The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1884-03-22
OUR LETTER FROM BRoADB RIM

OUR LETTER FROM BROADB RIM
Another Sad Romance of New York Life
From Palace to Gutter-Libelous Por-
traits-A Pious Fraud-A Pack of Bears
Squeezed-villard Not Pauper.
NEW YORK. March IS, 1884.
EDITOR CHIEF:
Nothing in history OR fiction could be
| more pitiful than scene which occurred
in Captain Williams precinct on Sunday
night. It is one of the closing chapters of
as romantic a history as ever was written
in the world. A brief notice appeared ON
| the police bIotter. A daughter of Thomas
Fields applied for lodging; case investi-
gated; Miss Fields committed to the care of
the Society for the Prevention Of Cruelty
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 magnifi-
cent sum of $1,000 In one case was
| magnificent diamond set, the gift of the
Hon. Thomas Fields, then in the zenith of
his fame, and near by, splendid present,
the gift of his beautiful wife. The COM
pany at the evening reception took in all
the prominent politicians in the State, but
one of the most striking figures there was
tall, queenly looking woman, who moved
| about, the observed of all observers, lean
ing on the arm of a ponderous politician,
from the ample bosom of whose shirt
flashed diamond of fabulous value. A
heavy gold chain hung around his neck, on
the lapel of his coat glittered the diamond
badge of the Americus club which, at that
time, like Aarou's rod, seemed destined to
swallow all the rest. In this magnificent
and diamond bedecked 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
fugitive from justice, and took refuge in
the wilds of Canada, but in his flight he
deserted his beautiful wife and took as his
partner notorious woman of the town.
Mrs. Fields, though beautiful, was quite
illiterate, and after her abandonment
sought consolation in drink. Her rich
jewels and dresses soon found their way to
the pawn-shop, and only two years ago 1
saw the magnificent solitaires that glittered
in her ears on the night of the Tweed mar
riage, in the window of Bowery pawn
shop. It was not long before her downfall
became complete, and she who once pre-
sided in magnificent house on Fifth ave-
nue. like queen, became common drunk !
ard and street tramp. Time after time
she was committed to the Island as
drunkard and a vagrant, 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 90 to |
her old house on 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 beautiful home. One bitter night, a |
couple of years ago, she was seen by a po- |
iceman on Fifth avenue standing by g |
lamp post, but 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 wretched street vagrant, clad in
a 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 re-
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 vom-
ans only child, little girl sbout years
of age, and he placed her in q convent in
Montreal. When the payments for her
education failed, she came to New York
With few dollars, and when they were ex-
hausted she WAS turned in the street to
starve, or to be ruined by any heartless
wretch who might take advantage of her
necessity. Fortunately, Captain Williams
knew her father wen, and while he knew