Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-12-29
NO. 3O7.
A. WASTED LIFE.
Death of Sedge. Plummer on the Gardi-
ner Poor Farm-At One Time Worth
About &60.000-A brilliant Law
yer and an ex-senator.


GARDINER, Dec. 26.
5. l.. Plummer, who at one time was one
| of the richest citzens of Gardiner. and 4
lawyer of=briliiant intellect, died at the poor
farm at Gardiner, FRIDAY night, of cancer in
the mouth.
His father was wealthy farmer and land
owner. By hard, stern labor and strict econ
omy, be amassed large property. He edu-
Gated his son at Harvard college, from which
he was graduated with honor and high stand
ing in his class. The young man studied
law With one of the most eminent practicion-
ers in Boston and was admitted 10 the bar
He possessed unusual talent.
He was brilliant in conversation, was a
ready and sharp debaier and his culture was
thorough. He established an office in one of
the suburbs of Boston. His father gave him
a library worth 5000. He acquired a good
practice. In the whirligig of time he was
elected to the Massachusetts Senate and an
Honorable" was attached to his name.
He became one of the prominent and most
promising young men iu the Commonwealth.
Bye and bye his father died and left him
S60. 900.
This completely upset the young man. Ne
was in such haste TO get and spend his money
that he left his Office without stopping to
lock the door and abandoned his library and
itors si,zed his books and sold them to pay
his old debts.
He set up a grand establishment in Gardi-
ner and lived the most gliuering lite on the
kennebec. He had horses. carriages, dogs
and servants. lie rolled in luxury. His
voice was potent in society and politics. His
fortune WAS invested chiefly in real estate.
He was soon obliged to mortgage some Of
his property. IL seemed as If he could not
spend his money rapidly enough He gam
hled and drank heavily. When the mort.
cages became due he paid no attention 10
| them and they were foreclosed.
One by one his houses, blocks and lots
| slipped recklessly from his hands. lie pur-
sued the same mad course. Night after
night he allowed himself TO be heeced by
gamblers; and day after day he stuperfied
his senses with liquor. At lcrgth the old
homestead was sold under the hammer The
few resources that remained speedily melted
away. HIS old friends forsook him. Ills
wife died, and his two sons lett the scene Of
their fathers ruin and disgrace
An old friend furnished him with quarters
in an attic and fed him for while. lie be-
came so miserable that It was impossible to
bear his presence, and he was set adrift in
the world. One winter he slept in the corner
of an engine house, where fire was kept.
For several months he was known to throw
himself down or heap of rags IN decayed
building on one of GARDENERS wharves. For
years lie led the life of vagrant.
Nobody krew " acre he slept lie was a.
sly as fox about his quarters aud ia re-
treating to his hole. The night watchmen
tried to track him, but he successfully eludcd
them. He hung around the streets till late
hour at highland improved some opportunity
when the night watchmen were ON their bea.
TO steal into his hiding place, wherever il
might be. Sometimes an old friend gave
him dinner. He haunted the waste bucket
OF the hotels and saloons. He was frequently
to be seen picking piece of bread or a
bit of meat from pail of broken food. lie
dragged out half-starved existance in this
way. lie PASSED many a day without a par.
ticle of food and went to his covert many a
night with terrible gnawng in his stomach.
He was clad in odds and ends Of clothing
Every cent of his $50 600 had flown.
He refused to ask aid from the town. lie
was too proud to soil his hands by work.
Many of his old companions looked upon
him with sorrow and would have helped him
il he had manifested the least disposition "a
help himself His sons did not come near
him. A few years ago the ladies made him
purse and presented it to him, with the un-
derstanding that he should open law office,
furnish il, mend his ways, and endeavOr 10
do little business. lie accepted the money
and it went the old way.
His pride and assumption displeased his
best friends. One day in winter one Of Gar
diners leading citizens noticed the poor fell
low had no overcoat The good Samaritan
had one OF his coats repaired and made q
comfortable garment. From motives Of del
icscy he asked mutual friend to present
the coat 20 the man. The friend called the
shivering fellow into the hall and gave him
the coat. He disdaInfully turned on his
heel and refused the charity. The coat was
| allowed to hemain in the hall. That very
day it disappeared, and it was afterward seen
on the fellows back.
At last he was taken TO the poor farm as
common vagran: by the city authorities. He
had been on the farm over year when he
died. He ran away several times and was
| captured and taken back. Your correspond
| ent saw him trimming the front yard with q
sicle and rake one day last summer.
None of his old friends would have recog-
nized in the sallow and wasted wreck Of q
man the once eminent lawyer and accom-
plished gentleman.
Till within a year or two he managed to
keep himself well informed on the affairs Of
the day. and nobody had clearer knowled
Of current politics and news, or could con-
verse more intelligeDtlv. OF late, however,
his mind has been gradually decaying.