The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1896-03-04
THE DUKE OF TOMBSTONE.
He Took Three Baths . Day When Water
Cost 5 Cents Gallon.

Ee Took Three Baths Q Day When Water
Cost 5 Cents g Gallon.
He used to be called 1.-The Duke OF
Tombstone" when al Arizona settlement
marveled at the reck!essness Of q man
who bathed three times day and wa
Ter 5 cents a gallon at that! Edwin
Fields in those days changed his white
flannel suit whenever thes,nallest blen-
ish in the way Of dust was noticeable
and rode behind pair of horses that
we're a sensation in 4 community where
burros were the highest type Of draft
animals. Now he is ''poor cid Ed
Fields" and when be gets out OF the
county hospital, whero Harrison street
police ambulance took him last night,
he will be taken to the poorhcuse at
Dunninc TO spend his few remaining
wears in contemplation of tho time when
he owned largo part OF the city OF
Tombstone and mine worth moro than
half million.
Too poor to ask for help, yet sorely in
need of it; too proud to ask for money
and vet having brother whose fortune
is vast, he was taken from lodging
house at IS Thirteenth street, against
his will, on the strength Of certificate
obtained from DR.. A. ". Cowley, who
had found that his mind was failing and
that he needed comforts he once would
have scorned.
DR.. Joseph q. Greer of 307 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
1879" said Dr.. Greer, land Fields was
there before me, although the town con-
tanned but IS people at that time. He
was squattiDg on some mining property
which was not supposed to be Of much
value. But the town grew to 10, 900,
and he owned two-thirds of the town
site. so that his rents increased until
they gave him an income Of over 81, 600
q month. The mine which he owned
was called the 'Gilded Age and proved
to be a rich property. Fields title to 1t
was little shaky, but he was backed
BY Boston and New York capital and
in the end secured a perfect title. He
sold the mine in 1881 or 1882 foi $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 in which be carried On his es-
tablishment. He rode behind hand
some pair Of bays and kept negro valet.
He dressed during the summer IN White
flannel and changed suits three times
day. When water was selling in Tomb
stone at 5 cents a gallon, he took three
baths day and broke bottle CT t'lorl-
da water in every bath. He started as
nine days wonder and was the most
talked of man in the country.
81 left Tombstone and settled in Chi
capo. One day during the Worlds fair
period a seedy looking individual step
ped into my Office, and recognized Ed
win Fields. asked what he was dong,
and he told me with a mourDful smile
that he was 'storo man at the Southern
hotel. His salary, he said, was Sl4
month. Where had his money gone?
Well, asked him that one day, for
could not understand how man that
never drank, never played cards or gam
bled to my knowledge could have sGuan-
dered a cool million, which amount
he certainly possessed at oae time. he
told me that he had lost most OF his
property in speculation ca the board OF
trade and had then taken to the bucket
shops, where the rest Of his money had
taken wings. He was at that time, even
with his pittance Of a salary, drifting
daily to the bucket shops in tho vain
endcavor to retrieve his lost fortune. He
lost the most Of his money il st. Louis,
lat carried on lis speculations both in
that city and in Chicago.
II do not know his birthplace, but he
was all eastern man and was we'll con-
nected. He has sister living at Steu
benville, O., brother at Farleys, n.
NJ, who Owns big sheep ranch, and
another brother who owns al immense
cocoanut plantation in the Samoan is
lands. Such has been his pride, Or his
perverseness, that he never would seek
aid from them. He has roomed at the
house Of Mrs. Fitch, 6S Thirteenth
street, whenever he was without en-
ployment. I fear he will not live long,
as be is suffering from complication Of
diseases and is now an old man. Chi
cago Times-Herald.