Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-04-06
THE DOWNWARD PATH.

JNAsi AEAhiNiA A4OLuaA, wv W 40 oCIl-
fenced, q short time since, to the
State aims house at Bridgewater
for two years as yagabond, pre-
sents a moral lesson to the commu-
nifty, and illustrates to what a depth
of degradation a man Of fair intel
lectual ability may arrive by the
indulgence of a persistent appetite
for alcoholic stimulants. lie re-
ceiyed an education in the public
schools of Cambridge, and, about
the year 1860, entered the Office of
a lawyer at East Cambridge as a
student, and for a short time was a
member of the law school at Har-
ward college. While engaged in
his studies he established bad rep
utation by forging check for $25,
drawn upon the lawyer in whose
office he was preparing himself,
and was the hero of a number of
.disgraceful transactions, one of
which was the forgery of the name
Of u firm in Salem. He was arrest
ed and imprisoned for this otfense,
and the next heard from him be
was in the Office Of a law firm at
Charleston, into which he was
taken upon his strong promises to
amend his evil courses. At this
time be joined a temperance and
religious organization in that city,
and number of persons who had
his welfare at heart made strenu-
ous exeFtions to make bis reform
permanent, without avail, and be
soon relapsed and fell into his
old drinking habits, He then re-.
turned to Cambridge, and, about
the year 1862, was admitted as a
member of the bar; but, after prac.
ticing a few months, got into
trouble by forging an order from a
stable.keeper, which resulted in his
suspension as a member Of the legal
fraternity. He then went to Al
bany, N. Y, where he remained for
some time, and then came back to
Cambridge during the year 1885.
Since that time his life has been
one of continued disgrace. He has
served several teFms Of imprison-
ment in the house Of corfecti9n, the
almshouse and at Deer island, for
drunkenness; and the records at
the police stations give evidence of
bis frequent arrest During this
time numerous etfeFt5 have been
made, by members of the several
temperance societies Of Cambridge
for bis reform. Time after time he
has literally been taken from the
street cutters and brought before
the courts in a ragged, filthy and
disgusting condition, and by the
interposition of benevolent people,
has been placed on probation, fur
nished with new garments and put
in the Wayof obtaining a livelihood,
but be always proved faithless to his
solemn promises. Probably there
is no man living upon whom 80
much care, soliGitnde and advice
has been vainly expended, One
well-known gentleman, who for
years has clnng to the hope that he
might reform, and on each new
downfall came forward ready and
willing to accept further promises
of amendment, told the writer a
few weeks ago that he had become
hopeless, and had not one
grain of faith left in his pro
mises Of reformation. The gen
tleman said that he had come to
the belief that the man was
destitute OF honor and was utterly
lost to all sense Of proprioty or
even decency, and it Wasworge than
useless to make any further attempt
to better his condition. The last ef-
fort that was made was by the Lech-
mere Reform Club, Of East Cam
bridge. He was taken in charge by
this Organization something more
than a year ago, ana everything was
done that could be for an eFrlpg
mertal. Hs was furnished with
garments, money, Q gold watch and
chain, elected yice-presidsnt Of the
club, placed In aE office, had bust
noes entrusted to him and was en-
couraged ia every possible manner,
and it was hoped that a turning
point bad arrived in his career, For
long tiMe his attendance upon the
meetings Of the club Was regular,