林肯和家暴案件

"On October 10, 1857, Lincoln attempted to defend Melissa Goings, a seventy-year-old woman accused of killing her abusive hu*****and, seventy-seven-year-old Roswell, earlier that spring. Roswell died from a blow to the back of his head, which Melissa was alleged to have inflicted with a piece of firewood. Town legend claims that most felt sorry for Melissa and did not want to prosecute her.

While in the custody of the sheriff, though, she somehow was able to escape. A baliff accused Lincoln of chasing her off, but in one version of the story, he told the judge, Your honor, I did not run her off. She wanted to know where she could get a good drink of water, and I told her there was mighty good water in Tennessee." No effort was made to bring her back."

http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMJ9GR_Out_of_Court_Lincoln_and_Mrs_Goings_Sculpture_Metamora_IL

這個故事在電影＜林肯＞中也被引用過。這個法院現在門口有一個林肯和家暴老太太的塑像。