THE WORLD MOVES ON 246 
_ On November 23, 1891, his wife died. His affectionate na- 
ture was deeply shocked at this snapping of a long thread. 
Theirs had been an unusually happy partnership, despite 
many anxieties over debts and cables. She had encouraged 
him during dark days and always believed in his success. The 
Reverend Arthur Brooks wrote a moving appreciation of her 
kindness and tact in an article for the periodical, The 
Churchman. 
Scarcely had his wife been buried, when Cyrus Field learned 
of the failure of his elder son’s brokerage firm operating as 
Field, Lindley, Wiechers & Company. This was Edward 
Morse Field, who had taken up grain brokerage; he had 
formed a partnership with Daniel Lindley, the husband of 
Mary Field, oldest daughter of Cyrus. When first formed, the 
firm had succeeded brilliantly, because of its social connec- 
tions with prominent New Yorkers. Then rumors were heard 
of wild speculations by Edward Field, and heavy losses. ‘They 
were all too true. 
Cyrus Field had helped his son’s business ventures in a 
trusting spirit. When Edward came to him and confessed 
that the firm’s condition was shaky, the generous old man 
assumed that the trouble was merely temporary. Always op- 
timistic and open-handed, he turned over to his son practical- 
ly all of his own securities, believing that the loan of them 
would tide over the dangerous crisis. It was vain to attempt 
to stem the flood of obligations and questionable dealings that 
swept over the firm. Bankruptcy was inevitable. 
Investigation of Edward Field’s affairs showed such grave 
irregularities that he was arrested. His mental condition be- 
came alarming, and he was confined in an asylum. For the 
rest of his life he was judged insane and incompetent. 
During these sad revelations, Cyrus Field’s oldest daughter, 
Mrs. Lindley was seriously ill, and before Edward Morse’s 
_ trial came up in court that winter, she died. The trial was 
