Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-12-04
A STRANGE STORY,
Henry Ward Bsecher's Half Brother
Cuts the Acquaintance Of the
Busy World.
snecial Corr. ohicago Times.l

AINAAAA 49,
TURNwooB, n. Y, November "a
The best fishing and hunting to be
had in the Catskill mountains are to
be found right here in the town of
Hardenberg, Ulster county, N. y.
but the fishing season is ended, and
the scores of New York and Boston
sportsmen, who camp out here for the
summer, have lett for more comfort
able quarters than our forest with its
footdeep covering of snow now affords.
Bears and other big game abound, but
the average city man don't ARE to
capture such at the cost of a perpetual
SILVER. Here. however, in the depths
Of the wilderness, has lived one man,
winter and summer, who once figured
oonspicuously in the world as a popu-
lar society man and a brilliant pulpit
orator-Rev. James Beecher, a half
brother of Mrs. Tilton's friend, the
Plymouth pastor.
When Henry Ward Beecher was
first charged with the crime which
afterward brought him to trial, this
brother James was the pastor of the
most prominent and wealthy Congre-
gational church in the state outside of
New York city-the First of POugh-
keepsie. He was high in the esteem
of his people and their confidence in
him was amply evidenced by their
cordial fellowship and fat salary.
But, it is believed, the intelligence
of his brothers fall sadly affected
him; he was completely stricken by
the knowledge that the hitherto fair
fame of the Beecher family was
clouded. 1t is said that for days he
refused to see even the staunche,t of
his Poughkeepsie friends. The cOur-
teous ntertainingmi ister was changed
into a curt, solemn faced man. Grief
was gnawing his very life away. This
was all too evident. Every profession
of sympathy was rejected and it be
came generally believed that he had
entirely broken down beneath his
care. A vacation was granted BY the
church, and the Poughkeepsie home
was closed. He left the city and, it is
reported, sought Henry Wards coun-
Try residence in West chester county
and there are rumors of an intense
ly interesting and animated interview
between the brothers. They parted
the one to win an all else than savory
%notoriety in the police courts; the
other to quit civilization an exile for
a sin not his own.
lie said good-by to his best friends
and sought out an abode here among
the Ulster Catskills. His tract Of
land is densely wooded, and covers an
an area a little more than a mile
square; but Hardenberg land accord
ing to the county tax.roll, is not the
eostliest in the world tits average
value being sixty-three cents an acre.,
and this tract would not have been
over cheap at the price of a dozen
trade dollars. A beautiful lake OF
good size occupies a portion of the
property, and there is in the Catskill
range no scenery more pleasihgly pic
%turesque. "Beecher's Lake" the ma
tiyes call it; and on one of the noun
tain cliffs commanding a fine view Of
it the preacher built for himself a
home-doing all the work himself. 1t
is a s~tory-and-a half strueture-plain
neat and comfortable. At the time
of its erection there was no wagon road
within a half-dozen miles; the nearest
hamlet and postofice were ten miles
distant, while it was about three times
the latter distance to the first railroad
station. He finished his house before
winter really set in, and there till
spring he lived a life of thor
ough solitude. He had no neighbors
and aside from his faith and hi,
thought, he knew no companionshiI
save such as was given by the winter
storms and the night cries of the
mountain wild beasts. His wife anC
daughter were not with him yet; they
were not to come till the spring time
though meanwhile they we're faithful
correspondents; and when our littl,
hamlet Of TurnwoOd received it.
weekly budget of Email matter he WA
always among the fortunate. Ever
Friday he tramped ter miles through
the snow for this favor. With June
however, came Mrs. Beecher and tn,
little daughter TO the Beecher lax,
home. There all three have since re
mained-there the elder ones are like
ly to remain as long as life shall last
They have cut clear from the worlC
and for good. They seem content 40,
even happy, here in the forest. and ",
have every reason to believe thattherI
is no earthly inducement which coul,
induce James Beecher to enter agaiI
on his old time career.