The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-04-28
son OF CYRUS W. Field
is DESTITUTE And SICK
Fell From High Position to Lead
Life Of Vagabond and Tramp
In New York.
MANY PARALLELS ARE FOUND

doubtless were surprised when they
read the statement of a census emu
meratory week or so ago that he had
found among the outcasts of the Bow
cry man who had once been promin-
ent in the diplomatic service of the
United States, also two former. mem :
bers of Congress and a number of men
who i'm their day. before drink and
adversely had overtaken them, had oc-
cupied high and honorable positions
i'm the pulpit, at the bar, and i'm the
medical and other professions Sur
prising the statement may be, but not
at all improbable, as is evidenced by
the case Of Edward NJ. Field. the story
of whose life has again been brought
into print this week.
After living for years the life OF a
common vagabond and tramp, subsist-
ing for a time on the bounty OF those
he knew i'm prosperity, ard later car
ed for by the Salvation Army, Edward
Morse Field, the favorite son Of Cyrus
w Field, the Father of the Atlantic
Cable" is in Bellevue Hospital desti-
tute ard suffering with nephritis. If
he lives to leave the hospital he will
probably return to the Bowery 10 re-
sumo the life he has led for the past
fifteen years. He has no visible means
Of support, and his friends long ago
abandoned his case as hopeless.
Less than twenty years ago Field
was one of the princes, II not one
of the kings, OF Wall street. He was
rich, honored, beloved-beloved most of
all by his beautiful wife the sister of
his partner, Daniel Lindley. and by
his father. who. John Dwight said.
was "the Columbus who moored the
Old orld beside the New" with his
Atlantic cable. When disgrace came
to Edward NJ. Field. it broke his wife's
heart and 1t killed his father.
Field has not only the distinction OF
being the son of Cyrus w Field. He
Is the nephew of the three famous
J.. justice of the
Supreme Court of the. United States;
David Dudley. authority on interna-
tional law. leading abolitionist and
member of congress, and Henry Mar
tyn. the noted author and divine.
In 1891 Edward NJ Field was
charged with wrecling the brokerage
firm of Field. Lindley. Liechers and
Co, when he failed for s3.OOOOOO. He
was found and was COM
mitted as insane to an asylum i'm
Buffalo i'm 1892. 1t was always dis
puted that he was insane. and il is
certain that he enjoyed full liberty
within the institution. He was re-
liable to trial on several indictments
for forgery and grand larceny, but he
was not tried and in 1898 the indict-
ments were dismissed on the ground
that there was no possibility then of
him.
He continued to go down hill. was
arrested at various times for drunk
enness and once for stealing a coat |
in a Broadway office building He was
picked up on the Bowery in 1904 and |
sent to the psychopathic ward of Bel
levue. At that time he was living i'm |
a lodging house in the neighborhood of |
Hel!s Kitchen.
About two years ago Field drifted |
one night into the Hadley Rescue |
Mission in the Bowery. In the mission |
that evening was Bradley Lee Gilbert |
4 well known architect, who now oc-
rupies as offices the suite of Cyrus |
w. Field in the building at the foot |
Df Broadway, from whose windows |
Edward NJ. Field used to signal his |
yacht off the Battery when he was
ready to have it carry him up the |
Hudson to his home. Gilbert was an
early friend in Field in college days.
When he found Field in the mission
ne persuaded him to go TO the mourn
,rs Benchs The mission people took
IN interest I'm him and found him en-
,loyment in the Salvation Army lodg-
ng house in Chatham Square. There
lie continued to make his headquarters
Until overtaken by the illness which
Igain necessitated his removal to Bel
evue.