The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-08-03
col. nara,..i Bsi;l sliissInr MAN.


VIThe many friends and acquaintance
III Col. Henry s. Hard, of Arlington,
will be panied TO learn that his mystcri-
Gus Disappearance over ten days ago Is
now attributed to the misappropriation
of trust funds placed in his hands as re-
ceiver ofthe Arlington Car manufacture
ing company. Hitherto his character
has been beyond reproach, and when,
about year ago, the car company, OF
which he was treasurer and secretary,
and in which he held $1,000 of stock
failed, he was appointed receiver. A
few days ago, L. b. Burton, Esq, OF
Manchester, was appointed special mas.
ter by Judge Dunton to audit his ac-
counts, and the investigation was to
have commenced yesterday. His
bondsmen, for $4,000, are David Gro
fut, sheriff; Fernando West, merchant
A. Bartlett, hotel keeper, and j. X.
Batchelder, lawyer, all of Arlington,
and they are all free in expressing
their opinions that he is defaulter,
one of them placing the defalcation al
less than $500 and another fearing
that il might exceed $4,000. As re-
ceivcr he was paid $40 month, but
his cxtravagant manner of living raised
his expenses TO moro than twice that
amount, and this without other visible
means of support. His father, a resi-
dent of Oswego, n. Y. during his life,
and at his death, some time since, had
given him considerable sums of money,
but all had been wasted, Mr.. Hard, as
his friends say. having no faculty for
saving money. His wife has been in
an insane asylum ut Brattlcboro for the
past twelve years, and during the last
year or more her place has been taken
by beautiful young widow named
Mclaughlin, who calls herself "New
Yorker" She is about Twenty-Five
years old, blonde of the purest type,
the possessor of n petite but faulilcss
form and dresses with elegant and OK
quisite taste. Her husband was for
merly workman in the car shop, but
their married life was unhappy, and
two years ago he suddenly left the vii
lagc without giving his reasons for do
ing SO. Shortly after ne died, and
without showing any signs of mourn
ing she came to Mr.. Hard's home and
became his housekeeper. In her con-
versation she almost unconsciously
speaks of Mr.. Hard and herself as
''we," and the story that the formers
disappearance is probably owing to
grief at the intelligence, learned during
a recent visit to Brattleboro asylum, Of
his wffe's hopeless insanity, she pro-
nounces false. "He has not been near
her for four years." she adds in explana-
ton. Mrs. Mclaughlin also says that
Nr. Hard recently asked her whether,
if he should go away and take reser-
walton, she would remain with his
children and afterwards follow him.
This, with the fact of his recent extend
ed visit to Texas, where he spent con-
siderable time in looking over the
country, leads some to surmise that he
has now gone to that state. Mrs. Nc
Laughlin's installment in Mr. Hard's
house caused considerable scandal, and
this feeling increased until many reftls-
ed to exchange calls with the family,
notwithstanding the fact that the latter
was prominent member of the Epis-
copal church. Mr.. Hard leaves behind
him four children, two daughters and
two sons. The first, a daughter. is
married and lives in Brooklyn, n. Y,
while the second, also daughter,
eighteen years old, remains at home.
OF the two youngest children, boys
about seventeen and ten years old, the
first, bright young fellow, is clerk in
the post office and news agent of the
village, besides sending occasional items
TO the associated press.
With their denunciations Mr.. Hard's
bondsmen comminglc sorrow and re-
gret at his fall, and no attempt will pro-
badly be made to follow the fugitive
and bring him TO !iusticc.-CRut Her.
aid