Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-07-06
COL. Il. C.PARSONS KILLED.
Shot BY Railroad Conductor,
AT Clifton Forge.

AT Clifton Forge
Clifton Fargo, Va, June %
Col. II. g. Parsons was shot in tie
lobby Of Gladys Inn at this place
tbs morning at Z O'clock. The
shooting was done by Thomas A..
Goodman, a passenger conductor
on the Richmond and Allegheny
Railroad. Parsons did not speak
alter being shot and died at SO
o'clock. FOur balls from a dOu.
BILE action Smith & lVessOn pistol,
50 caliber, entered the body. One
ball entered iast under the light
collar 6cne, one on light and one
on left side of abdomen and one Oil
left side OF head a. the union Of
frontal aud pauetal bone. lie
lived one hour and fifteen inmates
jalter having been shot, but never
spoke. DR.. w. Il. Miller, railway
IsurgeOn, was summoned, but could
render no aid.
Alter dischal giDg his pistol Con-
duciOr Goodman went before may
or Davis, of Clifton Forge, and
gave mp bis pistol, remarkin5 that
when the public had become in
formed of all the circumstances
connected with the affair lie would
be justified by them for the killing.
lie wired a message to Col. Be yer
ly Crump, at Richmond, his ait)r.
ney directing him to procure and
take charge Of certain important
letter bearing up on The case which
it is alleged Colonel Parsons had
written to Superintendent Stevens,
of the Chesapeake and OHIO Rail
way, seriously rejecting upon his
official conduct and character.
Goodman was co united to jul IN
Coviugton.
Mrs. Parsons and two ddugh.
ters, Mss G. J. Dodge, friend of
the family, and D.. G. NJ. Miller,
resident physician at the \ 'tulal
Bridge, came to Chiffon Forge on a
special train at l,1J this afternoon
and returned with the remains
about 6 O'Clock.
Colonel Parsons left Washington
yesterday for Richmond. Miss
Elsie McElroy, daughter Of C'l
John McE'roy. Of tie National
Tribune, who had been ilgited by
Colonel Parsons to visit his da1gh
ter at y itural Bri1gt, left also at
the same time in company with
Mrs. Shelley and Miss ) Kelley for
Clifton Forge, Va, it being arTang'
Ell that CrOnI Parsons, after
transacting his business in R'ch'
mond, should jim them at Clifton
Forge and the party wOald pro.
ceed this moring to the Natural
Bridge. Colonel Parsons was shot
a few moments after his arrival
here.
G. yodman was at the break fast
table at Gladly I'm, but ate no
breakfast. Colonel P.r,Ons cane
Into the hotel ist as G. Oman
had taken his seat, AID the latter,
seeing hin, arose and walked into
the corridor. Mr.. Martin, the clerk
of the hotel, was in the Office at the
time and witnessed the tragedy.
Goodman seized Parsons by the
collar Of his Goa. SIme words
pa sed between ,he two. iir. Mar.
TN does not know what was sail,
and the shooting followed immed
lately. One Tall from the weapon
perforated a glass pane in the door
at the entrance OF the hotel.
The lrouble bet cen the deceas
and Goodman dates back little
over a year. 1t had its origin, it
lis sail, when Goodman one day
collected fare from Mrs. Parsons,
she having forgotten 10 bring her
pass. G. Jlond Parsons reported
lib alter to the Chesapeake and
Ohio officials, who frankly told
him that they could 10 nothing to
i Goodman, as he had performed his
duty. Parsons then sad the con-
Iductofs manner toward his wife
was l s0len'. IL WAS Informed
that if he would write a letter to
thai cffsc', the case woald be pro-
p,rly investigated, but no formal
charges were filed. Colonel Far.
SONS, however, continued to write
letters t. the lespeake and Ohio
people, making compl ANTS against
Goodman. The letters were gene
rally IelcrICd to the conductor for
explanation, ami lie always 'atis-
fl d bis superior officers that he
was carrying out the rules of the
company. Goodman felt that Col.