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Show A SAD STORY. Fifty-one years ago yesterday a New-England New-England youth known a3 CYiitrs West Field stood at the marriage altar, full of vigor, hope and sturdy ambition. His strength made its impress upon the century; his hope bore him up in his work and his ambition has been rewarded re-warded with medals, with knighthood and with the thanks of the United States congress. Hand in hand the New England Eng-land youth and his helpful wife came honorably down through half a century of time; almost to the present day. Little more than a week ago, however, howev-er, the woman he wedded on the day of his majority died. Today, bereft of wife and wrecked in fortune, and penniless pen-niless by the hand of an ingrate and disgraced son, Cyhcs W. Field lies dying at 72 years of age, in the handsome hand-some home that shall no longer be his. Edwakd M. Field, the son who wrecked the firm of Field, Lindley, Welciieus & Co., is an inmate of Ver- j non house, a private insane asylum i near the village of Mt. Vernon. Mrs. Edwakd M. Field lies dangerously ill at the home of her brother. Mrs. I). A. Lindley, daughter of Cykus W. Field, is believed to be on her death bed. This expresses in a few words the pitiful pit-iful condition of a family, which, a few weeks ago. was envied for its wealth, happiness and social eminence. The fact that yesterday was the fifty-first anniversary an-niversary of Cyrus W. Field's marriage mar-riage adds a new sadness to the story. Cyrus W. Field is completely broken in health and spirit. Bereft of bis wife, his fortune, and crushed by the fact that his favorite son has financially ruined the family aud made a mental wreck of himself, the unfortunate old man feels that death would be a welcome solace to him. He feels that his name has been tarnished, notwithstanding the fact that he has sacrificed his all to keep his son from bankruptcy. It is believed that all that remained of Mr. Field's once great fortune before this fresh trouble did not exceed $1,000,-000, $1,000,-000, and of this not a dollar is left. He has been absolutely stripped of his possessions by his mad son, if mad the son is. This fact came from the lips of the impoverished man himself him-self on his sick bed, and is is repeated by a friend Avho heard it. To illustrate at the same time Mr. Field's integrity and the strange conduct of his son Edwakd; Ed-wakd; this friend attended the funeral of Mrs. Field. At that time Mr. Field had an idea that the firm, of which his son Edward was senior partner, was in trouble. He had no clear idea of the extent of the trouble, but he felt that disaster was pending. His son Edwakd had not given his father his confidence. But, three days after the funeral, Edwakd entered his father's sick room and told him some of his difficulties. As the friend relates it: "Cyrus Field told me that hig son Edward came to him and told him that he must have money to save him from ruin and disgrrce. He did not tell his father the extent of his troubles. He said he must have money to tide him over for a short time. Cyrus Field directed that the key to his private pri-vate box should be handed to Edwakd, aud he told his son: 'Here is the key to the box containing my securities. Take enough of them, my son, to help you through your troubles.' Edward took the key, and he furthermore took every security in the box, and Cyrus Field told me that he was as poor now as on the day he entered the world." |