Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-13
Il VICTIM TO DRUGS.
Sad Career of a Young Man of Brilliant
Promise.

Promise.
For the last year and q half there NIGH
have been noticed on the streets of this
city q young man of delicate build and
refined, intellectual features marred by a
pinched expression and a look Of melan.
choly in his dark eyes. An air OF negli.
gence surrounded him, and he walked with
a downcast and depressed manner, as
though conscious that he was the victim
of incurable disease that was daily sapping
his vitality. His lace was white, ever his lips
were %bloodless, and though he was always
dressed respectfully, there was frequently
an appearance of negligence about his at
tire that bespoke a man who had lost that
regard for public opinion usual to men oil
his class and his age. For he was only
about 25 and belonged to a wealthy family
in the East and had been brought up accus.
toned to the refnements Of the best soci-
ETY.. He had been highly educated, spoke
several languages fuently. had Travelled ex-
tensively in Europe and the East, and
when in rational condition could converse
brilliantly upon almost any topic, no mat.
ter how abstruee.
ments such as to fit him to take q high
place in any Of the professions. The high |
position and wealth OF his family. coupled |
with his natural abilities, could not have |
Jailed to open to him the highest honors |
and a successful career in whatever direc- |
tion he might choose. /
Instead OF this, his life was a melancholy |
Instance OF q fine intellect eclipsed BY az |
passion for stimulants and drugs. !
excuses we're such that he became q
to his family, who tried in vain
very possible cure to wean him
his ways. and unable to ef-
ect any improvement in him he
induced to come West in the hope that
mid the stirring influences and Incentives
ambition of Western life he might ind
stimulus absent in the East. and accord
nsly he made his advent in Butte. But
he same temptations were open to him
ere as at his home, and the liberal allow.
nee made him by his family was chiefly
pent in ministering to his debasing appe. {
tie. He consumed morphine by the bottle.
[e would fill a large capsule with the drug ]
nd swallow it with as much nonchalance '
3 another man would swallow a sugar /
pill. His landlady found fifty one /
npty morphine bottles in his bureau v
rawer after be was dead. His consump. q
OF fiery stimulants was equally extra. {
OF slight, fragile frame, he con-. .
lmed the strongest spirits wholesale and
as never without half . dozen bottles Of r
srious kinds OF liquors about him. :
He had certain haunts which he fre-
rented with unfailing regularity every day o
Id night, when not under the influence OF P
'ugs in his OWN room. He was not often r
en- on the streets, and his associates were :
and only such as he was thrown into "
intact with in the resorts he frequented. l.
nese all speak Of him in one way-as a N
ntleman OF the most refined instincts. pi
matter how completely under the influ. :,
ce OF intoxicants he might be, he was
yer known by word or act to be other q
q gentleman in his Conduct. ii
With such a feeble constitution as he st
it was only a question OF time III
he would succumb to the inevitable. Il,
ID il was the conviction Of the hopeless. ri.
ss of his fate that caused him to wear al
0 look of despair that was almost con-. NO
present on his features. The end rs
me to him at about 10 o'clock yesterday II
For three days and nights he ws
d been dying. unable to leave his arm :
air for even the bed. His physiciss ga We
n the last stimulant yesterday morning !
d the pale messenger OF the white horse az