The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-11

and old sledge. but he was not a gambler
and he did not play with gamblers. II
might be supposed that a man 50 careless
in money matters would be reckless in his
stakes. Here was where one Of the pc
culiarities of the duke came in No mat
ter what the limit, or who the players
were. Maxwell would insist on the strict
est accounting Of the game. He exacted
10 the penny all he won while the game
was in progress The next day. II applied
10 for a loan, he would hand out per-
haps I'VE times what his opponent had
lost the night before.
The time came when Maxwell could no
longer maintain the pace Of New Nexi-
can duke Settlers were crowding in and
encrOaching on the great estate Capita
lists saw the opportunity for profitable
deal The far-reaching Beaubien and Mi
rand grant. when Maxwell set UP his
dukedOm, was magnificent In its measure
ments, but land was worth very little.
Maxwell had gradually acquired the in
tereSts of other heirs. Toward the end he
went in for mining. Gold. silver and cop
per were found on the grant His inter
ests In the mines are said to have yielded
the duke $4,000 a week at one time. But
he wanted still greater returns. He Joined
in a scheme with lesser lords of the land
of grants to wash out the placers in the
Moreno valley with waters from the melt
ditch big enough TO carry river was dug
forty miles through mountain and plain.
And when 1t was finished there was no
snow left for that season.
Then came the tempter telling the duke
how much more comfortable he would be
IL he turned his dukedon into cash and
lived on the interest OF his money" Max
we'll hardened. He parted with all his in
terest except a homestead for S650.0OO. The
homestead he sold a little later for Sl25,-
coo, receiving $4,000 in cash. And when
he gathered up his belongings and fol-
lowers to move out il was like a caravan
taking the road.
The men who bought out Maxwell went
to London and sold the title to the great
block Of land fifty miles across and sixty
miles long for 100000. And the English
buyers went across the channel and took
in Dutch investors at Amsterdam on a
basis Of 100000.
Maxwell went to New York to close the
deal. He received credit for S7500OO. As
he started to leave the bank the cashier
asked:
''Mr. Maxwell. would you like some
OF this in currency for immediate user
"Yes," said the duke, turning back, Il
believe 1 would"
How much will you take with your"
asked the official.
You may give me $5o.0O0," was the re-
ply.
The cashier locked at the duke mo-
ment and then handed out the package Of
bills. Maxwell stuffed them into pair OF
saddle bags hanging on his arm and walk
ed out on Wall street. He went up town
TO his hotel. Placing the saddle bags on
the counter, he asked the clerk to put
them away for him. That functionary,
with a careless glance at them, took the
bags and buried them under desk. Ten
days went by. One morning Maxwell
came downstairs from mis- room, ran his
thumb and forehnger into his vest pocket
and found It empty.
GIVE me those saddle bags, will your
ne said 10 the clerk.
The bags were fished out from under
the desk and put on the counter. Maxwell
opened them and drew out package after
package of bills before the eys Of the
astonished clerk. Then he handed back
the bags Before he left New York city
he had spent 900 in presents for friends
in New Mexico.
How long do you give him to spend
that money!" a brother-in-law Of Maxwell
asked Col. Bergman when 1t was known
the sale had been made
Five years" was the response.
He'll get rid Of IL in less time than
that" said the relative, with shake
of the head.
And he did. From the day the duke
had S675, 900 put to his credit, and walked
out Of the bank with $4,000 in pocket
money. it was less than five years until
he died in Las Vegas. leaving a few thou
sand head of cattle as all that belonged to
him. Had he lived another year he would
have died pauper.