The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-03
.F|CKLENESS OF fURTUkE.
Sad Now Is the Lot Of the Family
Of Hon. Cyrus West
Field.
Penniless and Despondent the
Rare Old Man Lies on His
Denthbod.
4 : .
His Coed Name Tarnished by an migrate
Son--The Transitions Of One Short
Week.


= NEW YORK, Dec. 5Z.--IlIGy-OH0 years uEO
to-day, 4 New England youth known aH
Cyrus West Field stood at the marriage al
tar, full Of yigor, hope, sturdy ambition.
His strength made itg impress on the CEN
tury, his hope bore him up il his work, and
his ambition has been rewarded with med
ais. with knighthood and with the thanks
Of the United States congress-. Hand in
hand. the New England youth and his help
ful wife came honorablt down through half
n century Of time almost to the PRESENT
day. Little moro than a week ago. how
ever. the woman he weddod on the day of
his majority, died. Tonight, al
most bereft Of life, wrecked in
fortune and made penniess by the hand of
M inRrato and disgraosd son. Cyrus Field
lies dying, at ~ years OF ago, in hand
some home that no longer shall DO his. Ed
ward Nj. Field, the aon who wrecked the
firm Of Field, Lindley, Weichers & Co., is
an ia1nate Of the Vernon house, a private
inaane asylum, near the village of Mt.
Vernon. Mrs. Edward M. Field lies dan
gerously i'll at the homo Of her brother DR..
Lindley. Mrs D. A. Lindley, daughter Of
Cyrus w. Field. is believed to be on her
death bed. This expresses in few words
the pitiful condition Of family which,
few weeks ago, were envied for its wealth,
happiness and social enlinenca. The fact
that to-day is tho fifty y-frst anniversary of
Cyrus W.. Field's marriage adds new sad
neSs to the story of tho day. A member of
| the family tonight came from the bedside
Of Cyrus Field and said: "He is completely
broken in health and spirit. Bsreft Of his
wife, his fortune, and crushed by the fact
that his fayorite son financially ruined the
family and made mental wreck of him
self, tho unfortunate old man feels that
death would be welcome solace to him.
EIe feels that his name has been tarnished,
notwithstanding the fact that he has sacri-
feed his all to keep his sou flom bank
ruptcy."
DR.. Fuller t he family physician, said:
8 He may live for several days, and he may
die in few hours" Edward Field np-
penled to his father recently for
assistance TO- prevent the failure Of
been used Up. His father consented 10 as
sist him, and authorized him to take Ger
tain securities from his strong box for that
purrose The son, however, took every ne
gotiable security there was il this box, but
even that did not rrevent tho firms Gown
OF Mr.. Fields once great fortune, before
this fresh trouble, did not exceed 81, ,OO0,-
OGO, and Of that not dollar is
left. How much. Edward succeeded in
getting from his father is not known, but
it 10 believed to have been 100000. The
numbered real estate, of which his house,
which he sold this week, formed part.
That Cyrus W. Field is now pennilesB re-
calls the tact that he was supposed to have
been a special partner in the firm of Field
Lindley d Co. for 100000 until March l
last. On that date the firm was reorganzed
and the senior Field is supposed to have
withdrawn this $500 900. 1t is now believed
that the $500. 600, if it existed at MI in that
way. was never withdrawn, but was lost,
and that its loss bl ought about the reorgan.
ization and introduction of new members
course continued with The result that the
money OF all the partnel was lost. as we'll as
the half-million belonging to his father
The statement frequently made by
tho assignee that two partners
Lindloy and Weicherp, were innocent OF all
knowledge Of the firms condition. and that
it had been going on until the failure is
laughed at by bankers and brokers. A re-
mark made by Assignee Gould has been
the subject of much comment to-day. Mr..
Gould said: 'It seems to mo that the
greater part Of the money lost BY tho oper-
atona OF H. nj. Field was lost
right here by partners in the
firm" s'tll Gould could not begin
to give any estimate Of the assets and la
bilities Of the defunct firm. 10 show the
difficulties he labored under, he said,
Suppose parties should come here and pay
large sums OF money to one of the partners.
and suppose this money was paid right ou
again by that PARTNER to other parties, then
these transactions might not appear in the
books. Now, have suspicion that this
very thing has tnkan place."
Edward NJ. Field after the alleged des-
perate attempt upon his life, has been re-
moved to a private insane asylum at Mt.
Venom by order of Judge MoAdam. In
the otfidayits the physicians declare that
Edward NJ. Field is lunatic dangerous to
himself and others. Members of tho fam
lily deny that he attempted to commit sui
eide. ..