Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-10
GOODMAN MURDER TRIAL
Reading Col. Parsons Letter That Led to
the Tragedy.
Denial of the DEMONSTRATION Me-
Evidence Reserved by the Court.

ENluence HeSeFved by the Court.
In the trial of T. A. Goodman at Coving-
ton, Va, yesterday. for killing Col. II. c.
Parsons at Clifton Forge, June ~ last. the
following letter, written by Col. Parsons
which is believed to have led to the tragedy,
was read:
Natural Bridge, Va June Z, IS94.-To
Geo. w. Stevens esq.,, superintendent c.
and o. Railroad Company.-Dear sir: Some
time ago ] called your official attention to
what | deemed discourteous treatment of
my daughter by conductor of yours named
Goodman; however stating that he did not
Violate your rules except in his cruelty of
manner. Nothing came of it. Since then
my principal Inconvenience came from the
fact that my wife has refused to ride. or
allow any lady friends unattended, upon
train which he was on If it could be avoid
ed and it has resulted in much telegraph
ing and changing of plans. About the time
of the first occurrence L learned of a SINH
lar instance of treatment of the aunt of q
banker in Richmond, who felt and yet feels
much as l do. Two other instances came
to my attention, one of a gentleman from
Harrisburg, one from a gentleman from
San Francisco who were greatly offended,
and one of whom l think put in protest
but in every case he kept within the rules.
"A boor is generally honest" and I sup
posed he was until some reports came to
my attention which i have taken occasion
to inquire into far enough to believe them
true. (The charges Of immoral conduct
with women on his train and of writing to
the wife of an agent at Saltpetre Cave to
take a trip with him. in detail are unfit for
print. 1 write with this particularly be-
"a ItSa 4 a M FOL NV M -hx, hoa
a witness against him that he has threaten
ed his life, and that ne has boosted that he
taught the Richmond and Danville an ex-
pensive lesson for dismissing him without
cause. 1 presume that these last instances
We're brought to me because II was known
that l had a difficulty long ago with this
man. You are, therefore. at liberty to use
my name. as presenting the charges, but
Your ordinary agencies first discover their
Truth"
The Testimony.
Mr. NJ l.. Akers chief clerk Of the Chcsa-
peake and Ohio office. was put on the stand
and recognized the handwriting of the let
ter that of Colonel Parsons. When the
letter was SHOWN to the jury the accused
seened to be unaffected.
a. c. Bryant. the station ma ster at Clifton
Forge, testified that very soon after the
shooting Captain Goodman came to his Of
would have to secure another conductor in
his lGoodman's) stead. When the witness
asked Goodman wfat was the trouble he re-
piled that he had killed Colonel Parsons re-
marking: Il collared him and gave him all /
had"
The defense seemed to be very well pleas
ed with the testimony of Colonel BRYANT
for they waived the right to question him.
When the court resumed its setting after
refreshments, Brown, the CO .ored bartender
at Gladys Inn, or manager of the buffet -
as he styles his office, was recalled. The
only thing new brought out was the fact
that Goodman emptied the shells from his
revolver after the shooting. He assisted in
examining the pockets of the dead man, but
did not find weapon OF any Kind on his
person.
Capt. w. III. Davis. mayor of Clifton
Forge. was the next witness TO take the
stand. He testified that Captain Goodman
came to him On the morning of June ~
and said that he wanted to give himself up
saying that he had no desire to evade the
law, at the same time handing The witness
a revolver.
During Capt Davis testimony the re-
volver used by Capt Goodman was pro-
duced in court. AS Sheriff Dyer handed IL
over to the counsel he handled it rather
carelcssly, probably as a result of that Off
calls familiarity with guns on arresting
lawless mountaineers, MIR. Parish exclaimed
loaded?"
Witness could not identify the revolver
as the one handed him by the prisoner.
Mr. +. A. Snted. justice Of the peace at
Clifton Forge, the next witness, thought it
was the pistol given him a few days after
the tragedy as the one used by Mr. Good
man.
Sheriff s. G. Dyer. who followed. identi.
fed the revolver and said il was of a Smith
Wesson make. The defense did not ques-
ton any of these witnesses and they were
disposed OF In short order.
Mr.. c. c. Walker. assistant superinten-
dent OF the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad.
identified the Parsons Letter. A brief. for.
NAL letter to MIR. Walker from Mr.. Davis
transmitting the Parsons letter was pro-
duced and identified by Mr.. Walker. A let
ter from Mr. Walker to Capt. Goodman,
transmitting the letter Of charges was also
read and Identified by Mr.. Walker Capt
Goodmans indignant reply to the charges
preferred was next read 1t is as follows
Capt. GOOaman's Denial
Richmond, Va, June 2S, 1S94.-Mr. c. c.
Walker. assistant superintendent Richmond
Va.-Dear Sir: Yours, inclosing a COM
munication referring to myself, addressed
to Mr.. G.. w. Stevens as superint endent.
was safely delivered. 1 am astonished at
the cruelty malignant assault made upon
my honor a man and upon my character
as a husband by the depraved author of
that communication. 1t seems to be as
sumed by Mr.. Stevens that the author of
this libel is H. G. Parsons, and in making
now an explanation of the contents which
my superior officers have a right to de-
mand, refrain from characterizing as II
deserves, the foulness of the attack made
upon me by an enemy whose hostility
seem to have incurred solely by a rigid ad-
herence to my duty in the service of this
company.
The statements i'm the unsigned COM
nunicatton are utterly false and without
any foundation. except such as may be
round IN malice which has no regard for
I nor he
knowledge of who are the parties referred
TO as the Richmond Banker the Gentle
man from Harrisburg and the Gentleman
from San Francisco and l do not believe
the statement that complaint was ever
made by any such persons. The dirty charge
concerning myself and a woman on the
tain between Richmond and Lynchburg is
absolutely false. The statement concerning
what was reported by a servant is simply
false: no such incident ever occurred. and
the writer of the unsigned communication
either made a willfuly false statement or
has been In the company of unreliable sery-
ants, The statement that I tried IN ;pd,ca