The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-06-02
DOMESTIC DESERTER.
THE MISSING M,oREHoUsE-HEB BEGINS LIFI

THE Missing M,OREHoUsE-HE BEGINS LIFE
ANEW.
Some monthssincea great excitement was
caused in TippGanoe county by the sudden
dissppearanceof one Benjamin: Moorehouse,
an old and respected citizen. His saddled
horse went tome riderless and his mutiIated
clothing wss found on the river bank, but
the body was not found. The Lafayette
Courier gives light on the subject and the
story has both a romance and moral, if
not two or three of each. The Courier saws:
The whereabouts of Benjamin Moorehouse
a welknown citizens of this county. who
mysteriously disappeared some months since
have not been definitely ascertained 1t is
knoSh, however, beyond all question that
his Tifeless remains were not destined for
free lunch for the catfish of the Wabash.
That tearfully mangled coat and MORALLY
wounded hat were but thin expedients to
cover his flight. Morgan MoOrehouse,a BROTH
er of the missing man, returned from Mis-
souri, on Friday last with the first authentic
intelligence of the missing man. 1t appears
that on the night of his departure from La
fayette, he boarded the train for Chicago,
and from thence went direct TO some point
in Missouri, where he fell in with couple
of men bound for the far West with a large
drove of sheep. He joined them, and came
on foot to the residence OF Lew Jones, a
brother of his first wife and brother of Cal
vim Jones, of this county. He confided to
Mr.. Jones the secret Of his defarture from La
fayette; that he was going to begin lie anew
in the far West; that his domestic infeli-
cities were heavier than he could bear: that
his young wife and the children by his first
wife were in a continuous wrangle, and that
he had turned his back upon handsome
property and left them to fight it out. He
had but little money with him, but was going
eight hundred miles northwest of Salt Lake
to begin anew; that he presumed the court
would appoint Morgan Moorehouse his in
dorser and principal creditor to settle up his
business; that he left personal property
ample to pay of all his debts and leave his
family
FIVE HUNDRED ACRES
of good farm land, unencumbered. He did
not mean to wrong any man out of cent.
He did not feel called upon to cruelty him.
self at home, and had pushed out into the
world to begin life again. Mr.. Jones had
not intended to say anything about the
matter, but on the arrival of Morgan Moor
house he concluded to make a complete rev.
elation of all the facts in his possession.
Before leaving Missouri Ben Moorhouse in
Dictated some point near Salt Lake where a
letter could reach him, and an effort will
to enable Morgan to close up his business.
He left on foot in company with the two
men driving the flock of sheep. The pay
ment of the note in bank on the day before
his departure would indicate the unsullied
honor of his intention, so far as finance is
concerned. Other circumstances go to show
that he had but little money with him.
Those who know him best need not be told
that Benjamin Moorehouse was in no sense
bad man. He had been financially en-
bsrrassed for some years. He was
solvent, but "hard up" 1t is the old
story. He had Endorsed for friend
and, losing $1,000 or S. 900, had sought to
make it up in desperate venture with the
grain gamblers of Chicago, The cards were
stocked, of course and he found himself
deeper in the mire than before. But he
plodded along, and was working himself out
in good shape when the ingratitude or
Lnoughtlessness of those for whom he was
toiling like slave broke his spirit and sent
him adrift. Put yourselfin his place. and
judge him kindly. Every heart has its own
| history and knows its own sorrow Mr..
Moorehouse may have greatly exaggerated
his family difficulties. Festive widowers
who marry playmates for their oldest
daughters may expect "the girls" to make
mouths at each other; but the lesson of his
life and his shipwreck is full of admonition
| against the old fashioned method of losing
| a fortune by ''going security" for a friend,
and that other and far more reprehensible
practice Of gambling in grain at Chicago.