The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-27
1 ROMANTIC CAREER
TRAGIC STORY OF AN ARKANSAS RE-
CLUsE REVEALED by HIS DEATH.
He Was Born fin Opulence, Squandered
Fortune, and Finally Became
Gambler and Desperate.


The death on Monday last at his home
near Bayou Bartholomew of James G.
b. Faulkner revealed a lire history
which has scarcely a parallel anywhere.
Faulkner lived close to the line which
divides Arkansas and Louisiana. His
home was a double log cabin situated
two or three hundred yards from the
creek and fanked on every side but
one by a forest of pine and oak trees.
He had clearing three acres In ex-
tent, on which was grown ALI the vege-
tables he used or needed. He led the
life of recluse. living entirely alone
and finding companionship only with his
horses, dogs and cattle, of which latter
he had a considerable herd that ranged
in the canebrakes along the bayou. He
devoted much time to hunting, spend
ing with his pack of hounds days
together in the brakes and forests along
the Louisiana border. At the time of
his death he had reached his fiftieth
year.
Faulkner was born in Albany, N. Y.
His parents were refined and cultivated
people and very wealthy. They fairly
every advantage. He was sent to the
best schools the country afforded and
graduated with honor. 1t was intended
that he should practice law as a pro-
fession, and he took law course at
Columbia College preparatory to launch
ing upon his career. But just at this
point he began to betray decidedly
cratic tendency. The waywardness
which had been frequently manifested
during his school days took a new
form, and he suddenly announced his
purpose of abandoning his studies al
together. and he carried his intention
into effect. His parents heard from him,
he writing them from Chicago. to the
effect that he had quilted the East for
ever and would hereafter reside in the
West. Soon afterward his parents died.
leaving him a considerable sum of
money
From that moment began his down.
ward career. He went to Leadville and
invested largely in an undeveloped, mine
near that place. The property turned
out to be worthless, and Faulkner, feel
ing that he had been duped. shot the
man through whose representations he
had been induced to put up the money.
The man was j. N. Simpson. The quar-
rel occurred in saloon; both men were
drinking. Simpson tried to pull a gun,
but Faulkner got the drop on him and
sent a bullet into his breast. Simpson
died in three days. Faulkner was ar
rested and discharged on the ground of
justifiable homicide. On the heels Of
this affair he was involved in another
shooting scrape with a notorious Lead
vile gambler. The fight was the out
growth of a game of cards. in which
Faulkner claimed he had been swindled
out of nearly $500. When the gambler
drew his gun Faulkner struck it, and
the shot trIanninO r6
into his right foot, making him Grip
pie for life. The shot fired by Faux
ner shattered one of the arms of the
gambler.
STARTS ANEW AS A COWBOY.
Leaving Leadville. Faulkner drifted
into Wyoming, where he secured en-
pIoyment with the Anglo-American Cat
tie Company, corporation that -four
ished during the palmy days of the cat
tie industry in the West. 1t was or
ganized by Sir John Rae Reid, Scot
fish nobleman. with a capital stock of
100000, Mr.. James Gordon Bennett, of
the New York Herald, being one Of the
principal stockholders. The company
owned herd of $4,000 head of cattle
and had a range of thousands of acres
in northern Wyoming. Though start
ing as a cowboy at $35 per month.
Faulkner speedily developed a capacity
for business that attracted the atten-
ton of Harry Oelrichs, of New York
who was general manager of the COM
pany. Oelrichs intruSted Faulkner with
the care and management of the herds
of beef cattle when shipments were be-
ing made. This is position of great
responsibility, but Faulkner filled it
well, his work being performed salts
factorily. Oelrichs soon made him as
sistant range manager at salary of
$4,000 per year.
Faulkner proved very efficient. The
sum paid him for his work was most
acceptable, for when he started with
the company he hadn't a dollar in the
world, having Squandered a fortune of
| S150.000 in bad investments and in de-
bauchery. For year everything went
we'll with Faulkner. He had good
position, splendid pay and was among
| the most popular cattlemen on the
Western range. But when the Anglo
American company determined to wind
up business he again got into trouble.
He was on the border of Colorado,
where he had gone to gather cattle.
| This was in October. 1884. He was ac-
companied by half a dozen cowboys.
| The party encamped one night in a
| canyon not far from the Platte river.
| Some years ago party of emigrants
| had been killed there by Indians, and
|. the canyon had the reputation of be-
| ing haunted. 1t was said that just at
| midnight the spirits of the murdered
| travellers, a man, his wife and child.
| made their appearance at the entrance
| to the canyon, disappearing in the
| shadows further up the gorge. The
| cowboys laughed the story to scorn.
| Faulkner pretended to believe it. He
! wagered $50 that Mortimer and Max
| well, two of his men. would not venture
! into the canyon together at II o'clock
| that night. The boys named accepted
| the offer. Mortimer, Maxwell and Faux
/ ner sat down beside the camp fire to a
| game of cards while waiting for mid
| night to come, the remainder of the
| outfit retiring, AS the hours sped on
| the trio became more and more inter
| ested in the game, until Faulkner, who
| had been steadily losing. though only
| small amounts. declared that his com
1 panions were cheating. The accuse ton
| created a tempest. Faulkner tried tc
| get his revolver lying on the ground
1 near him, but before he could reach
| it Mortimer and Maxwell had covered
| him with their weapons. and, looking
down the muzzles of brace of pistols
| Faulkner was compelled to admit tina,
he had faisifed when he accused his
! comrades of cheating, and that the
game had SO far been square" through
| out He made the confession, choking
with rage and humiliation.