The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-15

Before leaving his room he put his pistol
I'm his hip-pOCket. His train LETT at S.SV,
and he intended to 30 out on IT, Nnen
he came down he walked through the
lobby into the dining room for breakfast
leaving his satchel. as he went thrOushl
on the hat rack. He sat down at one OF
the tables in the dining room ana of1erea
his breakfast. While awaiting DreahldsI
he looked over into the office, ana no,
ticed a man who he expected TO be Colonel
Parsons. He asked Henry Moody. the
mead waiter, II the man he saw was
Colonel Parsons. Henry replied In the
affirmative. and he Goodman said he be-
lleNed he would 20 out and see the Coz
onel, stating that the Colonel had written
bad letter about him. He went out, as
ne dld so taking his satchel from the
rack, taking from Ii the copy of the Par
sons letter. lie spoke TO Parsons, walk
Ing to the door with him, holding gently
the lapel Of his coat the while. When
they reached the front door he handed hin
the copy Of the letter, and asked him:
Are you the author OF this runous let
ter, not only calculated to destroy my
peace and happiness, but that OF my
Iamily?"
Colonel Parsons. in reply. threw the
letter at his feet and exclaimed, You
and your family are not considered" At
this juncture Captain Goodman arose
from his chair and illustrated with dra-
matte effect while he reclted the fatal
meeting. Every eye in the courtroom
catch every syllable uttered.
Proceeding, Captain Goodman replied.
"You must retract these charges" Par
sons did not reply TO this, but threw his
right hand behind him, and Goodman,
thinking that Parsons intended to draw a
weapon, drew quickly from his pocket
his own pistol and began firing. He did
not know from Parsons manner that ne
mad shot him. Parsons seized the lett
hand of Goodman, which grasped his pls-
tOl. and grappled with him for it's possess
sion. lie finally succeeded in extracting
1t from Parsons grasp and as he aid so
the pistol was accidently discharged,
making the fourth shot fired.
PARSONS DIDN'r HAVE A PISTOL.
When Parsons grasped his hand he was
convinced for the first time that he (Par-
sons did not have "A pistol ana he would
not have fired again but for the acct
dental shot Parsons fell then face for
ward. lie did not snap his pistol. as
stated by some of the witnesses but from
force OF habit broke the pistol ana
emptied therefrOm the shells throwing
them TO the floor" tie got his satchel
and went out. As he left the hotel Clerk
Martin said to him: Captain. / am sorry
you did that | made no reply. but LEFT
the hotel and went down to Colonel
Bryants Office. where | informed him that
he must get another conductor.
/ also sent a telegram 20 Snern Byer'
sufreuIerinB myself to the county au-
thoritles. also went 70 the Mayor
office and surrendered myself To me
Mayor. saying l did not wish 70 eNade
the law.
Mr. Parrish went over the points made
BY the COmmonWcalth's s witnesses against
Goodman and made him deny all of
them. lie drew from witness ;he state
ment that IL was his sole intention IN
going TO see Colonel Parsons % induce
him 20 retract the charges preferred
I'm his letter and II he refused to 10 So
ne would go before the grand jury or
ROckbridge county and have him IN
dicted for criminal libel
Failing in this, he would n, , haEe Te,ng inSSi1 70
obtain a Yndication lie knew that
Parsons was insolyent. and a Judgne,nt
against him would render him hoth'hB
from a pecuniary standpoint.
pArurTic Eelru
Then came the mos. pathetic recital
Of the day. Goodman said words talied
hin, ~ nxnross the decp sorrow into which
these false charges had plunged him. lie
saw that not only himself, but MS iamlly,
who had been his sunshine ana JOY LOT
and he felt that he could not live without
some sort Of vlndicatiJn. When Goodman
finished this sentence many eyes In the
courtroom We're moist with tears lnclud-
ing some Of the jurors, and among the
lawyers Mr.. Parrish, Goodman's bis-heart-
ed friend and able counsel.
Mrs. Goodman. who had scarcely moved
a muscle during her husband = recital
and naI borne up uUlfT lUt IT gub olhtdi
with renal kable fortitude, gave way 10
her feelings, while the prisoner himself
could nor longer restrain his emotion
At this juncture recess was taken
rENDER LETTERS PROM WOMAN.
After recess Goodman told about the
Staples and Phelps affair lie said that
about The 18th or 2Oth OF August, 1891. he
received two letters in close ,uccessiOa,
fuu of terms Of endeasment, aud one
Of them proposing hat he take the writer
and Kate Phelps on trip - Richmon1.
These letters we're signed airs. y. Sia-
4 Few days after this lady got on
his train whom he learned was named
Mrs staples. He collected her fare, ana
asked her where she was going she replied,
~f,ringwOod. Shortly aIterWard she board
ID his train again. and in conversation
vim her she tacity admitted That she
was the author OF the letters. Goodman
also admitted that he jOkingly propo7"d
TO her 20 make up u fishing party at Spring
wood which mas already been teSthci 10.
Soon after this he received the written
complaint OF Mr. Staples as TO Improper
advances towards his Wife. lie then tolu
Of the Interview secured at his instance
with SIR. Staples al the conclusion OF
which he handed 20 staples the Two l0Ee-
letters received from his VIE staples
said that the letters We're written by Kate
Phelps. and that she was trying 70 make
trouble between him and his wife. sta
pies stated that he did not blame Good
man at all, ana SeeInci 10 De perfectly
satisfied when the interview ended. lie
saw no more Of Staples until after he re-
celved the Parsons letter. when he asked
MIN who was trying 10 stir up this old
trouble again. To this Staples did not
give him a satisfactory reply Goodman
then told about putting Kate Phelps of
his train at Iron Gate. He had trouble
with her on three different occasions.
once h4 threatened 90 put her on, and she
maid her fare The next time his brake
man paid Il for her and the third time
she did not have her fare, and nobody
would paw IL. and he told her 10 quietly
get of the train at the next stopping
place QrOn Gate, which she did.
usprE cfo>.fXAM "a JOS.
At 3.22 p. NJ Goodman was turned over
10 the Commonwealth FOR cross-e3amina-
tiOn which occupied the rest or the al
ternoon, concluding about L. NJ.
one OF the special features or the
REORGANIZATION, which VAS shrewdly
conducted by Mr.. Craig was I'M reference
TO the letters from Mrs Staples 10 Good
man. Mr. Craig wanted 10 know why
Goodman had written letter TO Mr..
STAPLES. saying that he had seen nothing
In his wfe's conduct further than that
OF a perfect lady. when at the same
time he had In his pocket the two love
letters written by her.
His answer was that he did not pro-
pose 10 give his case away to staples
until ne could investigate the letters ana
ascertain why they were written.
GoODM,E CONFUSED.