Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-05-24
Sad Fate of Daniel Webster's
Gran n sOn


From the Boston Traveller, May 13th.l
A pitiable sight is presented in the ac.
cdent ward of the City Hospital to-day.
Lying upon low cot bedstead, with his
Scared body completely swathed in ban
dages, 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 i'm
pulses of the highest order, has allowed
himself to be dragged gradually down.
ward, step by step, until by his habits Of
dissipation he has brought upon himself
certain death. Daniel Webster Apple
ton is a grandson of the great statesman
whose name he bore, and is only twenty
six years of age. He was at one time
engaged in the study of law, in the
course of which he became acquainted
with large number of young associates,
who enticed him away from his work
and into the practice Of vice in many
forms. Commencing with the hotel bar
rooms, he descended to groggeries and
brothels, until, finally, he was one of the
lowest of the low drunkards who walk
the streets of this city. Times without
number he has been picked up in a help
less state of intoxication by the police
and taken to the station-house, where,
in consideration of his family he was
registered only as disorderly," and
discharged without being brought
into the court. Efforts were fre-
quently and persistently made by
bis friends to effect a reformation, but,
although he would promise to do better,
his moral nature was too weak to enable
him to carry out his good intentions,
and he would soon relapse into state
of sottishness SO degraded did he
become that he would stand on the street
csrners when in semi-imbecile condi-
ton from drink and solicit money from
the passers-by with which to secure the
means of gratifying his appetite Last
September he married a young lady in
Southbridge, and obtained small farm
thereon which he set up housekeeping,
with the avowed declaration to reform.
But reformation was impossible. Two
months after his marriage he was again
an inmate of police station, and last
evening he met with injuries which will
probably result in his death He got of
from train on the Old Colony railroad
at Neponset Station, and was too drunk
to stand upon the platform, falling help
lessly 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 q sta
tion-house in that locality. Before turn
ing the key, however, the usual search
was made of Appleton's person, and it
is presumed that his pockets we're empty.
Had such been the fact there would
have been no necessity for writing this
paragraph. Unfortunately, a match |
was left in one pocket, and after the Off
Ger had gone away the prisoner laid
down on bis bed, lighted his pipe, and
began to smoke, throwing the match on
the floor. 1t fell on a pile Of straw,
which became ignited, and the flames
slowly spread TO the bed where the IN
fortunate man was then in drunken |
The smoke soon began to pour /
through the windows, attracting tbs at
tention Of people outside, and the fire |
was soon extinguished. The hremen |
entered the building and broke open the /
door Of Appleton's cell, finding him in a |
horrible condition.
His clothing was nearly eli burned of /
from his body, and with the exception Of
small spcek on his breast he vas liter
ally covered with blisiers. He was !
promptly removed TO the City Hospital, |