Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-08-17
TRIAL OF GOODMAN
FOR THE MURDER OF COL. H. c.
PARSONS.
MRS. STAPLES STORY - GOODMAN's
STORY OF THE KlLLiNG-P0lNTS MADE
BY THE PROSECUTION AND DEFENCE.

When the VIND1CATORR's report OF the
Goodman trial, at Covington, for the murder
of Colonel II. G. Par:ons, at Gladys Inn
Clifton Forge, closed last Thursday night
the prosecution had introduced the letter OF
complaint to the g. & @. officials, for the
writing of which Goodman killed Parsons,
ana the court had taken till Friday morning
to decide if it should be admitted. 1t was de
cided that it should be admitted. The fol
lowing is the reply of Goodman to Col. Par
sons letter, which was turned over to him fol
an explanation:
RICHMOND, VA, June 26, 1894.
MR. g. q. WALKER,
Asst. SUP'T. RICHMOND, VA.
DEAR SIR Yours enclosing comlnunca'
tons concerning myself, addressed to Mi
Geo. w. Stevens, as superintendent, was safe
ly delivered l am astonished at the cruelty
malignant assault made upon my honor as a
man, and upon my character as husband
by the depraved author of that communities
ton. 1t seems to be assumed by Mr.. Stevens
that the author of this libel is H. e. Parsons
and in making now an explanation OF its con-
tents, which my superior officers have right
to demand, refrain from characterizing, as il
deserves, the falseness OF the attack made
upon me by an enemy whose hostility / seem
to have incurred solely by a rigid adherence
to my duty in the service of this company.
The statements in the unsigned conmunica
ton are utterly false and without anyfoanda
ton, except such as may be found in malice
that has no regard for the truth and justice.
have not the least knowledge of who are
Al tI,n nlanln n
Banker" the gentleman from Harrisburg y
and the gentleman from San Francisco, .
and do not believe the statement that COM
plant was ever made by any such persons.
The dirty charge concerning myself and a
woman Oh the train between Richmond and
Lynchburg is absolutely false.
The statement concerning what was ere
ported by a servant" is simply false. No
such incident ever occurred and the writer of
the unsigned communication either made a
wilfully false statement or has been in the
company of unreliable servants.
The statement that l have tried to induce
the wife of the station agent at Saltpetre
Cave to take trip with me is utterly false,
had some trouble once arising from my hay-
ing put Off the train woman from near Salt
petre Cave, who learned was not OF good
character; some rumor of this may have reach
ed my assailant, but it was a grossly dishon-
orable act in him to make such a statement,
without at least having ascertained the truth,
which he might have done from the station
agent himself.
The difficulty alluded to by me was within
the knowledge of Mr.. Carlisle at Clifton
Forge, Mr. d. B. Gabbert, road master, and
the station agent at Saltpetre Cave will testi-
fly to the falsity of the libellous statements
concerning myself.
have never been dismissed from the R. &,
d, road and am not in the habit of Boosting
about anything.
Any assistance that can render further in
the matter, I will most cheerfully do, and
will willingly stand any investigation