Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-03-31

Another victim to Intemperance.

Another Victim 70 Intemperance.
Among the many painful duties of our
life, as editors, no sadder task has fallen
upon us than to record the following:
A young man. named MATTHIAS KALTxN-
BACH, about % years of age, recently came
to our city from Boscobel seeking employ
meLt as apothecary's clerk, bearing letters
of introduction from respectable physi-
clan of that village and was employed in
the Drug Store of j. B. s. C. r. MoFFKrr.
During the first month of his stay he won
the confidence of his employers and the es-
TEEN of several of our citizens, having
joined the Good Templar's Society, and
conducted himself in all respects as be-
came temperate, moral gentleman But
during the past three or four weeks he has,
though always at his post-been suspect
ed by his employers of imbibing to freely
of the liquors in the store, appearing dull
and stupid eonstantly-wholly unlike him.
self This state of things continued to
grow worse until last Friday, when about
noon he became delirious, and the truth ap-
peared: he had been constantly for weeks
IN state of Standardization, as a result
of which delirium tremens had now seized
him. During Friday afternoon and night
and all day Saturday he rayed and suffered.
In the evening of Saturday, about o'clock,
Captain LIKENs and DR.. AvERILL, who were
acquainted with him in Grant county, went
to the Globe Hotel, where he was boarding
to see the unfortunate young man. While
they were there he said he mnst 90 up town
which they tried to prevent, but the land
lord saying he he had been out several
times during the day and always returned in
short time, they ceased to struggle with
him, and he went out. They attempted to
follow and watch him, but he eluded them.
All that can be known of him after this.
is that, at about 9 o'clock, he was found a
mile and a half north of the city, in the
settlement of Barreltown, corpse Per-
sons living near where he was found, heard
some one holloaing and making noise, but
paid little attention, thinking it was some
one returning home drunk, as is some times
the case A young man passing by discov-
cred him. Intelligence was brought to
town, and a team sent out to bring in the
body
An inquest was held Sunday morning,
and verdict returned that he came to his
death from delirium tremens and exposure
His clothing indicated that he had been
rolling in mud and water, which, in the
opinion of physicians, suddenly chilled the
brain, producing CONGESTION and almost in
slant death. Captain LIKENs took the body
on Sunday to his parents at Potosi, and
represents their grief as not to be de-
scribed.
Young KALTESBAcH left his home at Poto-
81 some three years ago, sober, good boy,
and went to BoscobeT to clerk for his broth
er-in-law, DR.. DYER, in the drug business
From this, no doubt, may be dated his en-
trance on the road which has led to his hor-
rible and untimely death. Situated where
the poisoned cup in its most enticing shape
was ever before him, while yet too young
to realize his danger, he acquired a taste
for liquor which he was unable to shake off,
though it is thought he made every possible
effort to do so.
This little history of MATTHIAS KALTEN-
BACH, his pale, cold face, his terrible death
struggle-alone, on the damp bosom of his
mother earth, in the dark hours of n ght-
as our imagination sees him-is a more
forcible temperance lecture than ever
n
by human hand. 1t is one of Gods essays :;
and what young man can be so mad, after
reading the lesson taught therein. as to
follow the footsteps of MATTHIAS KALTEs-
BACH?