The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-05
A WEALTHY MANS DOWNFALL.
Henry C. Pedder, Formerly Owner of the
Manhattan Magazine, Poor and Disgraced.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
NEW YORK, Feb. 4.-Interest in Henry c.
Pedder, who in 1884 robbed the house of Arnold
& Constable of great sum of money. and was
permitted to leave the country never to return,
is revived in Brooklyn by his recent appeals to
friends here fer help. Pedder is in London,
where he get no employment, and is conse-
quently compelled to ask aid Of his old familiars
in this city. Until he bought his magnificent
residence in Llewellyn Park, at Orange, n. j..
which cost him upwards of 5000 600, he resided
in Brooklyn, and was esteemed as a studious,
gentlemanly man, whose tastes were all of a
literary turn.
When the public were startled with the an
nouncement of his defalcation Pedder in
Paris with his family. He had gone abroad for
a short rest. 'never before having taken vaca-
tion in all of his business eareer," he in the
habit of saying He had written to number
of literary people who were to meet him to plan
for articles for the Manhattan. On his arrival
he was arrested, charged with robbine the firm
of sum variously estimated at from $500, GOO to
$500, 900, during the preceding six years.
He made some arrangements with the firm
whereby he was allowed to escape trial and
his elegant place on Orange mountain was
transferred to Messrs. Arnold g. Constable, who
sold it recently to Thomas A. Edison. Mr..
Peddsr had lived for many years at the rate of
$50, 900 a year, and he spent money lavishly
his magazine. He began his publishing bus-
ness on a grand scale and paid writers munif-
cent prices; he made friends for the
magazine. and In years time the Manhattan
was looked upon as permanent success
Mr.. Constable was a warm friend OF his conf
Dental clerk, and his influence was so great with
the firm that there was scarcely a man in their
employ who was willing to openly express
doubt of his honesty.
He had no sooner gone on a vacation than
dishonest clerk in the packing department was
detected stealing. and the disclosures that fol-
lowed led 20 the painful discovery that the cash
ier-Armstrone-andt the confidential clerk of
of the house-Pedder-were stealing from the
firm.
Armstrong made a clean breast of it, aud Ped
der recalled from Paris. Beyond the gem
eral facts of the the public learned nothing.
No one was prosecuted. Pedder had gone out
of the country and established at the island Of
St. Kit, where with his family he resided for
year two. He sold his home in Brooklyn at
forced sale for about So 600, and tins sum Is all
that he took with him. It was understood that
one of the conditions of the firms leniency
that he should not correspond with any one in
this country, or make any sign of his existence
to any of his former acquaiutances and friends
The Manhattan languished and was permitted
to die, though 1t was promising piece of prop
erty, and if it had been taken in hand and
pushed vigorously would have been to-day
among the leading periodicals Of the day. Mr.
Pedder's money, or rather that OF Arnold, Con-
stable 81 Co, had supported it, aud the utter
dIsmay of those connected with il at finding
Mr.. Pedder dishonest paralyzed their efforts.
After issue or two it suspended, and recently
1t was sold out for the sum or sou II was said
at the time of the sale al the Real Estate Ex-
change, in New York. that Mr.. Pedder had
spent 900 upon it.
Mr.. Pedder, previous to his appearance before
the public in the role of publisher, had written
several books; of them, Religion ana
Progress" being very thoughtful and interest
ing study. Another of his books entitled
"Jesus of the Age; or Consequences Involved in
Modern Thought" He wrote another book,
which he styled MAN and Woman in Their Re-
iations to Each Other and the World This
was his frat published work. IL thought
by those who knew the ability of Mr. Pedder
that he would support himself and his family
with pen, but the place of his exile Was not ex-
actly spitsd to q literary Ean, and there wes 10