The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-06-30

CLIFTON FORGE, Va, June 29.-Col.
Il. G. Parsons was shot in the lobby of
Gladys Inn this morning at o'clock.
Tho shooting was done by Thomas
Goodman, passenger conductor on the
Richmond and Allegheny railroad. He
never spoke after being shot and died at
Is minutes after O'Clock
Four balls from double action Smith
& Wesson pistol 3s calibre entered the
body. One bullet entered just under the
right collar bone, one on the right and
one on the left side Of the abdomen, and
one on the left side of the head at the
union OF the frontal and parietal bones
he lived one hour and fifteen minutes
after having been shot, but never spoke.
DIR. w. A. +. Miller railway surgeon,
was summoned but could do no aid.
After discharRiDg his pistol Conductor
Goodman went before w. w. Davis,
mayor OF Clifton Forge, and gave up his
pistol, remarking that when the public
had become informed with all the cir
cum'tances connected with the affair he
would be justified by them for the kill
ing.
He wired message to Col. Beverly
Crump, Richmond, his attorney. direct
ing him to procure and take charge of a
certain important letter bearing upon
the case, which, 1t is alleged, Col
onel Parsons had written to General
Manager Stevens, OF the Chesapea AXE
and Ohio, seriously reflt cling upon his
official conduct and character.
Cause OF tho Act
RICHMOND, Juno 30 Captain Thomas
A. Goodman, the slayer OF Col ii. c.
Parsons, who resides in this city, is
spoken OF the highest terms by his fell
low employees. He is man between 40
and Is years OF age, and has been con-
nected with railroads ever since he has
been grown. He is q married man, and
his family-consisting OF wife and
two boys. is now summering at Alton,
Va
Tbs following statements, made by a.
railroad man who h As been Intimately
acquainted with Good man for the last
fifteen years, and to whom Goodman
often went with his troubles, are pub.
lished in an afternoon paper:
Goodman's mind, says this friend, is
evidently unsettled by what he con-
siders prosecutions from certain indi.
viduals in the Order of Railway Con-
ductors, and alleged efforts made by
Colonel Parsons to get him off the road.
The trouble with Parsons, it is said,
grew out OF Good man's insisting that
Mrs Parsons should show pass when
she travelled on Goodman's train. Par.
sons wrote various letters to the com
pany, it is claimed. which they turned
over to Good man, asking him to ex
plain.
n ~
that whenever Mrs. Parsons and her
guests wished to travel over tho line
they would telegraph to know who the
conductor was so as to ascertain how
to arrange about tickets Parsons is
said to have written in another letter
that Goodman was so honest that he
wss bore
Captain Goodman also received anonv-
nous letters, and, after awhile, believed
that his enemies among the railroad
men and Colonel Parsons were perse-
cutting MIN
A few days ago the correspondence
was shown by Goodman to friend of
his, with the statement that when he
met Parsons he would make him retract
what he had written or thrash him.
The friend told Goodman he was crazv.
and not to trouble himself about the
matter, as he could refute all c1arges
made
The complaint which it is alleged
Parsons had preferred against Goodma
was that ha had carried q colored
women of bad character in his train
without collecting their fares and that
some Of these women. 30 carried, had
insulted ladies Of his (Parsons1 family
while on the train.
Colonel Parsons was born in Vermont
about ffty-two years ago. His father
afterward moved to Huntington. w. Va,
and young Parsons started out in life as
q civil engineer on the construction of
thu Chesapeake and Ohio
He was ono OF the promoter of tho
Richmond and Allegheny road and was
vice president of the company which
built it. He was also president Of the
Allegheny Coal and Iron Company, an
enterprise allied with the railroad
scheme
In 1870 he bought the Natural Bridge
property, and has since resided there.
He has improved the property consid-
erably in the way of addition of the
hotels and other accommodations. He
leaves wife and three daughtrrs.
For long time Colonel Parsons was
prominent figure in Virginia politics.
and Ia we'll known as the leader OF the
anti Malone factions OF tho Republican
party. His last effort in this line was a