown; that during the night there was |
some excitement gotten up among the per-
sons about the hotel, indicating a suspicion |
on their part that he and the young lady
were occupying the same room; that their
arrest was ordered four times during the
night; that he explained the matter salts
fsctorily by showing by the servant that he
had ordered a bucket of coal for the young
lady, and his presence in her room was only
to see that she had obtained it. She went on
to Shakertown and he went home 10 Oxford;
that on the 9th of March she wrote him
letter expressing her desire to return to Ok
ford and attend school; that he wrote to her;
that he took friendly interest in her, and
told her TO come back to Oxford and that
he would endeavor to secure her position
in the school. She did not reply to that let
ter and he did not hear from her again
for some months, though writing to her
repeatedly, and that he wrote to several per-
sons at the place she had been inquiring
about her, but TO no effect; that finally, in
tue fall, she wrote to him that che was COM
ing, and did come to Oxford; that being de-
layed on the route she did not reach Oxford
on the day she was expected, and her father,
becoming uneasy, started on the o'clock
train TO meet her; that she arrived on the
O'Clock train, and that he met her after she
hadksecured lodgings for the night at the
house of colored woman; that he asked
her Why she did not go out to her fathers;
she stated that she did not know the way in
= ..1nna
from town, and she had never been there,
and that secondly, she did not care to
go out there until her father returned
and went with her, as his wife was
her stepmother and unkind to her;
that on Saturday night he (Thompson) took
the young girl out to her fathers, that gentle
man having returned; that after they had
been there a short time the father of the
girl said to him, that he had heard that there
was much scandalous talk about Thompson
and his daughter; that he said to the father
that he supposed there had been, and that he
and Mics EudorS must acknowledge that
they had acted mprudently but nothing more;
that she assented to this; that when he went
to leave the girl expressed an unwillingness
to remain at her fathers house on account of
the scandalous talk and the opposition of her
stepmother; that he declined to carry her
back to town, but told her he would secure a
boardiRghouse the next day and arrange to
get her into the school; that in a few DAYS
he learned that the girl had accused him of
abduction and seduction; that first she stated
that it occurred in November, at
Oxford, and that afterward che stated that
it was in Memphis, on the 1st of March,
during Mardi Gras. He stated that his enc
mics had gone TO this girl, and by intimida-
ton, threats and terrorizing, had forced her
to appear in the courts as a witness against
him; that they had taught her what to say,
and had threatened her with prosecution and
the pentitentiary if she did not so testify; that
she and her father had both told him of
these schemes on the part of his enemies. He
said he was satisfied that if this girl could
feel treasured, and be relieved of the fear
and terror that possessed her, by reason of
the intimidation brought to bear, she would
state the matter Just as he had stated it;
that he was satisfied the girl would not in her
heart wilfully do him injustice; and that his
only desire was that she should be relieved
from her present embarrassing imprison-
ment and assured that she could, without
fear of injury from any source, speak the
truth; that all he wanted was Justice and
truth in the matter, and that he intended to
have it at all hazards. He spoke OF having
a number OF letters from this girl that would
sustain him in all he said.
Ques.-What steps did you take then, Gen
eral, regarding the matter? Ans.-On the
next day, in company with Chief of Police
Davis, visited the Mission Home and had
an interview with MISS Eudora Watkins. /
told her who l was, and assured her that
under no circumstances could harm befall
her by uttering the truth; that l wanted TO
hear her side, and that l wanted her to tell
me the truth aud only the truth. stated
to her that l had heard that she had been
inundated and was restraiaed of her lib
erty without her consent and against her
will, and that if such was the fact desired,
without delay, to relieve her. In an intelli-
gent, clear and lucid manner she detailed TO
me the story Of the episode in her life in con-
nection with Mr.. Thompson. She denied
having been inundated terrorized by
anyone except Thompson. She said he had
persuaded her TO visit Memphis, and that
she had thought him a friend from his
manner and speech; that in Memphis he had
drugged her with wine, thus rendering her
incapable OF resisting; and that under those
circumstances he had accomplished her ruin
and blighted her life; that they had visited
Grand Junction, where he again accom-
plished his purpose; that from that time for
ward she had been strangely under his in
auence; that she feared him, and was in
capable of resisting his commands; that he
had kept her at the house OF the negro wo-
man Tor some time, and had terrorized her
constantly, and had shot at her three times;
that che was afraid of Thompson, and be-
lleNSu ne NOuIu MIL IL ne idu CuduCc,
though she regarded him a coward in
heart; that Mr.. Murray and Mr.. Butler had
at last come to her assistance; that they had
been the only friends she had met; that they
advised her TO go into the courts and tell the
truth, which she had done, and
expected to do again; that they kind
" provided her home with the
ladies of the Mission, since she had none
else where; tina the ladies of the Mission had
treated her in the most kindly and consider
ate manner; that she was perfectly contented
where she was; that she never expected to
be happy again anywhere; that she was at
the Mission Home with her own free consent,
and did not desire to be anywhere else. She
spoke in the most courteous and grateful
terms of Mrs. Johnson Mrs. Hall, Miss o.
borne, and the other ladies of the Home
She said she did not desire to see nor hear
from Sam Thompson, for she regarded him
as a deep-dyed villain and looked upon him
with holy horror ard terror. With my
knowledge of human nature, and from my
constant intercourse with it In all its phases,
| must say that the young lady impressed
zoe with the conviction that she was truth
ful, and her manner seemed to be that
Of q good girl who realized that her
life had been blighted by a terrible
calamity. l advised her 10 remain at the
Home, under the care OF those good ladies,
and that when the time should come for her
20 appear in court TO do SO, and speak the
truth, without fear and without dissimula-
ton and without concealment. This she
promised 10 do, and l bid her good bye.
This is all know about the Thompson case.
am sorry that Mr.. Thompson has become
Involved in this unfortunate affair, for al
ways knew him as a gentleman, and be has
a noble wife and pure and elegant daughter.
Ques-Is he regarded as a peaceful or
quarrelsome man?
The General failing TO answer, a man in
the party answered for him that Thompson
wss a very Grabbed man. The General
answered that he was a brave and danger
Gus man.