The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-09-27
DYING ArLAsT 1NPovERrY'
A Former Queen Of the Lobby Ex.
iDires in An AImbou.A.

A Former Queen OF the Lobby Ex.
pires in An AImhouse.
There died in the Eckp,,sl Of the
almshouse Ut Phi,adclphia last Agy4 4
woman who was known on the register
as emma Thompson" but whose career
a quarter ola century ago, under the
name Of Emma tacobr,'' had national
notoricty. Ste was born In Lancaster
county over seventy years 6g6: Her
lie in Philadelphia, says the Times, he
gan at an early age and it vas in this
city that she started her remarkable
career. Her powers Of fascination were
marvellous and Some of the most PROM
inent men in the country We'd with eacl,
otter to win her smile and favor. The
amounts of morsy she received from
these men aggregated thousands of dol
lsrs a year. Her beauty is said bv those
who remembered her in her best days
to have been ola type that compe He'd
admiration from all who saw her, and
Daniel Webster said of her: "She has
the most perfect carriage of any woman
l hav: ever seen"
She rapidly acquired wealth and Guilt
several houses In what is now Bryan's
court, little street running of from
Cherry between Seventh and Eighth.
The houses she rented and by reinvest-
ing the income her means increased TN.
til at one time her property vas valued
at &0, 600, large sum in those days.
The corner house she occupied herself.
Here she held court for gentlemen of
leisure, as we'll as lawyers and gentle.
man OF letters, her houss being the re-
60 <>e b..
intelIects IN the country. While congress
was in session it was her custom to 20 to
Washington, and it was there that some
Cured. She is said to have completely
fascinated at least one president of the
United States, and nearly all the leading
men in Westinghouse 1850 to 30 made
her rooms a rendezvous. So great was
her influence over the members of con-
gress that her value as q lobbyist was
known to corporations and individuals,
and many important bills were passed
throuch her fundamentally. Probably
the only man who ever won her afiec.
ton was preacher named Thompson, q
Virginian, whom she married. Ihomp.
son aftcrward lost his reason and was
placed in the insane ward of the aims
house, where he died three years ago.
Previous to this event Mrs.
Thompson's charms began to fade and
she had disappeared from public notice.
her old tine shreweness s. emed to dis.
appear, and in a few months she lost
nearly all that she had spent her life in
acquiring. Her properties on Cherry
street were gradually encountered vita
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 delicacies. Her
face was welI-known by the officials oil
the institution and she was supposed tc
be worth considerable money.
On the 2Sth day of November, 1881,
she presented herself at the gateway oi
the ms tuition with the remark that she
had come to stay. The gatekeeper was
surprised, and refused to believe her
statement. ut is trne," said she, and
pulling out card of admission signed
by Guardian Chambers, she handed it tc
the man and burst into tears. She LEFT
enough money to pay for her funera..
expenses.-New York Star.