CLARA BARTON         DIARIES AND JOURNALS     Jan. 18-21, 1895^[ Shelia [?] - correct & make several copies]

Bedford Indiana.

Friday, Jan. 18, 1895.

I rose early, made my fire and room and wrote to Dr. Hubbel   
The morning passed quietly.  Dick took a light buggy and drove 
Steve to the Park.  He saw Morlan,  also Jim and Bess (the ruins 
of what had been).  He had some plain talk with Morlan.  In the 
morning before going Steve and Dr. Gardner consulted the records 
and found the deed properly recorded, and all conditions complied 
with.  Morlan had said that there was no deed - had learned 
later he said that all this had been done.  He had previously 
thought it had not been done, and so stated to me in his correspondence.  
Steve reports Jim and Bess in very poor condition; 
have been overworked, no hay and little fodder in the barn.  
Morlan's horses there with a hundred bushels of corn only to carry 
them through.  Morlan comes tomorrow to meet Steve in town.

Saturday, 19th Jan. 1895.

Up early - wrote Dr. Hubbell and Mary Burnette.  At one 
thirty Steve met Morlan at the Court House, examined records - 
O. K. went to seek evidence against Dr. Gardner - found more in 
his favor than against him.  Morlan seems discouraged.  Steve 
goes tomorrow to Park, at ten.  I decide that Enola and I will 
go with him and take account of things inventory of furniture 
etc.  Steve and Dr. C arrange insurance on Park buildings.  We 
think Dr. Hubbell should be invited to become manager of the farm.

Jan. 20 Sunday, 8 A. M.

Fine morning and  sunshine.  Dressed for the park.  Enola, 
Steve, Dick and will go at nine O(Clock.  Steve to look over
Morlan's checks.  It would seem that the associations and pursuits 
that Morlan's detective life has led him into, have given him an 
inate desire for low scandal, and he uses this as his weapon in 
all fights alike - no one has escaped  so far as I have known,

Diary -2-

his petty warfares, and that he has found a kindred spirit and
ready aid in Mrs. Wilson, seems very apparent. 
It begins to seem now that this wily woman conspired to
frighten away poor credulous Miss Kennedy, to leave a clear
field for herself, and that the plan of both herself and M. was 
to establish her at the Park.  This view of Mr. Morlan(s proclivities
gives confirmation to the opinion I entertained in 
regard to his statements respecting Dr E. at Beaufort, the time
and circumstances selected by him for his revelation of his most
atrocious charges at once aroused my suspicions as to their
verity, but as he had left no vestige of opportunity for examination,
I could only act as I did-viz.  withdraw Dr E.  from 
the danger of his fault if it were true, from the danger of
Morlan if it were not true, by instantly ordering E. to James
Island, and never treating him any different because of the
report.  It would seem to be confirmed now, and itwas not from
a desire to sustain the good name of the Red Cross by protecting
it from scandal, as he has since dragged it through the worst
he could think of.  It could not have been all solicitude for
the welfare of my two poor horses that he brought them here, as 
they themselves live to testify to the contrary in his own hands
and keeping.
I am sorry to write this, sorry for the appearances which
make it needful or possible.  (Breakfast.)
At nine Steve, Enola, Dick and myself started for the park.
three quarters of an hour brought us there. Morlan met us, cordial
but sad.  Mrs. M. AS ever very cordial, the same as ever
with Enola.  Steve and Morlan had a little talk. We go to the bar
Very muddy.  My first sight in entering was a negro currying a
skeleton of a horse.  I asked what horse it was, and Morlan told m
me it was "Jim".  I asked if he was sick - he said No, he was wellDiary                                    -3-
now. I said no more. Jim was curried and taken back to the old
barn. I found Bess in a box stall, waiting for something. She
was not quite so bad as Jim, but in pitiful condition. There
is not fifty pounds of hay in the barn - I should doubt if two
tons of corn fodder, they say one hundred bushels of corn on the
ear in a crib - and some twenty head of horses to winter out,
with some other stock. Cows, pigs and calves have died by "poison
it is said - Mr. Morlan had little to say - plead his absence in
the Spring in Carolina, and his own hurt.
We went to the house and in a conference Steve presented to
me the statement that it had been arranged in the beginning that
I should pay Dr. Gardner $12,000 for the Park. Mr. Morlan
"thought he had told me so at the time." I convinced him to the
contrary - he gave it up as well as many other statements. We'd
dined. Steve drove over the place to all the farmers, learned
their statements, found them all apparently well disposed towards
every one and he stated to them that if they did not hear to the 
contrary within a week they were to consider themselves contracted
with for the coming year, and remain as they are. To this arrange
ment, later in the day I took occasion in the presence of Dr. G. 
and Enola to object, on the ground of its injustice and harmful
tendencies to the incoming manager and administration. The point
was yielded. Dr/ and Enola both sustaining my idea of an entire 
inhabitaion of the whole place. 
I went up stairs with Morlan to take an inventory of the 
furniture. He broke down completely, and for two hours was in as
fair a condition of hysterics as a man could ever be expected
ever to be in. He begged only that I would not quite forsake him. 
He was willing to go down to the station and shovel dirt on a hand
car, but he could'nt endure to lose me. I put the poor fellow
into bed and left him to sob himself to sleep. Steve and Dick rDiary                                -5-
a position, I will do it. He would like a conductorship on a 
Pullman car anywhere. When all was ended he bade good bye to 
me alone, went to the stable, got his horse, and rode off past
the house without a nod or wave of the hand from any living soul.
My heart was lead. That an ending for such friendship and xx
trust!!!....At nine and a half I retired too sad and crushed
to speak.Collection: The Papers of Clara Barton

Series and/or Container: 6

Shelf/ Accession No.
86-38 (rev 7/82)