The Indianapolis journal., 1884-07-03
ARoNANTIc HIsroRY.
Incidents in the Life fthe Man Whose Career
Ended in Prisons

AnclQenCB III the Lie OF the Man whose career
Ended in Prisons
r. N. Goodwin was quite well known in Indian
apois, and the crime for which he was sent to the
penitentiary is still fresh in the recollection of
most journal readers The history of the man is
romance. He belonged to one of the most rep
utable families in the State. Rev. Thomas A.
Goodwin, Of this city, is his brother, and his
relatives are all most estimable people. He was
given good education and entering the army
early in the beginning Of the war, he
rose from a lieutenant to the com
mand of the Thirty ty-seventh Indiana regiment
His career during the war was a brilliant one,
and when his regiment was mustered out of
service he was brevetted a brigadier- general He
began the practice of law at Nashville but re-
manned there only year, and came to Indianap-
oils For years he was a member of the law firm
of Morrow, Goodwin & Hay.
From a habit which began growing upon him
while in the war, he became an excessive drink
or, and it is said that during the last few years
preceding his downfall there was hardly day
that he drank less than a quart of whisky,
and often as much as two quarts Much as he
drank, he was never known to stagger. The
consequence of his excessive drinking
was frequent attacks of delirium tremens
resulting in most pronounced case Of
dips0mania. Becoming wholly incapable of
attending to business, he abandoned his profess
sion and returned to his old home, to live with
his mother, with the hope of overcoming the in
hrmities which had fastened upon him He was
already physical wreck, however, and was be-
Yond cure He became violent and dangerous
IN his insane freaks. and in September, 1879 he
was sent to the Insane Asylum. His conduct
became more RATIONAL and, as it appeared that
he had recovered his mind sufficiently to no
longer be dangerous, he was released on the 29th
of April, having been confined in the asylum Just
nine months, He refused to leave the
asylum until the same man who had
brought him there came to take him
away. He returned to Brookville, and
had been there only Ave Gays when he com
mitted the murder for which he was sent to
prison. His brother, John r. Goodwin, a
banker and physician at BrookVille had re-
turned home from the Methodist General Con-
ference, of which he was a delegate, then in ses-
sion at Cincinnati Robert shot him dead in the
street. without word, upon meeting him. The
tragedy created great sensation at the time
DIR. Goodwin was one of the foremost citizens Of
his section of the State. Robert was indicted
for murder. The trial was one of the most re-
markable ever held in the State Jonathan w
Gordon and Judge Lamb Of this city, were his
eounsels and the defense was insanity A YER
dict of guilty was returned by the jury before
which the case was tried and he was sen
sentenced to Imprisonment for life The case
was appealed to the Supreme Court, and in 1882
was affirmed An effort was made to obtain
new hearing of the case, but a week ago Judge
Elliott refused to grant the motion. Major Cor
don received no compensation for his services as
the counsel OF Goodwin, but he was most assid-
uous in his efforts to obtain the acquittal of the
prisoner for the reason, as he states, that he be-
lieyed Goodwin was insane when the murder
was committed. At all times Goodwin
has claimed that he had no recollec
tion Of the killing, and his counsel
have been unable to elicit from him anything
indicating that he was conscious of having com
mitted the crime. When it was announced last
week that Judge Elliott had overruled the mo-
ton for new hearing Of tho case, Major Gordon
remarked to Journal reporter that Goodwin
would kill himself within week. He has fire.
4uently made the threat since his imprisonment
chat he would take his life whenever lie lost ali
hope for obtaining his release from prison. Yes
terday morning. when the door to his cell was
opened, It was discovered that he was dying
During the night he had taken poison, which he
had obtained in some unknown manner He
was beyond recovery By medical aid, and died
within an hour