The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-02-15
MAJ. MAxWgLL's THREE YEARS.
A wyoming Character Who Made Con
tract to Drink Himself to Death.

Mai. Maxwell was tall, with wide,
heavy shoulders, tremendous chest
development, and a slight inclination
to paunch. He did not strike one as
being above the average height until
YOU noticed him towering beyond
others at the bar. Then his splendid
figure, his digniied manner, and his
capacity for all sorts of liquors made
him positively impressive. The mem
ory of the major is indissolubly associ-
ated with recollections of the saloon.
Maxwell was perhaps the most promi-
nent habitue of Cheyenne's drink es-
tablishment for three feeting years,
says the Denver San.
The major was just an ordinary
dresser, not overly neat, nor yet en-
tirely insensible to degree of nicety
! in clothing. He wore the ordinary
button of the Grand Army veteran,
though eligible to mem bership in the
Loyal Legion. The little badge man
afactured from metal of cannon cap
tured on the field, suited him.
After the major had settled with the
railroad contractors on the new line
which brought them all to Cheyenne,
he resigned from a quite important
position. Then he entered upon task
for which he was admirably equipped.
Calmly, deliberately and not alto
gether without system, Maj. Maxwell
proceeded to drink himself to death.
He had few thousand in cash, and
this gave him elegant leisure. He had
never married or made close friend
ships, and this made him free agent.
He liked liquor, and could enter upon
his sanguine undertaking with visions
of pleasant hours innumerable.
1t required three full years for the
consummation of Maj. Maxwell's de-
signs. For long time he frequented
the hotel bar-rooms. Then he daifted
to the gambling houses, but touched
neither cards nor checks. He was
always independent, and refused to
drink with the gamesters. The major
was too much of gentleman to drink
alone.
When his food appetite failed and
he ceased to care for sleep he took to
the lower groggeries, and he mapped
in chairs and used poor quality of
whisky without sacrificing one whit of
his perennial self-possession or alert
dignity. He had quit reading news
papers and paid no heed to the passing
events of the journey of time. He
had banished memories, cared less for
the present than he knew. With this
lack of reckoning one day was like an
other.
For time I was somewhat dubious
about the success of the majors
project. l believe that / detected in
him once or twice slight signs of fear
that he might get killed in brawl, or
| ~ IL L. 1of u i
end it all without warning. If he ever
thought of anything it was to tell him
self that old age was poor achieve
ment.
1 witnessed the breaking up, and
with more than reportorial interest
watched it closely. He came up from
the basement of his resort in the mid
die of one forenoon with small nails
clothes. The major said he had made
the change because the world was
coming to an end.
He complained that couple of pins
had become crossed in his throat, and
with weak and hoarse cough tried to
dislodge them. There was strange
CLINT in his eyes and his behavior was
silly and nervous.
| h0 dpEG0u GudG u0 Hdu D0SG 20 10
the hospital for time. Refusing with
show of spirit nickel for fare, he
was directed to the car line. In few
minutes he was back with story of a
gam bling house he had visited. In sur
passing diction he reeled off descrip.
tion of the place,
The floor was an exquisite mosaic
inlaid with bright gold coins AMI pre-
| Iosa ko Il
were brilliant mirrors and the ceilings
sent back reflections. In the main
room were ten faro games, five monte
tables and six roulette wheels. Stakes
were fabulously high.
The major was given another drink
and started for the hospital again.
This time he reached the haven. They
gave him padded room with bars
across the high window. By evening
he was raving. Early in the night he
began to tell of the war; They fed
him on chopped ice and gave him milk
and brandy to quiet his nerves. Most
of the time his talk was disjointed.
Once he discoursed ON Gettysburg
Eor ten minutes in grandly graphic
style. Becoming exhausted he fell
into disturbed sleep. Awakening he
raised up, glared about, jumped from
the cot with wild yell and rushed
murderously upon his attendant. He
was beaten to the floor with club.
The nurse was strong and to him his
charges were cases, not individuals.
Punishment stupifed the major, but
he was going anyhow. Along toward
morning he died in a sudden spasm.
Maxwell had drawn the last of his mo-
ney from the bank the week before
| and there was not a cent in his