Year: 1873

The story of the early life OF Kate
stoddard, now under arrest for the mur.
der of Goodrich, in Brooklyn, New York.
is told by New York Herald cores
pondent who has visited Plymouth.
Mass, her native place. 1t appears that
her real name is Betsey King. Her pa
rents are still living and residing at Ply.
mouth. Of her career the correspondent
writes:


Mr. King, when he arrived home this
evening, learned for the first time the ter
rible news OF his daughters crime, which
has been the uppermost topic i'll the pub
lie mind for nearly week. He was re-
luctant to believe it at first. but when lie
hnally realized the terrible facts he gave
way entirely, and all efforts to administer
comfort We're in vain. 1t is probable
that he will visit his daughter in the
course.of few days.


The fact of her nativity here, the re-
spectability of her parents and her liberal
education have all been alluded to in the
Herald, but your correspondent, in ming
ling with her friends and schoolmates.
has been able TO gather many additional
facts concerning the early life and career
of this most remarkable criminal. She
was born here i'll Plymouth, and so was
her father and mother before her, and
she may, therefore. be considered as a
pretty direct descendant of the little band
who came over on the May Flower two
or three centuries ago. She is the Young
est OF a family of two daughters, her
eldest sister being married to Mr.. Bart
lett, worthy citizen of Hyde Park,
Mass. 1t was her sister and not Betsy
who taught school here in Plymouth
county, although Betsy is said to pos
sess q far superior education. She is a
graduate Of the High School, and during
tuition she was particularly celebrated as
writer. Some of her compositions are
sad to have had touch and elegance,
and shown depth of thought and study,
which attracted universal attention. In
every branch of study she was remarka-
bly, apt, and her proficiency often excited
the envy and jealousy Other schoolmates.
While her father ana mother are hrns
and enthusiastic followers of the second
advent the two daughters We're always
devoted Baptists, and Betsy was par
tlcularly regular and earnest in her Sab
bath school attendance. In personal
appearance she was always attractive,
nature supplying those rare charms which
the most accomplished millinery and
dressmaking could not embellish. One
Of her school-mates described her to Your
reporter as real, sweet, iu!l round face,
red cheeks, ruby lips, clear skin, grace
iul form, auburn hair, and altogether the
best looking one in the family" There
was always something about her that was
different from other girls, and her asso-
ciates, knowing her little whims, used to
gratify them. Her parents, too, were
very indulgent with her, and always al
owed the utmost freedom in everything.
At school she was more fearless than
most scholars, and if she did not COM
nit serious breach of the rules it was not
because she feared the consequences.
While she was clever, she was still sly
and arttul. Perhaps, to say that she
was odd best describes her character
during her school-day career. One day
she would be all milk and honey with
some of the scholars, and the next day
She wouldn't notice them. She didn't
seem to care particularly for the society
oi gentlemen, SO far as any one Ill Plym-
JUN huOWs. one never SHlu uuN tuiuB
about her sweetbearts, if she had any,
and it is more than likely that the burn
ing passion was never fully developed
until she left her home some six or seven
years ago. The circumstances of her
first gong away are in keeping with her
singular and characteristic conduct ever
since. One day she suddenly took it
into her head to go to Boston, and when
she declared her intention her parents
fitted her out and gave her 500 in
money. 1t is said by some of her lady
associates that there was young man in
the case, in the shape of young Boston
runner" who had become acquainted
with her during one of his peregrinations
here in Plymouth, and that it was to
share her fortunes with his that she left
her house. She had cultivated a roman
tic disposition by liberal perusal OF
story papers and novels, and it is more
than likely that cheap literature is the
prime cause of hll her woes and misfor-
tunes. After week 5 absence she wrote
home from CHELSEA that she was going tc
Philadelphia as u clerk for female
physician. and shortly afterwards she
{ was heard from in the Quaker City. Al
interval of several months then elapsed
when her father was informed that sht
was sick in hotel in Boston, and wher
he went to her assistance he found thai
she had been sent to the Insane Asylum
in the city of Taunton. The cause of hel
alteration of mind was never ascertained
although it is generally surmised that
was some affair of the heart. She wal
very sick during couple of months o
her hospital life, and was at all time
very violent. She would tear her cloth
ing to pieces, and was given to destruct
iveness generally. After about 81
months she began to improve, and a
about the time she was to be turned on
as cured" she took it into her head
leave without going through the usua
tormalities of a discharge. Securing


couple of dresses and some other cloth
ing belonging to one of the matrons, sh
stepped surreptitiously into buggy tina
was standing near the institution an
arove of to relations in North Bridge
wafer. There were no apparent SYM
TOMS of insanity. So the official
tnouVht, even after this little freak, an,
,ne patient was pronounced sane and a.
lowed to go. Subsequently she went


Middleboro and learned the straw hat an


ponnet business, in which she is said


nave been an expert. Providence wa


ner next objective point, but she re


naned there only few months, whe


sne went to New York.


ms was about four years ago, and.th


sory OF her eventful life since that tlm