The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-19
MORE TROUBLE FOR BEECIIER
HE rs THREA TENED WITH 4 LAWSUIT
ron $4,000 DIMIGEs.
Arranging TO Lecture at - Maryland Fair,
"md then Canceliing the Engagement he
cs,use IL Did Not Promise to be Probable.

Arranging TO Lecture at "a Maryland Fair,
aud then CanceIiing the Engagement he
ca,use Il Did Not Promise to be Probable.
Henry Ward Beecher has got into trouble
with number of lending residents OF Cumbcr-
land, Nd and unless he settles a claim which
they are pressing against him. 1t is probable
that he will have to trudRe into court again.
The Agricultural Society Of Allegheny County
Maryland. arranged last fall for a grand fair
ana the finest stations. oxen, cows, Sheep
bulls. and chickens were entered for exhibit
ton. The President Of the Agricultural So
ciety. Mr.. Lloyd Lowndes. who s also tho Pres
ident OF a national bank in that place, thought
that Beecher would make n feature Of the exit
bition, and having arranged for Hayes and
John Sherman to como on ono day in order TO
draw n crowd. he determined to engage Bcecher
for another day. He had some doubt about
Bcecher's record but a fellow townsman. Mr..
Semmes, the nephew OF the famous rebel Adj
mirai Raphael Semmes. urged him " get the
plymouth pastor as an attraction,
Accordingv M q mnney.mak ing device, Mr..
IOwndes wrote to Mr.. Beecher's Boston agents
70 secure him, and they entered into "a contract
Tor him to make an address in Cumberland on
Oct. 23 The Agricultural Society was to pay
| him $500 Tor his services.
Beecher was widely advertised as one Of the
Ieatures OF tne show. fGsters We're sent
| namo alongside Of the names Of famous ami
mails from the prize farms Of the State. Presi-
| dent Lowndes had several hundred extra seats
put up in the fair grounds for the arcommoda-
| ton OF the expected throng. and he made every
arrangement To reap the $4,000 harvest which
| be- thought was sure TO follow the presence OF
Beechcr in the fair After he had diligently
worked up the populace To the tip-toe OF ex-
Oct %. the day before the advertised date OF the
| lecture. by receiving n despatch from Bccchers
| agents cencelling the engagement. No reason
was given for the act aud Mr.. Lowndes telo-
| graphcd back that Mr.. Bcccher must come
without fail. Tho agents replied that was i'm
| possible for him to come. Then Mr.. Beccher
| was telegraphcd to at length and urged to fulfil
| his contract, and TO relieve Innocent persons
| from the responsibility OF Disappointing the
| great multitude that expected him. lie tele-
| graphed back that he would accept all the re-
| sponsibility Of breaking the engagement. No
| further satisfaction could be obtained.
| The contract WIS broken too late for proper
| notice 10 De- given To those who had arranged TO
! visit the fair to see Brccher. and on the next
| day. oct. ~. when the throng poured into tho
| town from many miles distant, there was much
| Indignation expressed over the dsappoint-
ment and many returned without visiting the
| fair. The disappointment led 10 IA diminished
throng ON q t. q. when Hayes and sherman
were TO- be- the attractions, for the promise 81
| their being on exhibition was distrusted.
nevertheless they kept their word.
| In settling M the affairs oi tho exhibition,
| the Agricultural Society determined to- demand
| damages from Mr. Beecner for breach Of con-
| tract and in the last " November n member OF
| ton. The agents told him that Mr.. Bcech"r had
| ordered them 10 cancel tue engagement. md they
| hIh ~ AH'D i'A'iith wv ''ulHlltA'Nlllhu W
| Mr'Beecher, and he referred thom 10 his agents
| but ~ tho delegate was persistent. and began
| 10 threaten to make things warm. Mr.. Becchcr
| said that when he made the engagement he ex-
| p"ct"d TO have engagements in Baltimore and
| Washington which he could MI on the same
| trip. and thus make the journey profitable. but
| failing to secure these other engagements he
| could not afford 10 take three days trip for
| $500.
This explanation was by no means satsiac-
! tory, and the society has made n demand on
Mr.. Becchcr for $4,000 damages. II he fails 10
| satisfactorily arrange the difficulty suit for
that amount is TO be begun.