The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-11-24
A SAD STORY.
From Wealth to insanity and Poverty

from w SttAIA 70 Insanity anu EOVetLy.
Among the shabby, dirty and rag
ged unfortunates who came to the
Southern Station last night to obtain
a nights lodging was an old man
bent with years and showing The
evidence of fatigue and travel by
his lettering footsteps and wretched
apparel. lie gave his name to Capt.
Delanty as Paul Veniler, Of New
Orleans, and was shown back to the
room assigned to tramps, A glance
at his rags and careworn face would
never suggest to the observer that
Paul Veniler was at one time lead
ing business man and a prominent
citizen of the Crescent City, but
such indeed is the case, aud the hiss
tory of his life has in it all the ele-
ments of dramatic story, which VIC
may read, throw aside and say it is
improbable. A few points in the
life of this unfortunate Individual
may not be uninteresting. About
thirty year ago there arrived in
New Orleans a handsome young
man, accompanied by his wife,
Creole, IN the full bloom of her
youthful beauty. The couple come
from Martinique, and brought with
them a large sum of money, which
Venilers proposed to invest in trade.
They settled in magnificent house
on the bank of Lake Pouchartrain
which became, on account of the So
cial qualities of its master and mis-
tress, the central point of attraction
for all the aristocratic people of the
neighborhood. The husband had ia
the meantime embarked in shipping
and commission business, and was
very successful. Realizing largely
on his investments, he became one
of the wealthest citizens, while he
at the same time attained a reputa~
ton for unblemished business integ>
rity, probity and honesty. Three
children had been born, and every
bright prospect in life seemed attain
able without effort to the young
couple. About this time a gambler,
well known in those days for his
success with cards, and remarkable
for his handsome exterior and
pleasing address, met Madame Ven
Her at a bal-masque. Other meet.
ings followed, and the foolish wo-
man abandoning home, her children,
her husband, and her honor, listened
to the seductive addresses of her
destroyer and fed to Cuba. The
husband followed, but never su~
ceeded in coming up with his wife,
to whom he had forgiveness to offer;
nor with her seducer, for whom he
had vengence. He gave up the
pursuit and returned to New Or
leans. But business had no longer
any interest for him, now that she
for whom he labored so earnestly
had deserted him. The three chil~
dren fell victims to the cholera, and
Veniler a broken down man, aged
before he was old, sold out his busi>
ness interest and disappeared
Some weeks later he was discovered
on the levee wandering up and
down, homeless, and without a pom
ny of the large sum he had realized
by the sale of his property. He
was taken to a mad house, where
be remained for twenty,three years,
and finally, when former friends
had forgotten him and he was no
longer an object of interest to tho
outside world, be was released, helps
less and penniless, to live, or to die,
as chance befell him. In his vans
derings he reached Baltimore last
night, carrying with him as link
connecting him with happier days,
the New Orleans and Mobile papers
which told the story of lis wife's de-
SETON, the subsequent death of his
children, and of his immurement in
the madhouse, Poor old man he
has but few more steps to take in
life before he will go out with the
tide, the wreck of life blasted by
a woman's perfdy.-BaItimore
american.