The Republican., 1891-11-27


of Indians, Mexicans and half-breeds.
No wonder, then, that extravaganza
and reckless waste were the "Ldres et
Pendtes" of the curious household, whose
princely, generous, but improvident
master ever foated his banner of wei.
come ION the outer walls"
The kitchens were presided over by
dusky maidens under the tutelage Of
experienced old crones, and it's pre-
cincts were sacred to them. The din
ing rooms during the hours of meals
which were served by boys-were as
forbidden to the females as the mys-
teries of the temple of Isis to the rab-
BILE in Egypt.
Maxwell was rarely, as far as my OBJ
servation extended, while he lived on
the ''ranche," without large amount
of money in his possession. He had no
safe, however; his only place of tempo
rary deposit for the accumulated cash
was in the bottom drawer of the old
bureau in the large room to which | re-
ferred when describing that apartment.
1t always stood against the wall about
the center on the south side, and was
the most antiquated, common pine con-
cern imaginable. There were only two
other drawers in this old-fashioned
piece of furniture; but neither of them
possessed Il lock. The third, or lower,
the one that contained the money, did,
but it was absolutely worthless, one of
the cheapest pattorn affording not the
slightest security; besides, the drawers
above it could be pulled out, exposing
the treasure Immediately beneath to
the cupidity of anyone.
| have frequently seen as much as
thirty thousand dollars-gold, silver,
greenbacks and government checks
at one time in that novel depository!
Occasionally these large sums remained
Eever any extra precaution taken to
prevent its abstraction; doors were al
ways open and the room free of access
to everyone as usual!
once suggested to Maxwell the pro
priety of purchasing safe for the bet
ter security of his money, but he only
smiled, while a strange, resolute look
~
God help the man who attempted to
rob me and knew him.
The source of his great wealth was
his cattle, sheep and the products of his
area of cultivated acres-barley, oats
and corn principally - which he dis
posed of to the quartermastcr and com
missary departments of the army in the
then large military district of New
Mexico, at high figures. His woolclip
must have been enormous, too, but
doubt whether he could have told the
number of animals that furnished it or
the aggregate of his vast herds of cat
tlc-so numerous were they in both
problems.
He also possessed large and perfect
ly-appOinted grist mill, which was a
source of immense revenue, for wheat
was one Of the staple crops of his many
farms.
Maxwell was fond of travelling all
over the territory, his equipage com
prising everything in the shape Of a We
hicle, through all their multifarious va
rietics from the most plainly-construct-
cd buck board to the numbering, but
comfortable and expensive Concord
coach, mounted on thorough braces"
instead of springs, and drawn by four
or six horses. He was perfectly reckless
in his driving; dashed through streams,
over irrigating bitches, stones and
stumps like vcritable Jehu, regard
less of consequences; but as is usually
the fortune of such precipitous horse
men-so far as my observation extends
- coming to grief was rare excep-
ton.
The headquarters of the Ute Agency
were established at "MaXwells Rancho"
in early days and the government de-
tailed a company of cavalry to camp
there, more, however, for the prestige
their presence might have OF the
"plain's tribes" who roamed along the
old Santa Fe trail east of the Ration
range than effect on the Utes, whom
Maxwell could always control and who
regarded him as II ''father."
On the 4th of July, 1867, Maxwell,
who owned an antiquated and rusty
six pound field howitzer, suggested to
the captain of the troop statiGred there
the propviety of "cele brating.' SO the
old piece was dragged from it's place
under Il clump of elrns, where it had
been hidden N the grass and weeds
ever since the Mexican war, probably,
and brought near the house. The cap
tain and Maxwell acted the role of
gunncrs, the former at the muZzlc, the
latter at the breech; the discharge was
premature, blowing out the captains
eye and his arm off, while Maxwell es-
capped with shattered thumb. AS
soon as the accident occurred a SER
Gcant was dispatched to Fort Union on
one of the fastest horses on the
"Rancile," the faithful animal falling
dead the moment he stopped in front Of
the surgeons quarters, having made
the journey of ffty-fve miles in little
more than four hours!
The surgeon left the post Immediate
ly, arriving at MGXweX's late that
night, but in time to save the officers
life, after which he dressed Maxwell's s
apparently inconsiderable wound. In
u few days, however, the thumb grew
stubborn and angry-looliing; it would
not yield to the doctors careful treat
mcnt, so he reluctantly decided that
amputation was necessary. After an