The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-16
CHARLES FIGHTER, FARMER.
NOW 1T HAPPENED THfT TIE ACTOR
WENT ~ ron IGRfCULTURE
ConfrsdIctiag Certain Points In nm Alleged |
LibciIonS letter aud Meanwhile Giving |
Rotne I'lensnnt d.IImpses Int o bis New LIE. |

QUAKEHrOwN, Ia, Fob. 1O.-AbOut eight
years ago Mr.. Fechtcr. tho motor. rs l UNDER
stand. found himself very much worn down
from ovcrwork ut his profession. and came to
IN is place in search OF absolute rest. He passed
the whole summer Mt Bush's Hotel. queer lit
tic hostclry near the railroad station. whore
they eat dinner in exactly ten minutes 10y the
clock. and Mt the end Of his stay felt that he had
got so much benefit that through his agent. Mr..
Laclerc. he purchased house and an extensive
farm some four miles out OF the village. Heru
Mr. Fcchter, when not professionally engaged
has lived ever since his household Consisting
Of himself and his wife formerly Miss Liz1io
Price. nm actress Of Philadelphia.
Lust December Mr.. Fechtsr was called upon
by reporter for the Philadelphia Times. who
niterward wrote an account OF his visit. which
was published on Dec. 23 under the tito Of
Fech,er at Home" In the course of this arti-
clio the reporter described Mr.. Fechter as IA man
who had been made old not by years. but by
excpsses His intima,ion, II not his expression
WINS that the actor was an habitua drunkard
and thcrc was some morulizing incidentally
about the actor who had fallen through indul-
genco from high estate. and who had become
an irrcclaimgblo wreck even ia his youth
The story from Rochester. that Mr.. Fechter ap-
pcared in n play 30 drunk that tho audience
Missed him of the stage. was referred to- Ms
were some other stories ~ similar import from
other quarters. The actor WIS pictured as sit
ting down to n lunch consisting Of u tin OF pate
dc Jcie grds and n pint pf raw brandy the latter
indicating only small portion Of tho quantity
that il was his habit to consume cnch day. He
was also depicted in laughablc fashion M n
farmer. Wishing To have his farm resemble the
leldsoi England. Mr.. Fechter. the reporter said
had taken down al the fences on his pnce and
IN his zoal had gonn so far even rs to make some
attempts upon tho limo fences and upon the
fences Of his ncighbors Tho result was that
the actors cattle made ducks and brakes Of his
crops and that his whole farm. so far from
resembling tho fields % England. had been
hrowscd into sort of Wilderness. The wriirr
lamentod that "a" inability 10 Will stani his Az.
p'tlt's should nave brought tho once great and
admired actor To- this humiliniinc pass.
Al this ang"rnd MIR. F,''hteg exceedingly, and
ho rnue.d the arrest ui Dir. Nctuurr. the cii'or
81 the Times. for libel. MIR. Mcclure furnished
bail In the sum u 81 900. and the 'nsc was ST
down Tor the present term ~ the court in
Dnylcstown which IL tho legal henhquartrrs OF
Bucks County; but when II cane ~ in due
course last week. it was promptly adjourned
until the next term ~ the court IN April.
The same DAY drove ont % take - look 10 II
shoul b. permitted me-. nt Mr.. Ferttrr and his
surroundings. Mr. Bush. with whom the actor
OF his first coming 90 Quak"rtown. WIS my com
pnnion. and he told M. in the intervals of
Krcat attention which was required ot HIM by
the antics Of an exceedingly risky horse. that
h cousidnrcd Mr. Fnchtrr u noble hearted man.
lhe road l"d through n level country, wh.tH
With snow now hut in the summer groom
enough. Mr., Bush sail. and hi&hy cultivated.
