The sun., 1917-10-12
OLD TOWNSEND
MANSION TOGO
Creditors Will FOreclOse on
House Which Booth and
JOseffy Frequented.

Ghosts haunt the old brownstone house
at S43 West Thirty fourth street--ghosts
Of the past on the inside. and ominous
shapes of poverty threatening the door.
The latter take commonplace aspect.
being surly men with summonscs in their
hands but they are none the less terri
bic TO Mme Tagliapietro, formerly Mar
garet Townsend.
She sits inside amid tho dusty. fading
furniture and pictures and relics of old
times, remembering the brilliant days
when Edwin Booth and Joseffy and
many another great artist came to the
Sunday evening musicales IN those great
rooms. Not A thing has been changed
there, scarcely n chair moved from its
place since the Christmas dinner twenty
wears ago when John d. Townsend, dis
tinguished lawyer, rose from his seat at
table. said, Margaret, l don't feel we'll
and fell dying on his daughters
shoulder.
Husbands Voice Marred.
From that day to this, she said yes
terday, things have gone badly with her
in the worldly sense. Her mother lived
on, dying seven years ago. and neither
woman knowing much about business
securities melted away and the comfort
able estate John d. Townsend thought
he left hia family shrank to nothing
Margaret married an Italian with, a
beautiful voice, but a slight huskiness
.,1,ay % n n
kept the voice from being marketable FOR
several seasons. Now the trustees OF
the Marouand estate, who have long held
a mortgage on the old Townsend home.
have declared their intention Of fore
closing Immediately unless defaults and
principal are paid. and that would take
$1,000.
Mime. Taglspietro says she knows she
should have moved away. but she just
couldn't bring herself to do 1t. i have
lived here since 7 was a little girl" she
, unused, looking at tho tarnished chand..
| liers and the great piano now closed and
silent from which Josefy's hands once
drew music.
"F,yerything has some association
That quaint old table Of Santo Domingo
mahogany was my great-great-great-
0randmothers. That set OF pate-sur-
pate"-she pointed to two vases and a
howl with wonderful delicate has relief
e~ures-"my father took that in part
navment for his services in the famous
FYske and Stokes case. He defended
stokes. 1t Is a beautiful set. but when
| + went TO a dealer to ask how much
It would bring he said. 1T should bring
a GOOD deal, but the trouble Is to fnd
CLIENT So It Is with everything here,
| a. COS, a good deal, but would bring al
r,.nst nothing. lie awake all night with
the horror OF this home being torn apart
and scattered
| Plenty Of Relatives Here.
Old portraits cover the walls. In the
| rear OF the reception room Is con-
adorable library. though the greater
rart of John d. Townsend's books have
heen sold. One OF the volumes is .
Senealory Of the Townsend family, which
Sstes from Mayfower days In this coun.
trv and Is connected with the Towns
.rd. OF ENGLAND. The late Frederick
, Townsend Martin was cousin OF Nine.
IA r,iapietro. and James Bliss Townsend,
John r. Townsend. master OF the Glen
Arden Hunt--oh, any number OF Towns
ends-are her relatives. Nine. Taglia.
Metro. however, has drawn more and
more away from every one as the pov-
ertv clouds settled down. and now when
a little lift would save the old home she
doesn't know where to turn.
Elihu Root. Elbridge 7. Gerry, Re-
,.A,'co- CON and Joseph II, Choate were
confreres of John n. Townsend. and Mr..
Choate was about to take up the case
OF the mortgage on the old house. In an
} EFFORT TO save II for the daughter when
! his death occurred,