Morning journal and courier., 1890-03-26
HAWKINS OF SAN GABRIEL. Freaks of a Cattleman Who Found Himself Rich and Didn't Know What tO Do.

He was so free with his money that many extravagant stories wero a1oet regarding the extent of his riches. Some said he had money in banks in every city from Helena, Mont, to Los Angeles, while others told ex aggerated stories of his income from his Montana herds. Hawkins was of slovenly appearance and resembled tramp more than capitalist, and he looked as though he never had five dollars in his life. His un- kempt look and quiet way made him the cause of many ridiculous scenes, and it was his delight to pass himself as vagabond and try his credit among business men, and finish by showing them ono of his bank books, when, of course, he received every at- tention, and nothing was too good for him. A man of no education, he had become rich scarcely knowing it, and selling his cattle range he found himself in possession of more money than he had ever dreamed of having.
 There were no improvement on the tract he bought and he began operations by fen cinR it. Every idle man in the neighbor- hood was hired and the transformation be- gan. Farmers who had teams were en- ploysd, and the procession of loaded wagons from the station to Hawkins land was & sight to behold. In few days he had hundred men at work, all of whom were bet ter dressed than their employer. The large force soon completed the fencing, which was of the most substantial of any in the valley. Then no S6G tN6u ht WOIk Ou ul6 SaEQou pot and grounds. He employed a high priced landscape gardener, erected largs eonser- vstory and filled it with beautiful plants. The grounds were tastefully laid ous with winding drives and walks, arbors, fountains and little grottoes. To look at the man, who was not comedy in person or dress, and who was generally intoxicated, and whose wife was fit match for him, and then note his excellent taste in the arrangement of his haau tifnl homA ma con1d not heln marva1. ing.
 He bought an invoice of ste tuary at Los Angeles and distributed the figures around his park. One day hs came home with more drink than usual, and as 1t had been rain ing ne concluded that the nude figures need ed some kind of covering. He procured some colored paint and put black India Apollo with flaming red shirt and green stockings. Mercury was enveloped in blue tights and bright red nose Venus was rigged out with black stockings and yellow gown, the other figures also coming in for 8 share of decoration.
 He built cosey cottage in his park, and during his many drunken escapades made things interesting for his neighbors. The writer of this resided about half . mile from the Hawkins farm and has positive knowldge Of the incidents narrated. One night during one of their sprees Hawkins and his wife took an axe and chopped their furniture to pieces, threw it out of tho window and burned 1t. The next day they went to town to buy . new lot. They looked as though tion. They went to the principal furniture house. They were shown the cheapest sets, and even then the clerk thought he was wasting his time on them. But nothing was good enough for Hawkins. The clerk gave up in disgust and left the ssedy looking pair to themselves. The manager then came in and asked them to go to the top floor, where he would show them something better. He showed them sets worth all the way up to two hundred and fifty dollars, when Haw- kins asked him if that was the best. He was then shown the finest, fifteen hundred dollars. "I'll take that; that's my style. Send it to my rauoh," he said. Whom the manager announced to the crowd of clerks that he had sold fifteen hundred dollar set there was a loud guffaw, which Hawkins took in, and then he proceeded to take them down peg by inviting some one to accom- pany him to the bank. Then they thought they had 8 lunatic to deal with, but one of the proprietors whispered to o clerk to ac. company Hawkins, as they had carried the joke so far he had curiosity to see what the poor devil would do next. On reaching the bank the man was astonished to see MT. Hellman, the president, come around and grasp Hawkins by the hand. Haw kins asked him if his check was good for fifteen hun- dred dollars. "Yes," said Hellman; "good | for two hundred thousand dollars"
 l By this time the clerk was out in tho fresh air trying to get his breath. Hawkins had mania when on the road of trying to run over people and had succeeded in injuring several. One man who had his leg broken
 by being knocked from his horse recovered six thousand dollars damages.
 l Hawkins and wife were both good shots and used the statuary as targets Before the
 works of art had been set up three months
 many noses and arms were missing, and the
 collection looked as if 1t had been out with
 McGinty. One day the old man proceeded
 to his new brick reservoir to take a swim be-
 fore the walls were dry His wife warned
 him that she would shoot him If he under-
 took it. Hawkins plunged in, when bang
 went Mrs. Hawkins Winchester. He hid
 behind the tank house, and every time he
 showed his head bullet whizzed past. His
 playful wife kept him shivering there the en.
 tire afternoon. His reservoir, which cos,
 several thousand dollars, was ruined by his
 haste to use 1t before 1t was dry, but money
 was no object with Hawkins. Fun, he said
 was what he lived for, but few could see
 where the enjoyment was in leading such .
 wretched life, which terminated in the death
 of himself and his wife by delirium tremens