Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-05-30
Sud Fate or Daniel WcbStcr's Grand.
Son.
From the Boston Traveller.

"A pitible sight is presented in the
accident ward of the City Hospital to-
day. Lying upon low cot bedstead,
with his SCARED body completely
swatheel in bandages, is the descendant
of one of the greatest statesmen which
the world ever produced. A man of
high culture and good education, with
thoughts and impulses of the highest
order, has allowed himself to be dragged
gradually downward, step by step, un-
til by his habits of dissipation he has
brought upon himself certain death.
Daniel Webster Appleton is a grand
son of the great statesman whose name
he bore, and is only rs years OF age.
He was at one time engaged in the
study of law, in the course Of which
he became acquainted with 4 large
number of young associates, who en-
ticed him away from work, and into
the practice of vice in many forms.
Commencing with the hotel bar-rooms,
he descended to groggeries and broth
els; until, finally, he was the lowest of
the low drunkarls who walk the streets
Of this city. Times without number he
has been picked up in a helpless state
of intoxication by the police and taken
to the station.house, where, in consid-
Grafton of his family, he was registered
only as "disorderly," and discharged
without being brought into the court.
Efforts were frequently and persistent.
~ made by his friends to effect
reformation, but, although he
would promise to do better. his
moral nature was too weak to enable
him to carry out his good intentions,
ana he would soon relapse into state
of sottishness. So degraded did he
become that he would stand on the
street corners when in semi-imbecilc
condition from drink and solicit money
from the passers, by with which to Sc.
cure the means of gratifying his appe-
tite. Last September he married a
young lady in Southbridge, and oh
tanned o small farm thereon which he
set up housekeeping, with the avowed
declaration to reform. But reforma
ton was impossible. Two months af.
ter his marriage lie was again an in.
mate of the police station,
and last evening he met
with injuries which will proba
bly, result in his death. He got of
from train on the Old Colony Rail
road at Neponset Station, and was toe
drunk to stand upon the platform, fall
ing helplessly on his face. He was
lifted up by officer Stephen Moulton
who took him in custody and LOCKED
him in small wooden building which
is used as station house in that 10
cality. Before turning the akey, how
ever, the usual search was made of Ap
Pleton's person, and it is presumed
that his pockets were empty. Hai
such been the fact there would hav,
been no necessity for writing this par
agraph. Unfortunately, amatch was lef
in one pocket, and after the Office
had gone away the prisoner laid dow
on his bed, lighted his pipe, and be
gan to smoke, throwing the match OF
the floor. It fell on a pile of straw,
which became ignited, and the fame
slowly spread to the bed where the I'm
fortunate man was then in drunken
slumber. The smoke soon began t,
pour through the windows, attractin.
the attention of people outside, ant
the fire was soon extinguished. Tn,
firemen entered the building and brok,
open the door of Appleton's cell, find
ing him in q horrible condition.
! His clothing was nearly all burned OF
from his body, and with the exceptio,
of small speck on his breast he wa
literally covered with blisters. He wa
promptly removed to the City Hospi
tai, where the physicians ascertainet
that, Notwithstanding the fearful orlea
through which he had passed, he wa
still intoxicated. An examination de
veloped the fact that the burns wer
only of superficial character, Their
being no evidence of internal injury
but that they were 80 extensive that i
would be almost impossible for the pa
tient to survive. His system is in
PROSTATE condition from the use of in
toxicating liquor, which will probabl,
incapacitate him from recovering from
the shock.