St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-26
Strange Story Of the Woman
Known as Shroek--Mor-
toms Ghost.
Followed Throughout the
World by the Woman He
Had Wronged.
No Threats Could Intimidate
Her--Hep Trial for
Insanity.
One Of the Most Remarkable
Romanees Of Infidelity
and Revenge.

The death of young Maurice B.
Throckmorton. killed at Birmingham,
Ala, Saturday night while enreating
the mob not to attack the Jail. recalls a
story, says the New York World, as
strange as anything in fiction-a story
as full of dramatic scenes and incidents
as anything that was ever produced
upon the stage, and which has been
four times brought by tragedy to the
memory of those who disliked most to
hear it.
1t was nearly forty years ago that
Maj. John Throckmorton, son of Arts
Throckmorton, and uncle of the young
man killed at Birmingham, was one of
the leaders in the brilliant society of
the old South. He was rich, witty.
handsome. He was the finest type of
the Southern gentleman: impulsive,
generous, kind of heart and open of
hand. He was connected by blood and
marriage with every prominent South
ern family from New Orleans to Louis
vile, and when he came back from
college to live among his people the
fairest prospect was spread out before
Aiius liz NNAt Ia W ShIVs AAlSl oiiet TO
he mad ample means and was a welcome
guest wherever he chose to go, time
slipped by pleasantly enough.
just when pretty Ellen Goodwin came
into his life no one ever knew. In all
the fierce light that afterwards beat
upon them their earlier intimacy re-
NAMED forever buried in mystery, and
both carried the secret to their graves.
Ellen Goodwin lived near Louisville,
and was remarkable for her beauty and
the gentleness of her disposition. She
was well connected and had small
fortune in her own name. Friends of
Throckmorton saw them together for a
time, and then suddenly their intimacy
was discontinued. Throckmorton left
Louisville on pleasure trip and did
not return for several months. a
One stormy, clustering night in JAN
uary. when the snow was beating
against the window panes and the peo-
pie were hurrying in to blazing fires,
Tnrockmorton returned to Louisville
and went direct to the Gault house. a
hotel owned by his father. When he
entered his room he happened to glance
across the street. He saw woman
standing motionless beside gas lamp
directly opposite. She was dressed in
black, and, although he could not see
the face, he recognized the outlines of
her figure. She stood there so silent
and specter-like that he became faSci-
mated and watched her for hours. That
was the first night that ''Throckmor-
toms Ghost was seen.
1t was the beginning of what was to
last without interruption for twenty
years. The dark shadow that he saw
from his hotel window that night was
to follow him all over the world; it was
to be with him i'll the blaze of noon and
in the darkest hours of the night; he
was to see it in every capital of Europe;
it was to be close behind him in his
most secret moments; it was to mingle
with his own shadow, so that in a
delirium of terror he would wonder if
his mind were not deserving him, and if
both shadows were not one and the
same. 1t was in vain that he tried to
put oceans between him and his awful
phantOm-llke pursuer; in vain that
every resource of money was tried;
from that first stormy January night
John Throckmorton was never for one
moment alone.
1t was wonderful how she appeared
to know of his movements. Ii he would
suddenly decide to go to party she
would be standing on the opposite side
of the street when he got out of his car
rage. If he remained in his hotel for
days, and if then, in the dead of night,
he slipped out by side entrance she
would be close behind him. her APP
pearance Oh the streets became so COM
mon in Louisville that people merely
glanced at her careleSsly as she fitted
by. AS the years passed her name was
forgotten and she was only known as
"Throckmorton's Ghost" Sometimes
when she would be waiting for him
children would gather about her and
often boys would boot and taunt her;
but she never complained, and no man
ever heard the sound of her voice.
The weather never appeared to in
convenience her. She often would stand
for hours in the midst of driving rain or
hail without shelter of any kind, appar-
emily obliviouS to everything save the
man she was following. She always
wore the same heavy, black dress, with
a black hat, and thick. black veil,
which concealed her face.
At first ThOckmOrton attempted to
laugh the matter off. The woman was
crack-brained creature, who would
grow tired after a time, he said. He
could keep it up if she could. If it
amused her he didn't object. Thus he
reasoned at first, but soon became rest
i've, and then it grew to be deadly Of
tense to mention the subject in his pres
ence. At last he determined to go
abroad. He made all his arrangements
with the utmost secrecy, not even tell
ing his most intimate friends. and did
not rest until he had put the Atlantic
between him and what had grown TO be
horrible nightmare. He went straight
to London, and the first person he saw
when he got Off the train was Ellen God
win. He fed to Paris and he thought
he would lose her in the whirl of a Will
ter in Partisan society. In month he
gave up in despair. She followed him
to clubs and receptions and opera par
ties. Wherever he was, day or night.
he could never look behind him without
seeing her. He tried all the large cities
of the continent without avail, and at
last returned to Louisville and again
took up the old life.
He used to complain that he was
chained to a corpse; that his life was
blasted. and that no man ever before
endured such persecution. No
woman would suffer his attentions. and
he soon gave up all idea of marriage.
He grew more and more moody and at
last determined to rid himself of his
tormentOr by violence. The scene re-
sulting from his determination was
most dramatic. One night about Il
O'Clock, as Thorckmorton was walking
home through a lonely street, he
glanced over his shoulder and saw his
..ghost'' few yards behind silently
following him. He waited in a dark
alley until she came up and then sud-
denly sprang out on her. He snatched
her veil from her face and dragged her
by the throat to the nearest lamp post.
"Why do you follow me?" he asked,
his voice trembling with passion. She
made no reply, and. ciuthing her more
firmly by the throat, he drew dagger.
She made no attempt to resist him. and
just as the dagger was about to be