Evening journal., 1891-08-14
BESIECED BY AN ACTOR
Nat Goodwin Attempts to Dis
possess His Wife.
FIGHT FORAQUEEN ANNE COTTAGE.

Disguised as a Messenger Roy.
NEw YORK, Aug. l4.-Mrs. Nat" Good.
wins home, 226 West End avenue, is at |
present in state Of siege. The attacking |
party is Mrs. Goodwin's husband the |
comedian. The wife does not dare to |
capitulate, for she says the house belongs
to her, and she means TO hold on TO it. Mr.. |
Goodwin is equally positive that the house |
is his, and he insends to take possession Of
it, He has played very extraordinary
role this week in asserting his aathority
Mr.. and Mrs Goodwin were married on
Oct. Is, 1888, in Chicago, after she obtained
a divorce from her first husband, son OF
one of the wealthiest men in Buffalo, n
Y. Mrs. Goodwin, who was Miss Nellie
Baker, OF Buffalo, is a tall and handsome
woman.
He Gave Her the House.
After her marriage to the actor they
came TO New York aud roomed at the
Hoffman House. Then Goodwin bought
the house on West End avenue, paying
,0O0 for It. Situated as it is in fash
ionable and picturesque neighborhood the
house, stripped of its furniture, is worth
$4,000 today. The rugs, the old bronzes,
the odd bits of china, the pictures, the
carved chairs, the tables Of onyx, the con
servatory, all lend an air Of aristocratic
comfort to the interior.
A suit for Separation.
There Nat Goodwin and his wife
lived happily until last September. In
May OF this year she brought suit for a
separation on the ground Of desertion. In
her complaint Mrs. Goodwin said that in
September, 1890, she was driving in the
park when the horse, which her husband
had just purchased, became unmanage-
able. She was thrown from the carriage
and two Of her ribs were broken. She sus-
tanned other internal injuries which cul-
minated in nervous affiiction.
He Had Deserted Her.
At Goodwins requst she went to sani-
/ tarium, was cured, but when she came
home he asked her TO go to the sanitarium.
/ She did so under protest She told him
| she feared he aimed at breaking up their
home. He told her that she should have
the house for her own and all there was in
il. She sent word TO him on March 30
from the sanitarium that she was coming
| home and asked him to meet her. He
| failed to do SO. She found that, in spite of
his promise, he had repoyed some pictures
and other things, including some furni-
/ ture, to the Lambs club, where he had
taken apartments for himself She in
| formed him that she was at home and
asked him to come TO her. ia reply thi,
letter came
have no home save the one / am now occupy
ing, and the house you are now living ia from
May belongs to somebody else.
But She Would Not Sign.
Later Goodwin announced that he had
deliberately and finally resolved to liv,
alone and separate from her at the Lam bs
club, and that he wished she would leave
the house in West End avenue, because hG
desired to lease il. He importuned her e
sign with him a deed of lease of the
house, but she considered it belonged K
her and would not sign. Since then Good
win has turned heaven and earth almost
to get into the house. lie notified his wifl
Aug. that she must surrender possession
by the 9th.
| Possession Nine Points Of Law.
Mrs. Goodwin decided that in this par
ticular instance possession was nine
points Of the law" but he would resort tC
extreme measures to get possession Of the
house. So she sent for a locksmith, who
1 IAALt t11A bdE AoNh 1tA AiAt lf0uA uOOfs WHICH
is protected by outer doors of glass An
extra chain and bolt were also put on the
door Then she discharged her servants
in case bribery should make them forget
their loyalty to her Goodwin came and
tried to get into the house, but his latch.
key would not work. Then he went after
alocksmith.
Mr.. Baker, Mrs. Goodwin's brother,
warned him away, at which Goodwin dew
into a rage, grabbed the locksmithi Z
hammer and aimed a blow at either his
brother-in-law or at the window.
The Comedians wild Rage.
In his wild fury he struck the glass in
the upper sash. 1t was very thick plate
glass and it resisted Goodwin's first at
tempt and the second and the third, for he
continued to shower blows upon IT, Down
came the hammer again, Goodwin leaning
over the stoop and welding it In frenzy
Of rage. Crash went the window pane in
innumerable pieces.
Baker cried to his sister, "Nell, you as
owner Of the house, show yourself" One
Of the flying bits of sharp glass had cut
| Mrs Goodwin's finger and the blood was
dropping from it. She took two hurried
steps to the window, and, leaning out,
| looked at the comedian who was plRying
then, against his usual habit, in a tragedy.
She had not laid eyes on him before for
seven months.
She Called a Policeman.
Mrs. Goodwin asked him to 90 away.
Then she pulled down the window Good
win seemed to lose all control Of himself
He flung one coarse epithet after another
at his wife He turned to one young man
standing by and offered him money To
raise the parlor window. Mrs. Goodwin
raised it herself.
''If you touch that window, I" she said,
I'm have you arrested" and she sent the
watchman who was on guard after a
policeman.
Then the actor went away. Mrs. Good
win then put more chains on the doors
and barrioaded the entrance with stout
sticks braced against the sides Of the vesti-
bule. The parlor windows were also
boarded up with pine, which stood out
white and glaring yesterday, a blot on the
handsome Queen Anne edifice.
Disguised as a Messenger.
| At IL D. m. Wednesday the actor grew
desperate and, disguised as a district mes
senger boy, endeavored to get into the
house Mr.. Baker came to the door and
recognized the actor, who crouched, ready
the instant that door was open to spring
in the house and divide possession, at
least, with his wife
'You stand back. you ---p'
yelled Baker, grabbing at a club which
stood ready to his hand.
| Goodwin jumped to his feet and bolted
down the avenue as fast as his legs would
carry him. The beleagured house was
garrisoned last night BY three special Off