The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-14
ENDING A COURT HOUSE WAR
ONE CONTESTANT DEAD, THE OTHER
MARRYING THE WIDOW
A Fight that was settled nt the PoIis-Thomns
browns Ambition Destroycd-Uis Death
Amer Defent-Thcn n Queer Wedding.

Fight that was settled ut the PoIis-Thomns
Brown's Ambition Destroycd-His Death
Amer Defent-Thcn n Queer Wedding.
HoNEsDALE, Pa, May 10.-Thomas Brown
was elected one OF the Commissioners OF Wayne
County In 1875. He was then well to do and
occYsted fine residence just out OF this village.
Ho was tho leading member OF tho Board OF
Commissioners. and controlled II. His son. =.
H. Brown. was appointed clerk OF the Board.
Honesdale became the county seat Of Wayne
County in 1Sl3 The frame Court House thon
erected had never been improved or enlarged
although the population and business OF the
county had more than doubled. Tho subject OF
building now Court House had been agtated
for some years. In 1876 the preliminary pro-
ceedings required by law having been taken.
the Court ordered the County Commissioners
to build a new Court House. With population
Of 10000 in the county and no county debt. 1t
was thought that 100000 Court House would
not bo too expensive. Arrangements were
made to erect building OF that class. From
tho beginning the people OF the county were
strongly opposed to the work. Tho feeling was
worked upon by ambitious politicians. and II be-
came so strong that ordinary party lines we're
forgotten. and the only parties in the county
parties. OF the former. CommlssiOner Thomas
Brown was n conspicuous leader. william
nNItWtll. u Wehllnl anu lnuutnllhl lNIiutT OF
an interior township, beanmo power In the
anti Court House party The opponents OF tho
Court House hamper6d the work by nIunctions
md legal proceedings Of various kinds.
Thomas Brown used literally Of his means to
carry through the plans which were devised to
defeat the efforts Of the ant-Court House
people. He was an old contractor and builder.
and had set his heart on perpetuating his namo
N the county through work on tho now Court
ON the result OF the election in the county in
1877 everything depended. The Court House
fnr I'M Ynl Of OH afaI fha attft-
Court House party were putting forth extra;
ordinary effort TO secure several TO be filled
whelming majority. Probably TO no other per-
son in tho county did the result give more Joy
than M 70 William Hartyel. He had resolved
that Thomas Brown and the other Comm ission-
ers should not complete the new Court House.
and the success, OF his party at the polls vir-
tually put an end to the work. The disastrous
result Of the election SO affected Conn. 'ssioner
Brown that he died a. few hours after the news
was received. Last fall lliam Hartwcll was
elected TO the position Thomas Brown had
filled. two other ant-C Court House men taking the
places Of Browns colleagues In the Board. and
The county was in debt $50 900 for tho work
that had been done on the Court House. which
was torn down in 1877. II is not likely that the
new one viii DO completed Tor years. Mean
of-the-way part Of Honosdale.
1t was supposed that Thomas Brown had loft
his family well provided for. but the troubles of
the past two years had involved him ruinously.
The claims against his estate were pressed.
and n few weeks ago the Sheriff levied on tho
Brown homestead and advertised 1t for sale.
His son. T. II. Brown. desired 10 save the prop
erty, II possible, and appealed TO Commissioncr
William Hartwell. three weeks ago. to pay of
the claims against the estate. and take a mort
gage on the property. HartwelPs wife had
died few days after he was elected County
Commissioner He had never seen the widow
OF Thomas Brown. He went TO see her In re-
gard to making the arrangement about the
transfer Of claims against her property. He
was so pleased with her that few days after
ward he made proposal OF marriage to her.
She accepted him. He paid OF the claims
against the property, and made her u wedding
present of n deed to the homestead. They were
married on Wednesday last