River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-03-11
MRS. EMMA THOMPSON,
Died Aug. %, 1888,
Aged IS years.


In the casket was outlined the form
of tall and finely proportional wo
man, clothed in plain black shroud
which, showed no signs of decay The
dead wOman's request having been
complied with as near as it could be
the lid was replaced and the coffin again
lowered into the grave.
Wilson Pennington, Representative
of the largest shippers of hides at the
Chicago stock yards, residing at G47
Garden street. in that city, has in his
possession a pair of slippers made from
tanned human skin. Its identity ha.
been established to his satisfaction by
the promised aflidavits of two
physicians who three years ago were
students at Jefferson College, thi.
city These students had bargained
for the body of Emma Jacobs fol
diSsecting purposes, and received what
purported to be her body. The skin
was removed, and pieces of it were
handed around 10 their friends as
souvenirs. Mr.. Pennington only las
week paid $50 for the tanning of 3
piece of this skin, which, il is now
shown, could not have been taken
from the body of Emma Jacobs, as the
elimination of her remains on FRIDAY
proved that they had been uudistur0ed.
Emma Jacobs was born in Lancaster
city in 1905, of poor German parents.
From babyhood Emma was perverse,
and though she early developed a
precocious intelligence, through heI
own peryersity and her parents petting
she was permitted to grow up in those
days OF primitive school privileges
with no attempt at education. Self
willed by nature, her waywardnass
grew with her growth, until before
she had lived through her teens she
threw off even the shadow of parental
restraint and early in the twenties
came 10 Philadelphia. In her later
years she was wont to charge her
downfall to the Vaccinations of James
Buchanan, then a member of the
State Legislature, who subsequently,
entered Congress, and whose after
public career was in the United State
Senate and the diplomatic service OF
the Government as its highest repre-
sentative at the Courts of the Car and
St. James's, ending in the Presidential
chair. This charge, however, was
never made until after the death of the
distinguished statesman. A brother
and sister living at the time of the
woman's death denied any knowledge
of it. That the most popular candidate
for the Presidency who was ever
defeated, as well as United States
Senators, Congressman, and State
Legislators, sued for her favor IN the
years of her greatest beauty is attested
by living witnesses. Her beauty is
well remembered by the older residents
of the neighborhood of Sixth and
Cherry streets, where she lived dur
ing her career of half a century. Her
presence was regal, her form superb,
rer features beautiful and enhanced by
a complexion which stood the severe
test of time and even the drinking
habits of her later years. Her dress
was always rich and in perfect taste,
her wit was keen, and though she was
deficient in the graces of acquired
education, her natural intelligence
and shrewdness was far above the
average.
Mrs. John q. Wenzel, the confidante
and recipient of her bounty i'm life, her
friend in death, and heir to a portion
of her trinkets and memory rich in
Renaissance, is still living near the
scene of her greatest conquests. This
old-time friend, who read and wrote for
her the letters which she received and
sent, remembers the autograph letter
sent by Henry Clay to the enchantress,
accompanying a portrait now in the
possession of one of the most prominent
specialists, DIR. ID. ID. Richardson, ply
stefan in chief of the insane depart
ment of the Philadelphia Hospital. The
coniidante also tells of the visits of a
young Philadelphia lawyer. who has
since become one of the most promi-
nent and eloquent pleaders ut the bar,
and has achieved a national reputation.
The comparative poverty of her early
days in this city tends to refute her
claim to the distinguished protection
which she says she first enjoyed. She
first boarded on Eutaw street, whose
glory has departed. Her imperiOus
temper and the jealousy with which
she insisted upon the supremacy of her
charms continually embroiled her with
her fellow boarders, who drove her to
two rooms in a house in court off
Cherry street, above Sixth, and bought
the furniture from her landlady on in
stallments. Here she lived by herself.
Not even in the days of her greatest
prosperity would she allow another of
her sex to sleep in her house. Hither
her attractions drew train of wealthy
admirers, and she prospered.
Before she had been here many years
she owned every house in the court, sub
ject to ground rent. Her prosperity
was greatest in the Dalmy days of lot
terry and policy, when the agents would
come to her at her houseswhen sent for,
and unnumbered times she has been
known to invest $50 to $40 day. This
game of chance was her ruin at last.
Notwithstanding she had sunk $4,000
without notable successful turn. she
played it up to the day she entered the
almshouse in November, 1881, saying
GOD will be good to me yet. 1t must
come my way some time" To satisfy
the cravings of this passion she heavil,
mortgaged her property. Her only in
come FOR years before her death had
been the rents of houses, but the time
came when it would not cover ground
rents, taxes. interest on the mortgage,
and policy investments. The roof was
sold over her head. She disposed of
her furniture to the omnipresent second
hand man. left her trunks and jewelry
in trust with a tradesman with whom
she had long dealt, to be disposed of
after her death to pay the funeral ex-
penses, and she went to the almshOuse.
OF the events of Emma Jacobs life
those that stand out most prominent,
are the financial ruin of a wealthy mer.
chant, the moral ruin of popular and
eloquent minister of the Gospel. and the
mental ruin of a prominent lawyer, at
one time librarian of the Mercantile
Library. The name of the merchant
has been forgotten. He was French
man, the proprietor of q large establish
ment on Chestnut street. lie went
back to his native country, where he
could no longer supply hers and the
Sheriff's demands. The preacher was
the Rev. Thomas Thompson Taylor.
pastor of the Baptist Church at Fifth and
Gaskill streets, whom she subsequently
married and supported, while he taught
her to read. Taylor was married and
boarded on Arch street with his wife, the
rear of his residence abutting on the
court in which Miss Jacobs lived. She
saw him on the streets, was infatuated
with aim, and became a regular fire.