St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-04-03
Romance of New York Life.


Nothing i'll history or fiction could
be more pitiful than scene
which occurred in Captain Williams
| precinct on Sunday. 1t is one of the
| closing chapters of rs romantic his
tory as ever was written in the world
\ brief notice appeared on the police
blotter 4 daughter of Thomas Fields
| apple for lodging; case investigated
Miss Fields committed tu the care OF
the Society for the prevention of Cruel
ty to Children.
This brings me back to the night
when Tweed's youngest daughter was
married. The affair was deemed so
important that business was almost
suspended in the city, and the bridal
gifts reached the magnificent sum of
Sl00,0U0. In one case was magnifi-
cent diamond set, the gift of Hon.
Thomas Fields, then in the zenith of
his fame and near hv. a splendid
present, the gift of his beautiful wife.
The company at the evening reception
took in all the prominent politicians in
the state; but one of the most striking
figures there was II tall, quecnly look
ing woman, who moved about, the
observed of all observers, leaning on
the arm of a ponderous politician, from
the ample bosom of whose shirt flashed
Il diamond of fabulous value. \ heavy
| gold chain hung around his meek on
| the lapel of his coat glittered the dia-
m0nd badge of the Americas Club
which, at that time. like Aaron's rod,
seemed destined to swallow all the rest.
In this magnificent and diamond be
decked assembly, on that memorable
night, there was no one that eclipSed
| the dazzling glory of Thomas Fields
| and his beautiful wife. The crash of
the Tweed ring came, and Thomas
Fields, who had been one of the most
arrogant and successful of the ring
| thieves, became IA fugitive from justice,
and took refuge in the wilds of Cana
da /; but in his flight, he deserted his
beautiful wife, and took as his partner
a notorious woman of the town.
Mrs. Fields, though beautiful, was
quite illiterate, and after her abandon
ment sought consolation in drink. Her
rich jewels and dresses soon found
! their way to the pawn shop, and only
two years ago saw the magnificent
sotaires that glittered in her ears on
| the night of the Tweed marriage in
| the window of a Bowery pawn shop.
| 1t was not long before her downfall
became complete, and she who once
presided in magnificent house on
| Fifth avenue like a queen, became Il
common drunkard and Il street tramp.
| Time after time, she was committed to
| the Island as drunkard and va
grant, but each time when released
she found her way back to her old
! haunts and associates, and when wild
with drink. it was her custom to go to
her old house on the Fifth avenue, and,
walking up and down, throwing her
arms wildly in the air, bemoan her sad
| fate, and solicit the aid of the
passers-by to put her back in her beau
tiful home. One bitter night, couple
of years ago, she was seen by police
man on Fifth avenue standing by II
lamp-pOst, hut as she was making no
noise, he passed her by. The streets
were empty. A cold storm of sleet
drove warmly clad citizens to the
shelter of their homes; but the wretch
ed street vagrant, clad in Il thin calico
dress, kept her lonely vigil by the
lamp-post. At last she dropped down
amid the freezing slush and mud of the
street, and when the policeman r.
turned on his beat, there lay all that
was mortal of the once beautiful wife
of Tom Fields, one of the kings of the
Tweed ring.
When Fields ran away he took this
woman's only child, little girl about
eight years of age, and he placed her
in a convent in Montreal. When the
payments for her education failed, she
came to New York with few dollars,
and when they were exhausted, she
was turned into the street to starve,
or be ruined by any heartless wretch
who might take advantage of her
necessity. Fortunately Captain Will
liams knew her father well, and while
he knew no good of him, he would not
see his innocent child staTve. The
young girl has escaped most deadly
peril. and is now in good hands, WHO
will assist her to help herself Born in
palace and reared III luxury, to find
her on winter night begging lodging
at police station, with street tramps
and homeless vagabOnds, is but another
phase of the romance of New York life.
l-TCor kpene IN II i Sentinel