Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-02-12
A WONDERFUL STORY.

The Strange History of an Eminent Law
ger of Pittsfield-A Forger. He Stimulates
Death, and Views His Own Funeral from
Chamber Window.
Truth is sometimes as strange, if not
stranger than fiction. Many years ago a
Berkshire county, Massachusetts, whose
details are calculated to tax credulity, and
yet they are literally true.
In passing, we may say, for the infor-
nation of the readers Of the GLOBE, that
Berkshire, the westernmost county of the
state, in the warm season of the year,
is perfectly delightful, styled by
way of eminence, "the hill country" and
and often called the "the Switzerland Of
America" Pittsfeld, in this county,
was one of the most delightful of rural
villages, and its society refined and cult
waited
In this village some sixty to eighty or
more years ago was practicing lawyer
by the name of Thomas Gold. He gained
prominence in his profession and wealth
by his practice. He was tall, well-pro-
portioned, genteel IN dress and suave in
manner. His residence, for those days,
was palatial in its appearance, with most
delightful surroundings. He was hon.
ored with many official positions of re-
spectability and responsibility.
| But his methods as a legal practitioner
and in his private transactions were not
free from criticism or suspicion. If he
was not regarded as Il down right knave,
he was generally regarded as addicted to
Htricks that were valn.''
Some sixty years ago, Theodosia Her
rick, an English lass, then some 2oyears of
age, became domestic in the
family of Thomas Gold. She
was bright, intelligent, with considerable
mental culture and had remarkably re-
tentive memory and habits of close OBJ
servatlon. She proved herself to be a COM
petent and invaluable domestic servant,
and remained in the Gold family for many
years. She was possessed of the secrets
of tie family, and of one
secret, especially, of a most
extraordinary character. But she carried
the family secrets locked faithfully in her
breast. till the Gold family broke up.
Thomas Augustus, the only son of
Thomas Gold, was, also, lawyer, man
without tact or real discretion, tyrannical
and heartless. He foolishly hated Theode-
STA and seemed to bear her bitter grudge
because he knew she was possessed of a
most vital family secret. Instead of pla-
eating her, he roughly cast her off. Still
she carried her secret faithfully locked in
her own breast, till long after Thomas
Augustus died and the Gold family was
broken up and dispersed
On the 30th day of last January, Theo-
dosia Herrick died at the House of Mercy
in Pittsfeld, in the e3rd year of her age.
After the Colds had offended and cast
her off, and after the death of the son as
before stated, Theodosia revealed the
great family secret. She told it with an
air of revengeful acrimony. Her story
was written up, and published in one
Of the Pittsfeld village papers
some four years ago, and produced a
great sensation, as it received ready
credence. Indeed her story did but con-
| firm the vague suspicious which had been
INDUCED in by many for many years
None seemed to doubt Theodosias verac-
ity, and she was wont to affirm that her
revelation was "as true as John Todd's
preaching"
Her secret is this: Thomas Gold, to re-
lieve pecuniary embarrassment, produced
by the extravaganza of himself and his
aristocratic family, committed forgery.
The fact was becoming known; the truth
of the crime was indisputable, and the
penitentiary doors were opening for
his reception. Bold and desperate
in expedients, he had it given out in the
village that he was SICK, dangerously
sick, and soon his convenient and &C
commodating family physician said he
| was dead. A plaster of Paris bust, a
simulated corpse Of Gold, was placed in
a coffin. One night. while Colds
supposed corpse lay in the parlor,
Theodosia found him alive and well
secreted in chamber. She looked into
| the coffin and there saw the plaster bust
Of the lawyer and forger, duly shrouded
for the grave. The funeral was duly at
tended, with al the dolorous
pretensions and habiliments of
! grief and woe. On the day
of the funeral Theodosia caught a
glimpse of Colds face at an upper Win
| dow as he watched the funeral procession
move away.
After that, Theodosia saw Thomas
Gold drive away in the night time, and
knew that in after years, Madame
Gold went occasionally to Canada
to meet her fugitive husband. Theodosla
| remained with Mrs. Gold for a number
of years after the fight of her husband,
and was still with her when strange
box came from Canada, and she knew
that from the box the body of man who
was generally supposed to have been
dead several years, was taken and
| secretly inferred IN the Gold family