Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-01-15
ROMANTIC CAREER.

Silas McCloon, one of the four Deer Island
convicts who were pardoned at Boston this
week for heroism in rescuing the remnant Of
the crew of the wrecked schooner Juliet, of
Winthrop Point, has had romantic career
according to history of his life, which is
published in Chicago. McCloons father
was wealthy merchant and ship builder OF
Rockland, Me-, and was worth at least
81, 100000 at the time of his death. The in.
herltance was divided between the neither,
two daughters and the son, he receiving, in
accordance with the provisions of the will,
one.third of the whole fortune. The residue
was equally divided among the other heirs.
One of the daughters, soon after the dispo-
sition of the estate, married an ex Lieuten-
ant Governor of Massachusetts, now one of
the most prominent members of the bar OF
that State. Silas became the husband of q
young lady distinguished in the society OF
Haverhill, Mass, for her great beauty and
accomplishments. A $4,000 residence at
Rockland was his 6rst Investment. His
next was the purchase of a half interest in
the uncompleted invention of Yankee to
utilize steam without allowing an exhaust.
Thousands after thousands of dollars melt.
ed away in the scheme. The financial
baoker, inexperienced and perfectly insane
with enthusiasm, FASTENED off to Europe
with imperfect models and illustrations to
introduce to the old world patent that was
destined to revolutionize the power supply
ing methods of the universe. Sharpers of
London and Paris saw the weakness of
both the man and the machine, and
while attesting to the marvellous worth
of one showed no hesitation in pat
ronzing the apparently inexhaustible
wealth of the other. Young McCloon, it is
said, had dined and wined himself out of
nearly 100000 when his married sister,
then in Paris with her husband, had him
spirited of to America one night. He
stuck to the invention sharper until all his
available resources we're dissiLated. Moth.
limestone quarry that yielded an income of
convinced that he was irreclamable. His
mother gave to him with lavish hand but
when she saw that he was falling lower
with each gift, she withheld her favors. For
his own sake thinking TO nerve him to bet
ter deeds, his sisters closed the doors Of
their rich homes against him. At last his
start anew in the West, exacting promise
that he would never return unless he had
overcome his unfortunate appetite. In Feb
ruary, 1877, young McCloon passed through
Chicago on his way to the Black Hi.ls, then
the scene of gold excitement. He had
not allowed an intoxicant to touch bis lips
for full month At Omaha, while the
overland train was waiting for lunch, he
bought bottle of ale. The next night
while the train was speeding past dibbon,
a small station in Nebraska the station agent
was shocked to see body fall and appar-
emily roll under the wheels. He took the
unconscious man into the station and re-
stored him. 1t was the young New Eng-
lander. He had miraculously escaped with
a few bruises on the head. The following
train brought him on to Cheyenne. Then
for some days he surprised the bordermen
by his muniicence and princely ways. On
the fourth day he awakened with meagre
5000, the remnant of the $40, 900 which his
mother had given him for the first install.
ment on the purchase of cattle ranch. His
next effort at reformation was made as an
exile on the Medicine Bow mountain range,
where for four months he remained search
ing for gold, where human beings are rare.
~ seen and where intoxicants could not be
had. At the expiration of that period, hav.
ing suffered the adverse fate of most gold
hunters, McCloon returned home to his
wife and two children in Maine, sure that
circumstances had redeemed him and re-
solved to recover by bard labor the fortune
he had so recklessly squandered. His re-
lease from convict's cell for bravery is the
first that has been heard from him since
then.