The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-08-02
AG RARIANISM.
Troubles of an American Landlord
with His Tenants.
HOW CLARKE GOT HIS LAND.
EMcted Tenants Revenge Themselves
by Barn Burning.

Charles Montanyc, the truckman mployod by John
II. starin Co., the story Of whose arrest was puo'
shed yesterday. is sull in Ludlow Street JAIL where
reporter saw MIN yesterday, and tried 10 get from
him some statement OF his knowledge OF tho whole
sale iDcendarism Montgomery county, the story
Of which was 30 graphically told in tho afalavt OF
MIR. George Clarke the principal sufferer by the Ares
supposed TO have boon kindled by dissatisfied tenants
Monisnye Is a tall well built man, OF about thirty
years Of age with rather low forehead over watch
grows OF blacx curly hair. Hts mustache
equally Iuxurinnt and equally black, is proceed out at
the ends with two strips oil beard, which make him
look extremely shaggy. HIS lace Is Intelligent and
by means vicious in It's expression, and he talks
when he win say anything. in good and iorcbls
language. He utterly denies all knowledge OF tho
arcs excepting what public knowledge after the
burning Of each building. anu souty declares that he
was not the neghborhood OF any one OF the dres
whom IL occurred. He admits that he knew OF the
meetings OF Mr. Carkes tenants as everybody In The
neighborhood knew OF them, but says he was never
Mr.. Ciarkcs tenant, and never attended any OF the
meetings and did not know that the tenants formed
themselves into she Montgomery Mutual Tenants So
ceiy. He says, however, that Mr. Clarke has II all
his own way. .'Why amt he?" he exclaimed. "He's
q rich man and I'm poor man, and I've got DO show
haven't even The means TO get lawyer"
THE LANDLORDS STORY.
Mr.. Clarke, on tho other hand, claims to have
depce that Montanye, though he lived consider.
able distance from the soene OF most OF the fires,
yet seen In tue vicinity OF each one, either at the
time It was burning or imm ediateIy aiterward He
says that though Montanys was not his ten
ant, Montanye's father was, ana that Mon
tanye married the daughter OF another OF
his tenants, Smnh Lathcrs, who has been
among the most open OF all who have threatened de-
structou 10 his (Carke's) property. Being asked to
tell the origin OF the difficulty between him ana
Lathsrs which led 10 such threats, he SAID the best
way would be TO give history of tho estate and with
out further preamble Clarke began at the begin ming
HIS thirty.nve years OF litigation have evidently
trained him as ~ tho value OF clear and concise
statement and he talked In u manner to delight the
heart Of Charles Readc.
"George Clarke" he said, "was Lieutenant Governor
OF the Province OF New York from the year 1896 10
1743 We arc pretty much all Georges In the family.
l am the filth. Well this George Clarke camc 10
America In 1703 being scnt out by the British govern
ment In some capacity, though l really don't know
what. tx the date OF his coming by o letter from
him which was found by an antiquarian among tho
old papers in Albany. In this letter he says he
landed at portsmouth, Va, in 1703 and ~ once came
to New YORK. From This time until he returned to
England in 1743 no was connected with tho govern
proVlnCc-l
different capacities. II Ia ever had occasion
to look into It could give you tho colonial
history Of New York, but haven't. only know he
was member OF the Council, and aiterward Lieuten
ant Governor, and during his stay here he oil
the patoutoss who received from tho Crown largo
grants OF land He died In 1853, leaving two sons and
will The sons wsro George and Edward Secre
tary George and Major Edward we call 'em to DIS
tinguish ZEN. Tor there are good many Edwards loo.
BY the terms Of the will all his property New York
went TO these George came TO America, and was
the Secretary OF the colony Tor many yours You will
find II you look that many Of tho original annals in Al.
bany are In his handwriting. Edward was made
jor 80 family tradition says for gaantry at Inc
storm,ng Of Havana by the British Secretary George
died 10 England bachelor III liza ana lett bis prop
cry by will 10 his two great nephews. MAJOR Ed
ward had one sou, George Hyde Clarke, who mad two
school in England inherited Secretary Georges prop
erty IN leo in common, while Major Edward, who
Died ITO :is ns 70 one tnS D, n% TO-
Interest IN one-iait Of the estate. while Edward
owned three-Qusitcrs.
RENTING ESTATE
s'Thoy were thus minors England during the
Revolutionary war. among those WHOSE cases
were considered 1883. In this treaty Great Britain
stipulated that children Great Britain mold
Ing 10 America should not lose such prop.
cry py nnscaton rnis stipulation was agreed 10
ami forms part OF the treaty, ana shortly aiterward
the American Congress passed law or resolution or
parents birth coming OF the United States
should be American ctizens. Accordingly, my isIber
American CITIZEN, Tor he came Of on April 70,
1889 In Albany. He was however, by the Stato laws
OF New York still alien lie returned TO England
his attorney, with written authority This power OF
attorney have had and produced IN court, but IL 10
now los,. Probably II rs mIsa,d among my papers.
presume l could nnd II II was put 10 II.
.sUnder this power OF attorney Banycr rented all tho
lanas Of the estate, excepting some In Dutchsss
county for the term oil three and less than
thirlyone years; that IS the lease could not expire
In any event In less than tnrtyone years nor until
the death Of the last three persons named
lease Some Of these persons lived 10 extremc old
ngs, and the leases ran accordingly aud became very
valuable Tor the rate at which the lands wore then
rented q shilling twelve and one-hali centr) per
acre per year. The lands In Dutcness county had
been ren,ed by secretary George before the Revoiu
tionary War, and these leases, or many oil Iuem, ex
prcd about 1897. Az that time my father camo 10
America aud reet tho Duchess county lands, signing
his ' i'm. Inc owner OF 10. whole estate, having
bought out his brother Edward. Tho decd he sc-
CURED from Edward Is on record and I have copy
OF H.
"Atter rcetting the property Ia 1907 father returned
| to England, where he stayed until 1877, when he
csmo 10 America again aud settled here Hs then ou-
tanned tho passage OF special act Of the Legislature
OF New York, empowering him TO hold his estate,
which, according TO he State laws he could not do as
NV s"sm he WAS st,l, an alien. / havs a parcnmenI
| copy OF this act, but don't remember tho date.
| GROWS.
sHe then bought " ACT VI 1900 acres OF land from
William Gchrist and built hous, ON H. IN which no
lived Tor a time, when he hull tho house IN which
tive limestone aud nov looks very old. II
| Is two aud q half stories high anu was
| built q scale of grandeur that Is uttorIy insult
able have seen the Jolly OF IT It's located al the
head Of Oisego Lake far from tho brow OF the
hills that divide tue Susquchsnna Valley IRON the
! Mvhawk Valley. l have added to the land by pur-
chase until I now have at that place H. 900 acres.
| The house was only finished a littio while when my
father died In 1885, aud no Is buried the place
remember that before ne died no was naturalzed aud
his only vote for President cast for Andrsw jack
Hs took me 10 the polls with him, and RENE m
har t,l.i m Dulc her hal
| Butchers we're alt wings anu were ready to challenge
any vote for jackson But iatncr sworo the vote H.
al continued 10 live at the old place. and farncd II
| unti about 1850, wheu began To IND myself drawn
.uav I'M u,uc, nv y buaueas an In ndorJ I ma M