The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-06-12
FIGHTERS COUNTRY SEAT.
A QUAINT HOMESTEAD Nv QUAKER
TOWN, PENNSYLYANIA.

Strange Taste OF the Eccentric Actor-P ccu-
mary Bnburras-ments High Living In the
Country-The Sherin Appears on the scene.
1t was announced recently that The home
OF Charles Fechter, the well known actor, had
been attached BY the Sheriff OF BUCKS county,
Pa. and was 10 no sold to satisfy judgment
obtained by one of the numerous creditors OF
the prototype OF the Count OF Monte CHI isto.
The sale, however, has been postponed.
Between three ana four years ago Mr.. Fech-
ter was soized with desire to purchase
country residence, and while In search
OF place. to suit him he was advised to
visit Bucks county. the beautiful undulatiug
country living around the village OF Quakertown
attracted his attention, and be decided upon
securing a country scat there. In all Pennsyl-
vania he could hardly have selected prettier
SPOT, or one less liable to be trespassed upon by
tourists or city holiday seekers.
Gu kertown Is on tue North PENNSYLVANIA
Railroad, about thirty miles distant from Phila-
delphia, and nearly as far by railroad from
Doylestown, the county seat of Bucks county.
As the name of the village implies, a large pro-
portion Of the two thousand persons Who form
its population are OF Quaker descent, though
they seem to have lost the traditions OF their
fathers. and cvince little OF the simple manners
OF life that distinguish the sect.
Fechter bought farm with a substantial
old dwelling house, and some atty six acres Of
land. Tho old gentleman from whom he
purchased the property had lived ON 1t
for many years, and both ground aud build
incs were in the best possible condition when
they passed into MIR. Fechter's hands but his
ideas OF the requirements of his new possessions
seemed To extend no further than the furnishing
OF the dwelling house In style of luxury aud
maenilcence that was entirely novel to the in
OuakertOWu.
The price Of the property. II Il alleged, was
tlO.Ow but Mr. fechter did not pay for II at
once, and 1t " ctiil burdened with mortg ge Of
t4.OO. IL WAS not suspected, however, that this
was owing to any scarcity Of money on the part
was supposed TO be worth at least ssO,W0
None doubted this report, which WAS counrn ed
10y hts mOue Of deslin, with New York theatri-
cal manager. whose offer Of 500 night he re-
jectcd, demanding 500 more. While negOtia-
iions we're tending ne optaned an engagement
sequentlv played In New York on the same
terms. Not unn uurally all with whom he came
into contact IN QuakeTtown looked uuOn him As
modern Crpsus. sent among them by bounti-
ful Providence ~ reward for tue excellence
and fruglitv of their fOrefatners.
While the old house was being furnis he'd.
| painted, papered. and otherwise made ut for oc-
cupancv, Mr. Fechter and his wife better
known IA Miss Price, boarded for some months
at the principal hotel In Quakertown, ana here
the great actors extravaganza was the wonder
tants learning, with unbounded astonishment,
that he drank champagne out of tumDlers Of
they were IN the habit Of qu ning cider. The
costlest wines the house arOrded were not
good enough, but enieavorinR, probably, to
make them compensate III quantity for what he
conceived them 10 lack In quality, he ordered
champagne tor his sole consumDtion to the
| aver re value OF between twenty i've aud thirty
dollars Gay.
At last the house was completed. ana he
casionally visited him. out for the most part he
ana Miss Price lived in solitary grandeur.
With all the tr despeOpie Mr. Fechter was
n Ia ma re- ha. ad
ana had he paid them for the goods with any
| thing like the hberaty with which he ordered
| them, their happiness would nave been complete
| As II was. they grew gradually discOntented
with his custom. He soon went away from
his nome aud did not return for "a long time, and
then oniy t. 81 there for few week.. His
absences became more and more prOtracted and
his visits urlefer; but hts small deDts Hccumu-
lated with raro regularity every line he re-
| turned. Finally some one obtained judgment
sealnsi hun, aud his attorney, Mr. Geo. Ross II
DoNl-stown, having appfised him that his rural
retreat was IN danger, he remitt0d the AMOUNT
OF tue debt But other suits followed and other
Judgments were obtained TX inst him, and still
, ne .aid the money at lne eleventh hour.
! Wnen Mr.. fechtei Et,t wen. t0 2dasertown
he puren seq two valuable horses, one, Il is
said, for Sl.D, aud the her for something less.
Wlen hc got them on his run some one told
him that the, were not sound, and, in his usual
impuisivo u'dnntr, ne sent tneh back 20 New
| York. where they were sold far below tueir
value. lie htd Two other horses on the farm,
| for whicn he paid s4isl; tney were hue animals
when he lur, haseg tnsm, but they we're greatly
| neglected, and allowed to fall into a wre' Ched
condition. At last when they were sold to
satisfy JUDGMENT they brought hardly enough
| To by the cost Of the lie.
| Some months ago "A creditor made an attempt
| to lew upon tue furnilur but Miss Price ap-
| peared In court nj said that she was MIR. Fech
! ter's wife, ana the property belonged to her.
! THIS caused sOme delay, aud meanwhile the
| Judgment was satisfied.
| Tue last time the services OF the Sherin OF
! Bucks cot-0 were called into requisition was
[ on Auul -. en- the property wa condemned,
and wouiu- u teen sold mad sir. FechteT not
| satsled ~, alignment. IL Is not probable that II
would have brought more than <5,JU-not great
! deal III excess of tie mortgage UPON II.
A pie SAINT drive VI three mile, from the sta
ton NJ Quahertowu, Through a Wel-wooded and
/ fertile country, brings the visitor to ChdTit )
[ Fschter's 1eserte home. he dwelling house
LOOKS like diminutiye III indicted bY tue
I Grand Jury, aud aw.itng demolition. 1t Is
| substauti.l, however, and doubte-s comfort
able. but II has wild and neglected APP
| peardnce. 1t Is huiit OF rough stones, with
| the broad strcaks II mortar. Al one end
Is "a log kitchen. such as an early settler 10 the
forests OF the far West might nave erected FOL
his use. The Outhouses, statles, nug house, &c.
are In moderately good condition, and answer
| win tCleTaDle exactnsss to the description gwen
In tho notice OF y. lie. The buildings, viewed
from the roadside, have a fantastic appearance
| he greater part OF the ground CONSISTS ui
| meadows. Near the house Is a large garden
once hed with blooming flowers, but now
| showing nothing but hign, rank weeds. he
| doors are all locked, anu the shutters VI every
| window barred.
Mr. Fecnter Is in San Francisco.