News about Noah Webster

A stunning NYC townhouse located on the Upper East Side of the Upper East Side, which was once the scene of a spectacular murder-suicide, is up for auction at $29.5 million. It was originally intended for renowned novelist Paul Ford (inset) who was killed in the library by his brother in 1902 due to a money dispute. Ford was born with a spinal abnormality that left him with a hunchback and dwarfism. Despite his physical limitations, he continued to be a best-selling novelist before being shot in cold blood by his wayward brother, who had been disinherited from the family fortune for wanting to pursue a career in sports. Esther Kerrigan, a socialite who augmented the home with a priceless art priceless art collection that contained paintings and drawings by John Singer Sargent, Gainsborough, and Daumier, was taken over. In 1987, the staircase alone was worth $400,000 (roughly $1 million in today's money).