The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-11
THE DUKE OF CIMARRON.
MAxWELL's PRINCELY LIFE ON HIS
NEW MEXICO Rancho.


PnuDerfsm.
From the St Louis GlObe-Democrat
Santa Fe. n. Mo Missouri this cor
ner Of the country Is indebted for its no.
bility. From that state came the Baron
Of Arizona" Years before another Mis-
sourian had made for himself fame and
fortune as the Duke Of Cimarron-' Per
haps the romance Of Lucien B. Maxwelrs
career furnished some OF the inspiration
for the lifework Of James Addison Peral-
ta-Reavis. But times had changed. A
dukedom in New Mexico was possible
in '4S. A barony spread over the best
part OF Arizona with the five-stOried Casa
Grand ruins as its castle was impossible in
80. Maxwell lives in history as a striking
character. About him cluster traditions
and "reminiscences Of fascinating interest
Reavis struggled in the clutch OF the
strong arm Of the law. with trunk full
Of archives, portraits and dispositions in
the only apparent assets Of his ventures.
Reavis began his career as a street car
conductor. Maxwell was a herder before
he married Mexican grant.
OF the city where he lived was known as
Vide POche. Empty Pocket" when he
left it for life on the plains. Col. Berg
man, the warden Of the New Mexico PEN
itentiary. himself a splendid specimen of
manhood, with the manners and speech
of cultured gentleman, knew Maxwell
more intimately probably than any one liv-
ing. 1t is thirty-elght years since Col
clergyman became a resident OF New
Mexico. and at that hime Maxwell was
man OF far-reaching influence in this re-
gion.
He must have come out here" said
Col. Bergman, 'as early as the 20s. For
a long time he was the companion Of Kit
Carson. Together they hunted and trap
ped all through these mountains. And
the Information they had gathered in their
years OF wandering subsequently made
John c. Fremont famous as the Pathfa-
der. The most notable period of Max
wells career, however, came when he
married the daughter Of Don Carlos Beau
bein and settled down. Don Carlos was
fond of his son-in-law. He gave him
part OF the great Beaubein and Miranda
land grant and stocked the tract with cat
tie and horses. From that time. which
was about As. until after the war, Max
well welded great power all through this
a
nous place. The hospitality of the own
en- was without bounds. Maxwell never
thought Of charging for a small matter
as board OF lodging. He had a large.
rambling house, or, rather, a collection
of houses, for the kitchen and the din
ing rooms were separate from the sleep
ing rooms. Then there was the store
the mill, the stables, and other buildings
giving to the place the appearance of a
town. But Maxwell owned all. and the
country as well for miles and miles in
every direction. He had so many sheep
/ cattle and horses that he did not know
within thousands the number of them
Duke was the title which Stephen b.
/ Elkins conferred upon the head of this
lordly establishment Maxwell was well
/ satisfied with American. citizenship. He
kept the Fourth of July as his chief holt
/ day. A siX-pound cannon was part of the
equipment OF Maxwell's ranch. II had
been hauled across the plains when Don't
/ phans expedition eclisped Xenophan's
Anabasis. During the rest of the year
/ this piece of artillery rusted in the weeds,
! but on the glorious Fourth It was hauled
/ out and, at a safe distance from the
window panes of the ducal palace, thuu-
/ dered for liberty. The government recog-
nized the dukes Importance by making
/ his place the station of troops.
! On Independence day, 1867, the cannon
was brought into position, and Maxwell,
/ as the greatest honor he could show tie
4 official representative of the United States,
| invited the captain OF the cavalry on duty
| there at the time to assist in firing the
national salute. The duke took his sta
/ ton at the breech and covered the old
| fashioned touch-hole with his thumb. The
captain at the muzzle rammed home the
| charge. Several rounds had been fired.
! Suddenly there came a fash while the
/ two men were reloading. Maxwell reeled
/ one way and the cavalry officer another.
The old gun had gone off prematurely.
[ 1t had taken away an arm and an eye from
/ the captain. Maxwell ruefully contem-
plated a mangled thumb. The nearest
surgeon was fifty-five miles away, at Fort
/ Union. A sergeant was mounted on the
| fastest horse in the dukes stable of tho
/ roughbreds. He made the fifty-hve miles
/ in little more than four hours. AS he
/ rode into the fort the horse which had
carried him staggered and dropped dead.
! The surgeon started at once and reached
/ the ranch in time to save The officers life.
He then turned his attention to Maxwell
/ and dressed the thumb, which seemed like
/ an inconsiderable matter compared with
/ the cavalrymans dangerous injuries. But
/ the shattered thumb grew worse There
| were symptoms of blood poisoning In a
| few days IL became evident that an ampu-
/ tation would be necessary. In MaxwelIs
stables were kept every kind of vehicle
[ from huge stage coach down to a buck
! board. The coach was chosen for the trip.
| The duke was put into it, and, with his
| best friend Kit Carson, he made the trip
to Fort Union. There with Carson hold
| ing a big lamp, the duke sat in chair,
refusing to be put under the influence of
I any drug, ard saw the surgeon cut away.
/ The perspiration stood in great drops on
| his forehead, but he never allowed q
sound to pass his lips. AS the surgeon
completed his work a glass of whisky
was handed to the patient. Before it
reached his lips Maxwell slipped off his
chair in a faint. There were physical lin
its to the pain endurance of even such a
man.
The standing order at Maxwells was
! that the table should be set for thirty.
This was the daily provision for the duke
and his guests. The women of the house
hold had another dining-room. Transient
Corners and goers saw very little of the
women Even the walters in the dining
room were boys. The table service was of
solid silver.
Across the entire end of the house was a
room big enough to be called a hall. In