The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-17
THE WORST OFTIIE FAMILY.
THE FIRST or THE BELCHERs UHOM
PROITDL user OTIRTOOK.

The Niech,cf Mnk"r Of rl,nou,h'. Earlier
DAYS. \ Pastors AdNi,, that shocked
Young Merchant IN luminous Prediction.
Twenty -nvc years ago most OF thcini--
chief In III. muutn Church was made ty licuty
ward Bcecler's cousin William, Island. genial.
winning man, who seemed so much Of the world
ana SO much Of the church at tie same time,
that II IL thought that he must have sug-
gcstod the wass division Of humanity into
three classes, namely, the saints, sinners
ana Bccchcrs. The PlymoUth pact r. had no,
long been transT anted when William A.
Becchcr settled In brooklyn. He rcsem-
lied his cousin Henry in many Things, and
was fond Of srcaking Of the great good In the
world both were dong. lie seemed to have 10
hates to sour his temper. Everybody was a
friend. and he seemed 10 be- hapuicst when he
was loved and trusted beyond mcst mon. THIS
confidence, IA lis history proves. was his
stock in trade. He disastrousy failed in the
dry goods trade, and went into WNl street 10
repair his fortunes. anl ono II Mr. Becchers
intmatos in those DAYS. who is now cstraneed
because Of his belief In the pastors guilt. re-
members that the pa tor spoke to his merchant
friends of his cousin william, saying that he
was worth $.O0,toU at least. lie once attempted
to extort money from DIR. Rowland.
There was Young Wolshman Ia the congrega-
ton, Thomas w. Woods, fancy goods dealer.
whose industry was attracting uuch attention.
and he was occrcdted with having six or seven
thOusana dollats laid Nv.
A reporter found Mr.. Woods in his Fulton
street BroolINn. store. lie reluctantly told {
The unfortunate confidence mat he placed In
MIR BCecher's cou m " But" he said. "ho W
always before INV ewes. think now that he was
ON parade. lie took pains TO sit rear me in w.
mouth Church, aud u express great uuciion
during his cousins seriuOus. lie oCcl .tonally
druuped into INV store and talked Of church
| tnII lfT
VS. an old sailor who once made baskets for me,
and that had hell ed him aud his wife To- com
cons,q ucnrc was that they hud saved up two or
three hundred dollars lics Ia that hc had two
or three widows whom he vaH supporting. aud
that nc took great JOY IN Investing thtii
money for them in Wall street. lie su--
tho sumo for my poor friends. lie sad
that ne had great facilities guu could do o.ttcr
Than ta' b.nhs. a. tn end OF CUR talk let
hin have SION. told bin that intended 20
iuy a .tt IA luit IN street ~ soon as II was for
,aIc. ana that acstgl tic money ON twenty.
four ho,.i's mott q. lie willingly promised all
thi aud iutcd ne over as security some c'a-
lcr-.niup stock. q ifnte signed hy Sfcrhcu Fowler
90 Per- ! rvis Tor SttOO, aud sOuie other notes.
| NV o. show my confidence In him. tell YOU
that studicd those securities. aud think
INK tnnt they might be- improved | took
ham so, more osIuw him that don't Gi-trlst
h''i. and asked him to examine into the sec lt.-
ticr himself. lie assured ne that they we're al
wanted was offered Tor sale. ard / hid II In. |
went over to Wtliilin Bcct her 10 grt the
| money tie tati That lac didn't have ". BHt |
| .aii ou uromi~od 10 have II To twcnty-lo9r
! hours for me. whenever / called for IT. NY
| i ar si~. lc rcllicd. ! haven't cot any money.
| 10 o. ahhruit was amazed returned 10
! nv husine- sand Kept my sorrow hiddcn. u crep
/ ttt though tnat William B-cchcr had swiudlcd
me- oui OF luN MONEY. aud once thar 10 began To
! maize uOls' In the cEurch. the Deacuns took II
! ~ Deacon nhin- came TO SEQ nie,and ask' d me
! the lr.v-.t.dcd men a. they sat around the
| room la a circle. They "i euct the meeting
| wfth praver: that was well enough, | nkcd II.
y a HMa.H| % Il ffN a.
| culIcs with William Bc,c e. | got al1u, in
! my stOiN i.-t as have tod Il to YOU. and said
/ to them that one dJv took VIM. li,ccher's
! securities tO Dim 70 revise. they tpHld u un-
! utr.t nd that word revise. Incy hung about it
| u.ti rNui .iucd that u meant. according t.
| " ens."r' 10 look over, t. exam me Just theN /
saw one II the deacpns roach under the tahlo
tnd touch another with hi' foot. saw what d.
meant. Thinks /. how can get tIsticc n'tc
vita these Bcerher mem Nv Welsh II .d
rose in me. nd said TO william BoeoL,i.
| If II Wa not for the presumed RESPECT %
arilitv Of thc-r men, | SHOULD eet up and lam
your heat Deacon NJ riil Was al pointed a
| committee Uf one TO 500 whether the m.ttcr
| couic nos tr settled, and bless me II be- ever
| nftcd hi leci q u. Well. the matter went
~ unt!l ne DAY Mr. Beccher came INTO my
| store. followed hv Dr. Storrs. lie began to talk
to me about It, and SAID that they were ali vetN
/ sorry but uC ~.iu, Wait until william cheats
some ore else out q the money and he'll pay
4 ynu u.cN youf-.' couldn't veil whether -. =
u an. tut | knew that that was not the prupcr
.ciuuIN for preacher TO IA Re. Two or thtre
80 vel Il Tim aiisf that cay. flr u seemed to
u.c tnat he was hachius MI heechcr; hut he
said tDat ne hut - very nttc ildecd abuut the
| e.. - tt mat time. ! had Wt'ntm Berchef at.
| rested, ana Deacon Dressing went III. tan and
swur, that he was worth SlU0O0. Two duN .tici
taat nc failed and couldn't nay twenty-five ceuis
On the dollar l have seen these men w,.tt
! away one by one. Poor William lcecIer ueNel
/ va restored iu business. lie got ne 20 sac pr
stephen Fowier's note for SlUad. and assured
me that tncrr was no usuunus inicrc-t ON No.
| and bless me n on the witness stand Ec On IA =
fwcrT that there was usuri1us Interest on "
The case W. tried before judge Noah Davis
ana well remember how he leaned over the
case. Young iuan, and | must tell you that SOU
lave 100 l".al claim 20 the W nov
| " zen t.e'e was apotc made by Mr.. Hicks foi
| - %. which Bcect,r -ald vs. given TO him iOl
| money loaucd, bat u tanned out that T. We
ftmVlc accomm olatira note, Tor Which william
be- cher had never paid cent. Well there was
a lot 81 COZ, er-mine stock winch held as col
literal, inere VS. an assessment m tde on H.
| which | paid, 50 IA to Keep the stock IN my
hands. but Very soon the company COLLAPSED
ami when went to collect the twenty i've II
thirty dollars that was left Of the value 81 my
shares. | found that William Icecher had beer
there before inc and Ct the money. Well,
| never got anything not a cent. William Beech.
FL WIS out In the Custom House ty his fienda
one day be was l,atlns back IN his chair against
"a window Wtenhc slipped ana fcli out OF the - IN
dow. breaking his neck. tcrg We him. | nevc
llrechcr. and would do MIN kindness II
could. But prottdcucc overlook William A
iiecrher, and Providence Will oyertahe tn