The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-12-05

fshatfs' OF the curious household, whose
princely, generous, but improvident
master ever iloatcd his banner of well
come ION the outer walls"
Tho kitchens were presided over by
duslsy nlaidens under the tutclagc of
experienced old croncs, and its pre-
cincts were sacred to them. The dim
ing rooms during the hours of meals
which were served by boys-werc MS
forbidden to the females as the mvs.
tcrics of the temple of Isis to the rlb-
bic in Egypt
Maxwell was rarely, as far as my OBJ
scrvation extended, while he lived on
the "ranchc," without Il large amount
of money in his posse ssion. lie had no
safe, however; his only place of tempo
rary deposit for the accumulated cash
was i'll the bottom drawer Of the old
bureau in the large room to which re-
fcrrcd when describing that apartment.
1t always stood against the wall about
the center OH the south side. and was
the most antiquatcd, common pine con-
Germ Imaginable. There were only two
other drawers in this Old-fashioncd
piece of furniture; but neither of them
possessed n lock. The third, or lower,
the one that contained the money, did,
but it was absolutely worthless, one of
the cheapest pattern affording not the
slightest security; besides, the drawers
above it could be pulled out, exposing
tho treasure Immediately beneath to
the cupidty of anyone.
have frequently seen as much as
thirty thousand dollars. gold, silver,
grccnbaclls and government checks
at one time in that novel depository!
Occasionally these large sums remained
there for several days, yet there was
never any extra prccaution 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-
pricty of purchasing Il safe for the bot
ter security of his money, but he ONLY
smiled, while Il strange, rcsolutc look
flashed from his dark eyes, rs he said:
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-barlcy, oats
and corn principally - which he dis
posed of to the quartcrmastcr 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
tle-so numerous were they in both
problems.
lie also possessed 4 large and perfect
disappointed 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 cquipagc com
prising everything in the shape of a We
hiclc, through all their multifarious va
rieties from the most plainly-construct-
ed 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. lie WAS perfectly reckless
in his driving; dashed through streams,
over irrigating bitches, stones and
stumps like Il vcritablc Jchu, regard
less of Consequences; but as is usually
the fortune of such prccipitous horse
ncn--So far as my observation extends
= coming to grief wG.s Il rare cXccp-
tion.
The headquarters of the ute Agency"
were cs:a blishcd at "Maxwell's Rancho"
in early days and the government de-
tailed il company of cavalry to camp
there. more, however, for the prestige
their presence might have on the
"plan' tribes" who roamcd along the
old Santa Fe trail east of the Ration
range than effect on the Utcs, whom
Maxwell could always control and who
regarded him as Il father"
On the 4th of July, 1867, Maxwell,
who owned an artiquatcd and rusty
siX-pound field ho"!itaer, suggested to
the captain OF the troop stationed there
the propricty Of celebrating" So the
old piece was dragged from it's place
under clminp OF clrns, where it had
been hidden in the grass and weeds
ever since the Mexican war, probably,
and brought near the house. The cap
tain ana Maxwell acted the role of
gunncrs, the former at the muzzlc, the
latter at the brccch; the discharge was
premature, blowing ont the captains
eye and his arm off, while Maxwell cs-
capped with a shattered thumb. AS
soon as the accident occurred a ser
gcant was dispatched to Fort Union on
one of the fastest horses on the
Rancho" the faithful animal falling
dead the moment he stopped in front of
the surgeons quarters. having made
the journey of ifty-five miles, in little
more than four hours!
The surgeon left the post Immediate
ly, arriving at Maywcll's late that
night, but in time to save the officers
life, aftcr which he dressed Maxwclrs
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