We passed through one toll gntr-ihc philn,lel-
pima reporter bad mHlrVplrutlY said that thrra
w'rr fpuT-ani through ~" little brick village
Of Rirhiand town which IL inhabited solely i'v
sho'makers. nnt at the end OF half an hour
saw down a snowy side rpat into which W. had
turned cIustcr ~ hug" red barns nui % skarp-
enbiod and rather grim-luosinS brick hogsr.
wuirh tao landlord said wis tao homs oi Mr..
r. liter. The house was stu'rpHi after
tho fashion IN this region and wore 4 very
dfcorous gray uur. Ilr"" win lows and door
hrOkU the wall WIlrh iHHtd tin road tho door
lratin- IN without any nrHttrrufiitirn n posts
or INTERPRETATION oi - 's or v''-fihrl" 'ir''f 20
one OF the dwelling r.pm- Through tho small
PANIED Window. hiHpNs which ran "a ruw OF non
ho1hs y str'ich m awning upon ia summer
time. | caught glimp=es OF pretty curttin=
now"rs. nnd Elid-d ord cages. All thu sur
round ngs were nnat. l. tho actor had removed
some fences sfii Their. s..rm a tn be- plenty ~
these roundabout. and | discovered uoiAins
among the exterior si-ns 10 indicate thai ~,
owner OF the place wis either poverty stricken
or especially c,r'rutri'' W. drove into ihe door
yard AMI Mr.. Bu-h tied his horse under the
swHthol in numerous blankets as protection
a=n ny ir's'. VIII" went around the corner y
nn . rN''i,i, nEy YEA, '!iie Ioo~InS Kitchen und
, In answer Il Young man. with soft. brown
b'prl parted Ahd Wntn pa uh'u.sL.elDl' las,
iI@h Hs1i9n' throw th' door oi y ana ! rr-Hr ihI
10. ~ thought. On rather suspicious fashion. /
rms Was Mr. L'rl'r' in' hri'r's agent ! io.i /
hlm Whu | was amt what ! wanted. ani he
answered THAI he Thought Mr.. f,'utrr would !
n.t snl me. lut that h" would . Iulre. | WIS /
asked - stop iu-i Gee meantime" IL wis a curi- 1
ouSly confused room iu which ! waited ror fiyc !
minutes. As aiirrward l"Uuei, ia" actor was |
Ahuut 20 depart oa ap o,t"ndrl profess. oual |
tour. aud tnr whole house was oFerturue! uul /
rn,,,I III. ;, '1o, a. 'y .f,.i La All ~.
J. iii-r- w r. exposed. White tNiltri curtains.
WITH irlrN"r-r stripes Of bright cDlur-, shaded |
th' windows. \ small table was bn'sed up to a |
iHr-o table, Hni to'h W.r' str'wu with lua bot |
I,1' "a tors ten oppNr. nnl innunaraDle letters /
aud uaprrs. bureau wits hurltnrd with half ]
n dom r,@'Ss and proiusion ut lcw'iry nni !
rpt"hs. Near t!" uurehn. l'ahing against tho /
wall. WIS % row Oi INSCRIBED sarbinN - and every
clnir, l tainS. hell thres or mora si0u 'Acd |
NUS 1ui Odds aud ends innum"rauie.
Mr.. l"'l"r' returned with u smlla AMI hcrg II |
inr t. l' p.',',;.t rs minute btipie iha' uno
woman of live and thirty came IN and IN i've
uinui = more. after had assured her that my
Bur i.,Hs Wri" M m.'lohS., nprhr'd hr'
yOuns nnd sprighily us ne once WIS but by 70
means wr.s.N. Hs IL stout IN body. and the hrh
tribe larger than he would ike 10 have 1t. His |
HAIR 10 quite grny, hut It II thick. growing low
on the forehead aud curling back hchind tho |
ears me hf3r cum seems 70 nave D"rn
made emuou, hy his waist II mas doubled itself
ana a. lists very Ioy"ly in thf loweut collar OF
shooting jacket whose 81 ortness rather eNil.s-
Rerited the wrarer's proportions; fancy waist
coat, and pair of exceedingly tight plaid
trousers which barely met the tops 81 a pair Oi
well worn and exceedingly homeiike SLIPPERS.
Neither grace nor nimblrness was lacking ils
he stepped forward and shooA hands. lie said
that he had mover quite brrome rrconciled IN
being interviewed. and admitted that he had
thought twlc; before he came down TO see me-
what Is tlcre.' he asked. " that the public
cares to know about me when | am not on tho
stagoP Docs the reporter come 10 obtain my
vl-ws upon artl They are already well known
and bes DIES. IT. repeat tnem the reporter never
Tho manner of this was such that fclt
could stnni IT, and, with vlvaclty that mals
rs d.srounse VERY pl,hss ~, - nni.n to Mr
reporter had evolved "A serl,s OF gross lIbels