Wilmington daily gazette., 1874-03-02
A Ruined Life.
FARMERS BOY, MILLIONAIRE, AND

The Graphic publishes sal story of the
phases of u ruined life, telling how farmers
boy became millionaire, but is now a con-
vict
In small town in Iowa thirteen years ago
there lived rich and prosperous merchant-l
one widely known and universally respected.
He was one of our modern types of the self
made men AS a farmer boy he sought place |
in the village as clerk in county store.' In |
three years he became partner, in five sole |
proprietor. The town grew and his business
grew with it. Profits were large in those
rapidly growing western towns, and even the |
supply scarcely equa led the demand. With a |
good beginning ih the world, and keen eye,
| unbounded energy and fund of good nature,
| so necessary TO the business man, to develop
| this beginning, with few wants and simple
solid trust to the foundation of experience
| success was certain. The war came; it was
to his business but new lever. He was
largely engaged in dry goods; we all know
how they went up. He saw the advantage;
he had nerve and went in largely. His bills
at this time with Clafiiin & Co. were enor-
nous. He was well known in New ork and
called perfectly good. 1t was the golden age
with him. In the back room OF his store he
had whole cords of sheeting and calico which
were worth ooO per cent more than they had
cost.
1t would not haT been surprising if such
monstrous fortune had q marked effect upon
the mind of this simple. straightforward bu5i-
: ness man; II he had ielt The secure foundation
! of experience less necessary if he had seen
new horizons opening up greater possblitles
in the future; IL he had planned NapoleoniC
: schemes or commerce in a wider held. 1t i
not known that he had these dreams; what VT
Il know Is that mis- good judgement became un-
reliable and played him false; that during tn,
J. ensuing live years he lost money nearly as fas
las he had made il; that he finally sold gu
and came to New \ ork with saved remnau
. of his immense fortune, but with unb dundee
ambition and the utmost confidence in his ow
abilities.
Benoni Howard was one Of the few busine,
men whose honesty and liberality during lon
career were never by any human being doubted
He always paid everything that was demanGe
| of him and with interest, This was with him
mania. 1t extended beyond the pale OF his bu
iness into bis moral life. lie had something
the Indian in his nature for he never forgot
favor nor forgave an injury. "Pll be even wit
YOU yet" was his iavorite remark, uttered
/, his quiet, determined way, and those who kne
him best looked TO themselves when he mac
- that remark. The subsequent history Of ;h
man Is the story of single act and lis results
an act Of resentment. Ii was this fatal quail.
b resentment, which was the shoal on which
80 life was wrecked.
In 500 Beuoni Howard became proprietor
the immense establishment known as the n
York Match Company in Forty second sire
u, The business carried on here was somethi
lie aormous He bought of the government no Il
4 than seven hundred Thousand dollars worth
revenue stamps. The government sllowed h
a certain pc rcentage on these as drawbacks
Misunderstanding occurred here, the govel
meut according 10 his figuring. not allowing h
what the contract required. He felt that he
an injured man; he applied strong language
II, the government officials and was promptly sol
bed. The government has ch eatcd me; v
be even with them yet" he said rs he wall
;. away.
T., The enemy, however, was too strong for h
The government watched him, aud found
he did not buy as many stamps as he used,
they suddenly made descent upon hir', 5
up his factory, broke up his business. aud TIL
him upon tie world ruined man. Unsiam
rQ boxes Of matches had been found in the mari
" and it was upon this fact that the action
taken, Nothing more serious was suspected
ill nearly year later. when fisherman 10
East river found buried in The mnd, and co
E'r ed with wax and verdigris, copper plate
printing revenue stamps, aud bearing the nj
Benoni Howard. Howard made desperate
forts to get that plate from the unsuspec
snds fisherman, but the detectives were too quick
Mat: him and outbid for the fatal piece OF col
y ., oi bearing the name Of the ruined match manr
men. turer.
He was not the only man Involved, howe
there was another man who Irembled whe
= learned that his plate was in the hands of tht
low lice That man was the engraver who had ma
other He did what other frightened men ith the st
N in instinct of self-pressrsatlon do-he iSnohly
.uo, trayed his partner, made clean breast oil u
nsul' nopeiessiy hmPhes.eeu - - a's - III % o.
,has he was trieu, ano lhe July u,sase =. u.'
et. good character of the engrayer " as qge;