Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-02-14
THE DUKE OF TOMBSTONE.
He Took Three Baths Day When Water
Cost Cents q Gallon.

Cost Cents Gallon.
He used to be called 1.-THE Duke OF
Tombstone" when an Arizona settlement
maryeled at the recklessness of man
who bathed three times a day and wa
ter cents a gallon at that Edwin
Fields in those days changed his white
flannel suit whenever the smallest blem-
ish in the way Of dust was Noticeable
and rode behind a pair Of horses that
were a sensation in a community where
burros were the highest type of draft
animals. Now he is poor old Ed
Fields, and when he gets ont of the
county hospital, where a Harrison street
police ambulance took him last night,
he will be taken to the poorhOuse at
Dunning to spend his few remaining
years in contemplation Of the time when
be owned a large part Of the city OF
Tombstone and a mine worth more than
half million.
Too poor to ask for help. yet sorely in
need of it; too proud to ask for money
and yet having a brother whose fortune
is vast, he was taken from a lodging
house at 6S Thirteenth street, against
his will, on the strength Of certificate
obtained from Dr. A. W. Cowley, who
had found that his mind was failing and
that he needed comforts he once would
have scorned.
Dr. Joseph Il. Greer of S07 Oakley
avenue knew Fields in Arizona and
has assisted him from time to time dur
ing the past three years in Chicago
II went to Tombstone, A. T., In
1872" said Dr. Greer, "and Fields was
there before me, although the town con-
tanned but 70 people at that time. He
was squatting ON some mining property
which was not supposed to be Of much
value. But the town grew to 10, 600,
and he owned two-thirds Of the town
Site so that his rents increased until
they gave him an income Of over 81, 900
a month. The mine which he owned
was called the 'Gilded Age and proved |
to be a rich property. Fields title to it
was little shaky, but he was backed |
By Boston and New York capital and |
in the end secured perfect title He
sold the mine in 1881 or 1882 for $780,, |
900 in cash, every cent Of which went
to him.
"After the town grew and Fields
amassed his wealth he assumed mode
Of life that made him the most conspicu-
GUS. character in the west. He was
known everywhere as the Duke Of
Tombstone on account Of the gorgeous
manner III which be carried on his es-
tablishmeht. He rode behind asAe-.S-d
some pair q. bays and kent . --'1negro valet.
n, Diced A., ;-,Sig ne summer in white
eorDol ord oyu1inged suits three times q
d. When zter was selling in Tomb
stcno a. : coSASts a gallon. he took three
ho.Ls dor I'D broke bottle of FIori-
do ,yotor inIu very bath, He started as a
rino Ill Qnder and was the most
taiI.o5 80 in the country
at 1oft To-. zone and settled in Chi
oooo ono a. In Fing the Worlds fir
49, 49, y sood d looIaiug individual Sep
ned into INV Office md recognized Ed
tr;r Fiolds 49, EINwhat he was doing.
o,,d 10 ia NO ~, Ia a mournful smile
that he was store az .ne southern
hotel His salar- said, was $l4 a
month where pis money gone?
WoIl asked hi, t one day, for I
coUl3 not nnderst low a man that
never drank, never 81 - ~ gam
bled to my knowledL have pan-
dered a cool million \, Sch an Pnt
be certainly possessed at time. &c
.old me that he had lost fhost of IS
in speculation on the boart 81 |
irade and had then taken to the - gket
shops, where the rest of his monsK had
aiken wings. He was at that tim even I
with his pittance Of a salary, riiting
laily to the bucket shops in 'le vain
,ndeavor to retrieve his lost fortl NE He
ost the most Of his money In 81 r Louis,
,ut carried on his speculation 10Th IN
hat city and in Chicago.
II do not know his birthple-0e' bet he
vas an eastern man and ws0 wen con-
ected. He has sister li,COs a' eteu-
enyille, o., brother at ~.'eys' N.
T., who owns big sheep .auoh' and
mother brother who owns an Immense a
ocoanut plantation in the SanSsn IS
ands. Such has been his pride, or his1s
ervorseness, that he never would seek
id from them. He has roomed at the
ouse Of Mrs. Fitch. 6S Thirteenth
rect, whenever he was without en-
loyment. fear he will not live long, n
) he is suffering from a complication Of h
iseases and is now an old man. Chi n,
100 Times Herald 70