, 1872-10-29
RICHES TAKE WINGS.
Misfortune of the TFea1thlest Nan in
Ne" HampsIafre-His Ancestral


Acres Sold and He Eugitive.
Portsmouth, NJ Z. (oct. IL Correspondence Of the Bos
ton Globe.
The case OF Charles March Stephens, Of New
York State, vs. Clement March and others, o1
Greenland, N. H., which has for some time pasi
been the most important case &c On The docket ,i oi
the Supreme Judicial Court OF Rockingham
County, New Hampshire, has recently been de.
clded- Colonel March, q few years since. Was con-
sidered the most wealthy man in New Hamp-
shire. By the Wills Of his uncle, for years we'll
known as United States Consul at Madeira, and
Of his brothar Charles II. March, the friend and
biographer OF Daniel ". Wester, Colonel March
receiVed large property; and the wonder has
seemed to every one, how be could contrive to
spend go much OF it in so short pace of time.
from Portsmouth, he erected houses, barns,
grapheIy and other buildinga, in 4
magnificent style; surrounded the farm by q
stone wall costing more than the value
OF the land, purchased an extensive col
lection Of books, furnished the houses and
stocked the farm. All this was done with 3 lav-
ish hand; and the elegant entertainments given
by the Colonel, his well-kept grounds, his stud
Of horses, his carriages, including the coach
given BY the Bostonians to Daniel Webster, were
the admiration of many people in Portsmouth
and the region round about
Here, With large income, he could have lived
as gentleman farmer, in the enjoyment of his
fortune. But taste for speculation, engen-
dered by SUCCESS in that direction few years
previously, attacked him, and he yielded to the
fascination. He visited Philadelphia, where he
had once made, by fortunate hit, q hundred
thousand dollars and the sharp stockholders
OF that city welcomed him to their Office, Into
the various mining and other stocks Of the
Philadelphia Board, the Colonel plunged at once
The brokers knew their man and his reputed
wealth. He thought he was the better Judge
OF stocks and future operations. But the story
Is brief one,-the Colonel buccumbed before the
experienced manipulations Of the Stock Ex-
change. and the places that once knew him
now know him no more. He returned to
New Hampshire poorer, il not wiser man
but ere long left his splendid home, probably
forever.
In the will Of Charles ". March we're certain
legacies which the financial gentleman, in his
haste to double his fortune, had omitted to pay;
and ss creditors always want their money when
debtor is in bad condition to pay, so the lega-
tees and their representatives began to cast
about to see how the funds they we're to enjoy
we're being probated; and the result waz the
suit before alluded to, which WAS suit in chan
Gerry, followed by the appointment OF Receiver,
who took possession of Mr. March's estate, his
farm in Greenland, his library, horses hounds,
and all his effects, which we're sold at auction.
The usual results in such cases followed
Cross bills, injunctions, answers, rejoinders, aft:
davits, testimony, inteTpleaders, joining Of new
defendants, and parties, bonds, issues, plead
mss, sales, references to Masters, Masters re-
ports, attachments, Workmen andlaborerB' liens,
proceedings at law, equity, and all the well.
planned accumulations oflegal strife ensued
until recently the Court decreed that Mr..
Small the Receiver, be confirmed in his doings
and sales, and that sundry bondsmen Of Mi.
March be discharged from liability on
his bond as executors. Mr.. Goodall, an
attorney at Portsmouth, was appointed Trustee
under the will Of Charles ". March for Charles
March Stephens, and was ordered to give bonds
in the gum OF ST, 900. Mr. Conner, Clerk Of the
Courts at Exeter, Is appointed trustee for Mrs.
st. Clair, sister Of Mr. March, and there is due
to such trustee $4,000, for which he is to have
one-half Of the temple in Portsmouth and other
property: The Court adjudged that Colonel
March owed the administrator OF Mrs.
Stephens estate S19,638.41, and s. a.
Goodall, trustee, Ss3, ,s20.25, as interest on q
legacy Of 800, 600, and the sum Of s10o,000
principal Of said legacy. The sales Of the Re-
celSer go to pay these as far as they may, and
Tor any unsatisfiod balance the Trustee takes anl
execution against the estate, or the body Of
Clement March: The other details are uninter:
esting.
The family tomb, which has likewise PASSED
under the auctioneer's hammer. and now e1ands |
sadly on land owned by stranger. bears tie in
scription :'Bui1t by Clement March. 1851.
rebuilt by his great grandson, Clement March,
1851" For several years, and up to the last, ex.
President Pierce was q frequent guest at fha
March mansion, and with large circle OF r1,ests
enjoyed the hospitality Of Mr. March.