Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-12-07
A NEW YORK MERCHANTS
WHIM.
A Stately Palace 90 be a Wife,s
Maus0leum : The Romance Of
Prom the SEX YOrt Rvening post.

From the New York Evening Post,
Not far from Morristown, N. j., on the
Madison road, is large and fine house in
the middle of extensive pleasure grounds.
and with the grounds, once the abode of
persons OF taste and wealth. The once
beautiful park now, however, looks like
the camping ground of at least regi-
ment of demoralized soldiers, Sd uumer-
Gus are the traces everywhere of fires and
wanton hacking among the trees, shrubs
and eVergreens.
Where once were flower-beds aud rare
plants, now browse stray cattle; and pigs
by the score root to their noses content
in the soft turf of the lawn. On ap.
preaching the boEse a still more terrible
scene of ruin may be found. The hall
doors stand wide open, and as the stran-
ger enters, several cattle calmly Survey
him from their comfortable pc itions on
the drawing-room floor The house is
three stories high, and surmounted with
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 valuable panes of glass, oppose
little or no obstruction to the cattle and
pigs, the former generally taking sash and
all with them when leaving in haste.
On the floor of what was the library,
tramps of mischievous boys have lighted
fires, whose flames were fed, from appear
ances, by the doors of cupboards stair
ratings, and other small pieces of wood
work of the house. In many places the
floor has been burnt almost through, and
how the house has escaped from fire is a
wonder. With carbonized ends of wood
hideous and revolving pictures have been
drawn on the pgre white walls.
The plaster center ornaments of the
rooms have been the mark for the intruder
70 shy empty bottles and stones at, and
all are greatly damaged. Door-knobs,
bells and their Wires and pulls, water
faucets, the psrsphernslia of the bath
room, and everything of like movable
nature, have been wrenched from the
fastenings and Carried away. Window
shutters have alsp disappeared, though
probably burnt as fuel, and not taken
from the house. Such scene of rack
and desolation can seldom be found.
The house has its sad story. Built but
few years ago, it passed into the posses
sion Of wealthy New York merchant,
who used every endeavor TO render it a
house of beauty. No expense was
spared, and the house and grounds be-
came noted for their appropriate belong
ings. The mistress of the house, the wife of
itsowner, unfortunately sickened and died.
The friends gathered to attendI the funer-
al, and the body was borne from its beau
tiful earthly home to the cemetery. The
last to leave the house was its owner. and
he turning the key in lock, left il Just as
it wss to its fate. The neighbors clam
ored 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 i, were unsvailing. Attempts
were made to rent or purchase it, but to
neither plan would the owner accede. If
sold at ali, the ground should be sold for
a cemetery. OnStheir peril he i9rbade
his neighbOrs to enter the house.
The thieves of the neighborhood soon
found out the rich field, and for nights
pillaged it. The constables hearing of
this, laid in wait in the house one night;
and arrested three men as they were roll
ing up fine carpets for the purpose of
taking them away. The owner, when
notified to appear snd prosecute the
thieves, not only refused to do SO, but
threatened to prosecute the constables for
entering his house, saying it Wss bad
enough to have three thieves break into q
house sacred to the memory of his wife,
without having as many constables there
in.
Some friends seeing the peculiar state
of feeling of the owner, removed the
furniture to safe place, and the house
remains open to the world. Bad persons
congTeg ste there, and the house at night
is supposed to be the resort of thieves and
robbers.
Some years ago a squstteI settled him
self in little gardeners house on the
properly, and plows the land and reaps
his crops as if the fee simple vested in
him. The owner has refused to notice
Kim or turn him out. Last spring q
certain General in the United States army
offered to buy or rent the property, but
not being himself cemetery, his appeal
was rejected. On all other subjects the
owner is said to be 4Ost rational, and
carries on a large business with success.
The property is valued at $50, 900.