The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-12-20
Louisville and again took up the old

He used to complain that hewas chain
ed to corpse; that his life was blasted,
and that no man ever before endured
such prosecution. No woman would
suIfe- his atte ltions, and he soon gave
up ali idea OF marriage. He grew more
and more moody, and at last he de-
termined to rid himself of histormentor
by violence. The scene resulting from
this determination. as it was after
wards told in court, was most dra-
mate. One night about II o'clock, as
Throckmoiton was walking home
through lonely street, he glanced over
his shoulder and saw his "ghost' few
yards behind silently following him.
He waited in dark alley until she
came up and then he suddenly sprang
out on her. He snatched her veil from
her face and dragged ner by the throat
10 the nearest lamp post.
why do you follow me?" he asked,
his voice trembling with passion. She
made no reply, and clutching her more
firmly by the throat he drew dagger.
She made no altemptto resist him, and
just as the dagger was about to be
plugged into her breast she cried out,
half choked and every instant expect
ing death: "KiI! me, John, but kiss
me first" Throckmorton threw the
dagger away, pushed the woman aside
and fed before he would be tempted
again.
AtlengSh Throckmorton could stand
it no longer, and Ellen Goodwin was ar
rested at his instance and tried for
lunacy. The old Court House in Lou
isviile, where Hen y Clay and the Crit
tendens had many hard fought battle
in days long gone by, was packed as it
never was before or since. The most
eminen: legal talent was employed, and
the eviderce was Of the most sensa-
tional character. Ellen Goodwin was
put on the stand and was 81 zen a most
severe cross-eSamination. Her answers
were clear and intelligent and, after
hours of the closest questioning, the
opposing law:-er were forced to admit
that they could make nothing of her.
Poems written by her, essays and ar
ticles on various subjects, were read to
the jury, and at last her lawyer, young
Ely Parsoas, arose to defend her. He
was a MAJ of commanding presence, a
trained elocutionist and rarely gifted
orator. Fo:: four hours he kept the au-
dience ENHANCED. He told, in ali It's
dramatic details, the story of Ellen
Goodwin. He went over the scene of
The midnight meeting and argued that
the woman had simply been wronged
ard was selling justice. He pointed
to her wan. haggard face, he- delicate
frame, and conrsasted the wreck that
stood before them with the beautiful,
gentle, &c 1det 81 Il John Throckmorton
had fist met. His peroration was
masterpiece, and when he sat down the
jury, without rising frcn their seats,
found her sane. Then the lawyer and
client Wee bone away by shouting
thousands and such scenes were enacted
as were neve" before witnessed in that
sombre Old corrt. DOM. A few moaths
Later Parsonswes elected to Congress be-
cause. of the-speech. From the day of
he- acquittal Ellen Goodwin never
agail followed Throckmorton. He let
the city and died few years al yerwards:
alone: on his p'anta. on in Mississippi,
far from friends and relatives.
After his death Ellen Goodwin grew
weaker and weaker The strength
which had boz ne he; up through all
tne years Of her une amp ed pu suit
gave way. She wrote full history of
her life, for which Chicago publishing
house offered be: $4,000. She refused
the offer, saying that the book should
be buried with her.
One day she went to Cave Hill Gene
tet:, one of the most beautiful burying
grounds i1 the world, just outside
Louisville, and told her sister, who had
followed her through all the dreary
years with perfect devotion, that in
one particular spot she wished to be
bu,ied, dressed as a bride, with the
book containing all her trials and her
wrongs upon her breast. A week af-
forwards she was laid 10 rest there, aid
a little marble slab at the head of the
grave is all that tells the story of her
most eventful life.