The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-09-01
A NOTORIOUS WOMAN.

AFTER Years of RiotOus Living, with Political
Influence and Wealth at Command, She
Finds Death in an Almshouse.
Philadelphia Times.
There died in the hospital of the aims.
house. yesterday, woman who was known
on the register as Emma Thompson" but
whose career a quarter of a century ago,
under the name of Emma Jacobs" had
national notoriety. She was born in Lam
caster county over seventy years ago. Her
lie IN Philadelphia began at an early age and
1t was In this city that she started her re-
markable career. Her powers of fascination
were marvellous and some of the most promi-
nent men in the country wed with each other
to win her smile and favor The amounts
OF money she received from these men aggre-
gated thousands of dollars a year. Her
beauty is said by those who remember herin
her best days to have been of a type that
compelled admiration from all who saw her,
ana Daniel Webster said of her: "She has
the most perfect carriage of any woman I
have ever seen.''
She rapidly acquired wealth and built sew
eral houses i'll what is now Bryan's court a
little street running off from Cherry, between
Seventh and Eighth. The houses she rented
and by reinvesting the income her means in
creased until at one time her property was
valued at $60,000 large sum in those days.
The corner house she occupied herself. Here
she held court for gentlemen of leisure, as
well as lawyers and men of letters, her house
being the resort at times for some of tho
brightest intellects in the country. While
Congress was in session it was her custom
to go to Washington, and it was there that
some OF her most remarkable conquests
occurred. She is said to have COM
pletely fascinated at least one President of the
United States and nearly all the leading men
in Washington from 1850 to go made her
rooms rendezvous. So great was her infu-
ence over the members of Congress that her
value as lobbyist was known to corpora.
hons and individuals, and many important
bills were passed through her instrument
atty. Probably the only man who ever won
her affection was a preacher, named Thomp-
son, Virginian, whom she married. Thomp-
son afterwards lost his reason and was placed
IN the insane ward of the almshouse, where
he died three years ago. Previous to this
event Mrs. Thorn pSon'S charms began to fade
and she had disappeared from public notice.
Her old-time shrewdness seemed to disap-
pear and in few months she lost nearly
all that she had spent her life in acquiring.
Her properties on Cherry street were
gradually encountered with mortgages and,
finally losing them, she became absolutely in
want. During Thompson's incarceration in
the mad-house his wife visited him nearly
every visiting day, constantly supplying him
with an abundance of delcacies. Her face
was well known to the officials of the insti-
tuition, and she was supposed to be worth
considerable money.
On the 18th day of November, 1884, she
presented herself at the gateway of the in
sttution with the remark that she had come
to stay. The gate-keeper was surprised; and
refused to believe her statement. ut is
true" she replied, and pulling out card of
admission signed by guardian Chambers she
handed 1t to the man and burst into tears.
She left enough money to pay for her funeral
expenses and will be buried by William S.
Moore probably on Thursday.