Omaha daily bee., 1888-01-06
FllCkERED OUT.
Miserable Ending ofa Once Romantic
Life.


San Francisco Call: A few days ago
there died in this city a man whose
life at one time was Il household word
and who was for a considerable period
recognized as public benefactor. His
fame was short lived as the tickleness
of dame fortune, which endowed him
with plenty but to rob him of it in later
years.
Without kith or kin and surrounded
by none whom he called friends, he
passed away to another world beneath
the sheltcring roof of the county poor
house.
The man was William ]. Babcocll,
known to the world as the inventor of IA
fire oXtlnguisher, which was the fore
runner of the ingenius contrivances that
American genius evolved for battling
fire. For the past seven years he has
been an inmate of the almshouse.
In 1918, when Illinois was but a
sDarsely settled state on the frontier of
civilization. Babcock was born. His
birthplace was II small hamlet far re-
moved from any city of consequence.
The daily routine of his life was that of
the hard-worked backwoodsmen. This
laborious existence did not fully accord
with the sensitive nature OF Babcock.
Chance knowledge had fired his
ambition and, filed with Il determine
ticn to attain a higher and better posi-
tion in the world, he shook off the fet-
tcrs that bound him to the drudgery in
coulp satify his ambition. He was a
man of much mental ability, and his
capacity for such labor, as well as an in
sensate longing for enlightment, event.
uallv. led him to Harvard college, from
which he graduated. His attention
was next attracted to the study of med
icinc, which he pursued with such
profit that he was soon enabled to prac-
tice that profession.
Throughout his early life he evinced
a strong liking for mechanical inven-
tions and this fondness, aided by his
knowledge of chemicals, led, after IL
number of years of unsuccessful expert
mcpts, to the evolution of his widely
suggested by the inefiicicncy of fire COM
panies to deal promptly with incipient
conilagrations.
So meritorious was Babcock's con-
trivance that it was Immediately adopted
throughout the country. Success and
fortune seemed to turn his head. He
Travelled extensively in the United
States. collecting royalties and dispos-
ing of his state rights in the patent.
Wealth flowed in upon him rapidly.
He planned IA trip to the continent OF
Europe that eventually led to his down
fall and ruin. In the gay capital of
France he met Il bewitching young
American girl, whose beauty soon occu-
pied his entire thoughts. The woman
was, in truth, an adventures, and she
realized that Babcock was an easy vic
tim to her wiles. They were married
in time and spent their honeymoon, and
several years beside, in traversing the
European continent.
All this time Babcock s fortune, never
extremely large, and the royalties from
his patent growing smaller, gradually
diminished With the increasing
scantness of his purse the affections of
his wife faded, and she finally deserted
him upon their return to America.
Babcock entertained for his bride a
sincere attachment, and her cruel treat
ment drove him deeper into the pleas
ures of the genteel dissipations into
| which she had introduced him.
In 1878 he came to this coast, where he
| continued to drown his SORROWS in the
convivallty OF saloons. He sank further
| into degradation, and his only desire be-
came to pacify the growing and craving
| inspired by liquor. He visited various
parts Of this coast endeavoring to sell
| his fire machines This recourse for
money in time failed him, and he gave
up to the hunger for intoxicants. Often
| he was found in the streets scnseless
from strong drink. At last the day Of
retribution came, and he was removed
to the county almshouse an imbecile
| There he remained quiet, docile, un-
complaining for seven long years until 8
few days ago, when the hearty, vigor'
Gus form of other years gave up the
vital spark and was consigned to pau
| per's grave.