St. Paul daily globe., 1892-03-13
From the World Of Fashion to
Sins Lowest Degpada-
tion.
A st. Paul Girls Fall From
the High Estate Of Wom-
anhOod.
The st. Paul Trust Company
Sues a Prominent Whole
sale Firm.
Variety Of Suits Passed by
Judges in Special
Term.

Things have been very quiet in police
circles the past week. The patrol
wagons were sent out occasionally to
bring in "plain drunk" but beyond
this nothing occurred to disturb the
law-abiding portion of the inhabitants,
and no arrests of any Importance were
made. However, among the ''plain
drunks'' gathered in during the week
was woman whose history the police
have been familiar with for years, and
whose life is indeed one of the most
pitiable examples of where the wine cup
may lead its victims who do not learn
when to set it aside.
The woman was arrested in q drunk
en- condition Oh East Seventh street. At
Central station she revived somewhat
from her stupor and, hiding her features
under heavy veil, begged to be let go,
giving all sorts of promises for good be-
havior in the future. This was an old
story to the officers, who had excused
her more than once before. This time
they were relentless, and the woman
record the name Minnie Brown was
written with the charge of drunken
ness opposite it.
1t need not be said, however. that this
was all assumed title. Were the
woman's real name given here, many of
our readers would recognize it as that
Of an honorable family of high standing
in the community, but which has been
dragged into the dnst by this woman.
She is now mental and physical
wreck. and her associates are some of
the vileSt to be found i'll the city.
Only a few years ago she was wife
and the mother of two bright and
pretty children, a little boy and girl.
Her husband was manager for one of
the largest wholesale establishments in
ST. Paul. Iii their home she was sur
rounded by all the comforts that wealth
could place there, and the biggest stores
III the city were proud to name her
among their patrons. She attended
many social gatherings and suppers.
and gradually desire for the wine that
flowed freely on such occasions came on
her. She fought it for a time, but the
thirst was too strong, and soon she was
patrOnlZlng wine rooms unaWareS to her
relatives. 1t was a severe shock to her
husband on returning home one even
ing to learn that his wife had been
brought there drunk by a police lieu
tenant short time before. From
that time on she kept up course of de-
Dducnefy. until at IdSt the nuSUanU IN
despair gave up their home and took
his wife from the city in hopes that a
change OF scene might cure her of the
dread habit. After lengthy absence
they returned and took up their abode
at hotel. The woman was soon back |
at her old haunts, and then the man |
realized that her life and his was |
ruined.
The rest of the story is soon told. The
husband, from constant worry and |
nightly searches for his drunken wife, !
took i'll and died. The little girl had I
gone before, and in another year the
boy, too, was taken. as if by a special |
decree Of Providence. The mother
went down, step by step, to her present
level. She has still some means, but
these Will soon go to supply her appe-
tte for drink. and dead in the gutter"
will probably be the last to be written
of this once happy wife and mother.