The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1870-12-23
A nRsERTEB MANSION.


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Remarkable stePy Of COnBugaI AZ
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hCorres pOndcnce New York Evening Post
Not far from Morristowu, New
Jersey, and situated on what Il
known as the Madison Road, may be
seena large and fine house, standing
in the middle Of extensive pleasure
grounds, and with the grounds, bear
ing the marks Of having been the
abode Of persons of taste and wealth.
The once beautiful park now, how
/ ever, presents the appearance Of hav-
! ing been the camp-ground Of at least
regiment Of demOralized soldiers, SO
numerous are the traces everywhere
of fires, and Wanton hacking among
the trees, shrubs and eVergFeens.
Where once were flower beds and
rare plants now browse stray cattle,
and pigs by the score root to their
noses content la the soft turf Of the
lawn. On approaching the house a
still more terrible scene of.ruin may
| be found! The hall doors stands
wide open, and as the stranger
enters several cattle calmly survey
him from their comfortable positions
on the draWing-roOm floor. The
rounded with a cupOla. The rooms
are spacious and numerous, and were
finished in the best possible manner
when built. Windows opening TO
the floor, and consisting Of large and
or no obstruction to the cattle and
pigs, the former generally taking sash
and sll with them when leaving in
haste.
On the floor of what has been eYi-
IDENTIFY the library, tramps or mis-
chievOus boys have lighted fires,
whose flames were fed, from appear
ance, by the doors Of cupbOards, stair
ratings, and other small pieces Of
wood work at the house. In many
places the floor has been burnt almost
through, and how the house has. es.
capped from fire is q wonder. With
carbOnized ends Of wood hideoUs and
revolving pictures have been drawn
upOn+the white walls, together with
words of an Indecent character.
The plaster center ornaments Of
the rooms have been the mark for iu-
trudcrs TO shy empty. bottles aud
stones ut, and all are greatly da1nag-
ed. Door knobs bells and their wires
and pulls, water faucets, the parapher-
MALTA of the bath room, and every.
thing Of like movable. nature, have
been wrenehed from the fasteninRs
and carried away. Window shutters
have also disappointed, though proba-
bly, burnt as fuel and not taken from
the house. Such q scene of rack and
desOlatiOn can seldom be found with
in thirty miles Of New York. One
might imagine such wreck among the
desOlation of the South, but in the
prosperous North tits unparalleled.
The house has its sad story. Built
but few years ago, it passed into the
possession of a wealthy New York
merchant, who used every endeaYOr
to render it home Of beauty. No
expense was spared. and the house
and grounds became noted for their
appropriate belongings. The mis-.
tress of the house, the wife of the
kOWRer, unfortunately there siCkened
and died. The friends gathered to
attend the funeral, and the body was
borne from its beautiful earthly nome
to the cemetery. The last to leave
the house was it's owner and he,
turning the key in lock, left it just
as it was to its fate. The neighbors
clamOred for days for entrance, but
no one was within, and all attempts
to persuade its owner, who had gone
to New York, to return to It, were
unaYailing. Attempts were made to
rent or purchase it, but to neither
plan would the owner accede. If
sold at all the ground should be sold
for n cemetery. On their peril he
forbade his neighbOrs to, enter the
house. .' l'-
The thieves of the neighborhoOd
soon found out the rich field, and for
nights pillaged il. The constables,
hearing of this, laid i'll the house one
night, and arrested three men as they
were rolling up fine carpets for The
purpose of taking them away. The
owner, when notified to appear and
prosecute the thieves, not only refns-
ed to do so, but threatened to prose-
cute the consIab!es for entering his
house, saying that it was bad enough
to have three thieves break Into g
house sacred to the memory OF his
wife, without having IS many eOnsta-
bles also therein. .srz-4-
Some friends seeing the peculiar
state Of feeling Of the owner removed
the balance of the furniture TO safe
place, and the house remains open to
the world. Bad persons ~cOngregate
there, and the house at night Is stfp-
posed TO be the resort Of thieves and
robbers. -s-rr:-r-.
Some years ago a squutter settled
himself in little gardeners house on
the property, and reaps his crops as if
the fee simply rested I'm him. The
owner has refused to notice him or
to turn him out. Last Spring & cer-
tain General Sim the United States
army offered to buy or rent the prop
orty, but not being himself a cemete-
/ ry, or possessing any of the. religiOus
or soothing iHfueacas of that locality,
has appeal was rejected. On all 9TH
er subjects the owner is said to be
most rational, and earriss~on a large
business with great Success The
property is valued at $4,000.