The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-04-26
BENEDICT ARNoLD's HOUSE.
Still Standing in New Hayen-Some Rel
iniscences OF the Traitor.

| Still Standing in New Haven-Some Rem
iniscences OF tho Traitor.
The old Benedict Arnold house is still
standing in the Fifth ward, on Water street,
near the corner of Olive street. 1t has fallen
into decay, but there are some gray haired
citizens who remember it when it was one of
the show places of the town. It's orchard
was the largest and finest in New Haven, and
the grounds were laid out il handsome ter
races
Arnold built the house soon after his return
from Ticonderoga. He must have been a
man of some wealth, for 2he house was well
built and the grounds were ample Arnold
was not a popular man. He had a violent
and irascible temper, and would rather
fight than eat" as has been said of him. He
always found fault, and the ferryman who
took passengers across the mouth of the Quin-
nipiac river before the bridge was built dread
ed to have him for passenger. for he always
swore at them for not rowing faster.
Nevertheless, Arnold was man Of affairs.
Besides his business as a druggist and book
seller, he with Adam Babcock, owned three
vessels engaged in the West India trade.
They were the brigantine Fortune, forty
tons; the Charming Sally. thirty tons, and
the Three Brothers, twenty eight tons.
Arnold never took particular pains to see
that all custom house dnes were paid; in fact
he was very lax in this particular. 1t is re-
lated that once on a time sailor on board
one of his vessels reported some of these lax
tiles to the collector of the port. The report
was made on Sunday, and the collector re-
fused to receive it, and told the sailor TO come
again on Monday. In the meantime Arnold
had heard of the sailors tale bearing. Before
Monday came Arnold adopted a course Of
moral and physical suasion which compelled
the sailor to leave town with his tale untold.
Arnold's laxity in regard to the custom
house laws was probably not much greater
than that of his neighbors. Indeed, to
evade the customs was a virtue rather than
fault, for it was regarded justifable
method of protest against taxation without
representation.
Arnolds property was coniscated after his
treachery at West Point was discovered.
Pierpont Edwards acted on the government
administration and sold the property to Capt.
Isaac PrOut. Capt. Prout made only par
tial payment, and was unable TO meet the
subsequent payments as they became due.
In this way the property came into the hands
of Noah Webster, the photographer, and he
lived there for some years, finally selling 1t
to James Hunt, West India merchant, who
devised it to his daughter, wife of D. COTE
Phipps, of this city. The house still remains
in Mrs. Phipps' possession, although it has
been almost diSmantled-
Betsey Arnold, a sister of Benedict Arnold,
lived for years and years, after her brothers
disgrace, in Norwich on public charity
When she was 90 years old she was taken to
the almshouse by old Sheriff z. g. Thomas.
Betsey made great how-de-do about It,
and was so grieved that she lived only few
months Sns was strong old woman, and
had much Of her brothers temper.-New
Haven Palladium