Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1903-06-18

house In has nelghborhood on the
night of Tuesday, May 10Th, and that
her presence there was additional
evidence of the truth of his charges
that he had heard her voice in the
house, and that he had gone to the door
Of the house and had asked of 'the
person of the house if Miss Wingate
was there, and that the pereon of
the house had told him she was
there We called his attention to the
fact that three or four persons at Miss
Wingate's clearinghouse had stated
that she was not away from her board
ing-house at all that night, but he
merely nodded his head and grunted. "
The above is all OF Mr.. Potts 8
statement that it is necessary to print
at this time. It may be added here,
however, that it was absolutely proven
by unimpeachable evidence that Miss
Wingate was not away from the
shelter Of her boarding house on the
night Goodwin asserts that he heard
her voice at another place and knew
of a certainty that she was there
When it became known that Good
win never mailed his letter calling for
an investigation, and that the reports
which had been put out that tele-
graphic messages had been cent by
him to the regents were untrue, ur-
gent appeals by wire and by letter
were sent by Miss Wingate, by the
resident regent and by the persons
above named, demandinga speedy IN
vestigation. Only after this action be-
came known to him did Goodwin send
a message to the State Superintendent
saying an investigation was desired.
In response to letters and tele-
grams Secretary VIM. NJ. Straus, Of
Parkersburg, and Hon. Ira Z. Robin
son, of Grafton, members of the Board
of Regents, came to Shepherdstown.
To them, for the first time, Goodwin
gave his details, and related vile
story that could only emanate from
low and depraved mind-a story so
false and baseless that in few mo-
ments after it was made known it WAS
absolutely disproven in general and IN
detail, a collapse utter and complete.
1t is indeed trying to mention the
names Of pure persons with impure
things, and the REGISTER has never
had a more painful duty than that of
printing this article and of mention
ing the persons involved through 10
fault of their own. But in view of
the wide publicity given the story by
careless or misiutormed newspapers,
and by irresponsible and malicious
persons who furnish such foul insinu-
ations, and because Of the gossip in
the town and community and the mis-
apprehension of the facts in the case,
the details must be told as far as pos
sible.
Goodwin told Messrs. Straus and
Robinson that Miss Wingate had been
the victim of a criminal operation in
the home Of DR.. A. S. Reynolds that
Dr.. Reynolds, who is an invalid, was
not present, but hi. wife and daugh-
ter were and that Maria Ransom, q
colored woman, was also present; and
that this negro woman had told the
stoly-not to Goodwin, but to Good
wins wife, and that lie had gotten it
from his wife. When Messrs. Stratus
and Robinson repeated to those III
terested Goodwins story, it was at
once known to be the blacklist OF lies,
for no family stands higher in this or
apy other community than that Of Dr..
REYNOLDS and thew could not be par.
ties 70 such a crime Goodwin's bold
assertions that be had absolute proof
of his charges, that he had written ev-
idence in his possession, that there
was no possibility of any mistake, had
to be rellnqmshed by MN, now luaI
the test was made, and the only Ioun-
dation upon which he could base his
awful charges was tie unsupported
word of negro'woman, his next-door
neighbor. He failed even to have
the direct word of the colored woman,
for, falling back upon the same old
excuse that men Of a certain sort have
used from the days of Adam down, he
said that Maria Ransom had not told
him, but his wife, and his wife badr
peated the story to him.
As stated above, it took only few
moments to shatter the fabric that
Goodwin had erected. Mrs. Reynolds
and Miss Reynolds, not knowing Of
the shadow that had been thrown over
their own good name and home IN re-
spouse to a few questions by the mem
bers of the Board OF Regents, satisfied