The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-02-21
ABOUT BENEDICT ARNOLD
INTERESTING INCIDENTS IN HIS
 CAREER 1S BOY AND MAN.
History as Told by Norwich Writer Some of the Tenant of the Old House.

The old Arnold House In Norwich and Its
 History as Told by a Norwich Writer Some of the Tenant of the Old House.
 c. A. c. writes to the Norwich Bull letin under date of February 16:
 The father of Benedict Arnold fol- lowed the sea, and was a shipmaster who enaigrated from Rhode Island to Norwich in 1733 and died in 1761.
 More than twenty years ago the writer was one day in the Otis library, looking over collection of old papers and documents. Among them he found manuscript book, its leaves yellow and worn with age, which on 1 examination seemed to be part of an | old town record, of births, marriages, deaths, etc., also the imposition of fines by the town authorities for viola- tion of Puritan laws. Among them a woman was fined 1-6 for absenting her self from divine worship; a man was fined GA for working on the Sabbath day, and Benedict Arnold, senior, was fined 3-6 for getting drunk in his own house and taking the Lords name in l vain.
 l Miss CalkinS relates in her History of Norwich" that Benedict Arnold, the traitor, was horn in Norwich in TAI. He was sent to school at Canterbury in 1754, and was apprenticed to Dr. Lathrop, the druggist, in 1756. While a boy he was bold active in every kind of sport, especially if mischief was in his mind. He was dauntless ring l leader, and always despot among the boys. He was not only reckless, but fearless; he would go out during a vio- lent thunder storm, and dare the light ming to strike him. At every loud peal of thunder and flash he would shout, Hurrah! and use some profane expres-
 sion. His whole nature was bad and
 cruel. He would rob birds nests and
 tear the little ones limb from limb out
 of pure deviltry
 With his active mind he was not con-
 tent to remain long in one place. At
 the age of eighteen he left Dr. Lathrop and made several voyages to the West
 Indies as supercargo. He also went to
 London and returned with a stock of
 drugs, and established himself in busi-
 ness at New Haven. Here he re-
 mained for a number of years. Arnold
 from his youth was leader in martial
 exercises. He had attained the rank
 of captain in the militia and when ;he
 news came of the battle of Bunker H,il
 he was one of the first to gird on his
 sword and hasten to offer his services
 to General Washington. For his quail
 ties as a soldier history bears record.
 Early under Washington he was brave
 and bold. At Quebec he led the as-
 sault on the fortress with Montgomery
 and Burr and there lost a leg. He was
 the real hero of the battle of Saratoga;
 and while in the Continental army he
 seemed ever ready to serve his country,
 until that period when, lost to patrio-
 tism and principle, he fled from his
 high command, leaving behind him a
 name and character infamous in the
 sight of his countrymen, and spotted
 with violence, corruption and treason.
 THE ARNOLD HOMESTEAD.
 The house in which Benedict Arnold
 was born stood about half way be- tween the town and landing. A few Of
 our older citizens may remember sec ing it. It was demolished in 1858. , The occupancy of this noted house having caused such an amount of trou- ble, annoyance and misfortune, people
 were fearful of living there. After some time the property was sold to a
 party from Windham, who soon occu- pied it with his family. Shortly after , wards his wife was stricken with a , kind of insanity, rendering her confine- ment necessary. This continued affiic- tion with other remarkable circum-
 stances obtained for the house a super- stitious reputation.
 Its next occupant was Boston tory, 7 who remained there until the British evacuated Boston. Then came a fam
 fly from Newport. The misfortunes of , this family, and the seclusion in which l they lived, added to the fearful char 5 acter which the house had acquired 5 Another occupant of the house was a : French refugee from St. Domingo with , his family. For some unexpected req : son his wife became violently insane l so much so that it was necessary tc { keep her confined in strong room
 1t was said that her howls and shrieks . could often be heard at midnight by l the neighbors. The occupants of the 7 Arnold house were so often changed t that public rumor ascribed it to the su- f pernatural sounds, and sights with 5 which it was visited. After a short experience the bewildered residents l were glad to escape from the haunted l premises.
 At length it was left tenantless. Nc I one could be found to occupy it; its l reputation as a haunted house extend. ed far and wide. The neighbors saic Il that at midnight lights were seen fit ting about the house, doors were s opened and shut without human agen. 2 cy, ghostly forms appeared at the win l dows, groans and unearthly shrieks were heard, and man who passed by late in the night saw form clothed ir white bending over the old we'll Ter. = TOT seized the minds of the people This unearthly condition of things wa. to them evidence of a superhuman wis . itation, and that its ghostly forms were
 the unquiet spirits of its former occu
 pants.
 ITS LAST TENANT.
 D After long vacancy the house wal = purchased by Uriah Tracy, resolut, |