The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-03-31
Phases OF q Ruined Life.

merchant-one widely known and univer-
sally respected. He was one Of our
modern types of the selfmade man. As
larmer-boy he had sought a place 10
the village as clerk in "country store"
In three years he became partner and in
FIVE sole proprietor. The town grew and
his business grew with it. Profits we're
large in those rapidly growing Western
towns, and even then supply scarcely
equaled demand. With good beginning
in tho 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 sim.
pie solid trust to the foundation Of expert.
ence, success was certain. The war came;
it was to his business but lever. He
was largely engaged in dry goods we all
know how they went up. lie saw the
advantage he had nerve. and went 10
largely. His bills at this time with Claf
Ii, & c.. were enormous. He was well
known in New York. aud called perfectly
good 1t was the golden age with him.
ln the back room Of bis store he had
Shoe cord. OF sheetlng aud calico which
we're worth 800 per cent more than thoy
had cost
1t would not have been surprising il
such moustrous fortune had marked
effect upou the mind of this simple.
straightforward business man if be had
felt the secure foundation Of experience
less necessary if be had seen new hori.
zous opening up greater possibilities in
the future if he had planned Napoleonic
schemes of commerce in wider field.
1t is not known that be had these dreams !;
what we do know is that his good judg.
ment became unreliable and played him
false that during the ensuing five years
he lost money nearly as fast as he had
made it; that he fiuslly sold out and
came to New York with saved remnant
Of his immense fortune, but with unbound.
ed ambition and the utmost confidence IN
his own abilities.
Bsnoni Howard was ono Of the few
business men whose hon ssty and liberality
during q long career we're never by any
human being doubted. He always paid
everything that was demanded Of him,
and with interest. This was with him q
mania. 1t extended beyond tho pale Of
his business into his moral life. He had
something Of the Indian in his nature,
for he never forgot favor or iorgave an
injury. "I'll be even with you yet" was
his favorite remark, uttered in his quiet,
determined way, and those who knew him
best looked to themselves when he made
that remark. The subsequent history Of
this man is the story Of single act and
its resuts-an act of resentment. 1t was
this fatal quality, resentment, which was
the shoal on which his life was wrecked.
Iu 1865 Benoni Howard became pro.
prietor of the immense establishment
known as the New York Match Company.
The business carried on here was some.
thing enormous. He bought of the
Government no less than seven hundred
thousand dollars worth OF revenue stamps
The Government allowed him a certain
percentage on these drawbacks. A mis-.
understanding occurred here, the Govern.
ment. according to his figuring, not allow.
ing him what the contract required. H.
felt that he was an injured man; be
applied strong language to the Govern
ment officials aud was promtly snubbed
+ The Government has cheated me 1; II
be even with them yet." he said as b,
walked away.
The enemy. however, was to strong fol
him. The Government watched him
and found that he did not buy a
many stamps as he used, and they sudden
ly made descent upon him. shut up hi
factory, broke up his business. and threw
, him upou the world ruined man. Un
stamped boxes Of his matches had beel
found in the market, aud it was upon thi
fact that the action was taken. Nothinl
more seriousw as suspected until yea
later, when fisherman in the East Rive
, found buried 10 the mud, and covere,
with wax and verdigris, a copper plat
for printing revenue stamps, aud bearinI
the name Of Benoni Howard. Howar,
made desperate efforts to get that plat
: from the unsuspecting fisherman, but tn
t detectives were to quick for him, and out
D bid him Tor the fatal piece of coppe
' bearing the name of the ruined mate
manufacturer.
lie was not the only man involved
however; there was another man VIII
|. trembled when he learned that this plat
was in the hands Of the police. Tha
. man was the engraver who had made il
= He did what other frightened men d
, with the strong instinct of self.presserva
. tion-be betrayed his partner, made
: clean breast of it. and hopelessly implica
ted Howard as q counterfeiter. He wa
> tried. and the jury disagreed. Hundred
were ready to come forward and testif
to his good chsracter-thst of the engrav
or was questiouabls-and the evidepct
though morally overwhelming, was nc
!. legally sufficient.
Last summer. man from the State
came to the town Of New Liverpool i
a the province of Quebec. He was accom-
4 panied by his wife, as if his stay was I
. be permanent, and he engaged his service
to merchant at q salary Of $1,000
year. He was q man Of forty.fve, an
had crushed, too quiet air, and clos
: observer Of human nature might hav
noticed the nervous, scared look In th
= face of bis poor wife, and under his ow
forced calmness . dull terror. an unreo
l. the heart of q man "haunted down.
It His nights were troubled, for it was sal
It bv the neighbors that the unhappy vii
10 would often awake from her dreams wit
70 screams and tears. 1t was her woman
.. prophetic fears only too soon TO be reali