News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1896-02-13
THE DUKE OF TOMBSTONE.
He Took Three Baths Day When Water
Cost Cents a Gallon.

He Took Three Baths Day When Water
Cost Cents a Gallon.
he used to be called 1.-THE Duke Of
Tombstone" when an Arizona settlement
marveled at the recklessness of man
who bathed three times a day and wa
ter 8 cents gallon at that Edwin
Fields in those days changed his white
flannel suit whenever tie smallest bIem
ish in the way of dust was noticeable
and rode behind pair of horses that
were sensation in 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 1orhouse at
Dunning to spend his few remaining
years in contemplation of the time when
he owned large part OF the city of
Tombstone and mine worth more than
half million.
Too poor to ask for help, yet soreIy in
need of it; too proud d ask for money
is vast, he was taken from a lodging
house at IS Thirteenth street, against
his will, on the strength of u 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 H. 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., III
1872" said DR.. Greer, land Fields was
there before me, although the town con
tanned but rs 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 49, 900,
and he owned two-thirds of tho town
site, so that his rents increased until
they gave him an income of over 81, 600
month. The mine which he owned
was called the 'Gilded Age and proved
to be 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,,
600 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-
Enlistment. He rode behind a hand
some pair of bays and kept a negro valet.
He dressed during the summer il white
flannel and changed suits three times a
day. When water was selling in Tomb
stone at 8 cents a gallon, he took three
baths day and broke a bottle of Flori-
da water in every bath. He started as a
nine days wonder and was the most
talked of man in the country.
81 left Tombstone and settled in Chi
cago. One day during the Worlds fair
period a seedy looking individual step
ped into my office, and I recognized Ed
win Fields / asked what he was doing,
and he told me with a mournful smile
that he was store man at the Southern
hotel. His salary, he said, was $14 q
month. Where had his money gomez
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 squan-
dered a cool million, which amount
he certainly possessed at one time. He
told me- that he had lost most of his
property in speculation on 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 the vain
endeaVor to retrieve his lost fortune. He
lost the most Of his money in ST. Louis,
but carried on his speculations both i'll
that city and in Chicago.
81 do not know his birthplace, but he
was an eastern man and was well con-
nected. He has a sister living at Steu-
benville, o., brother at Farleys, N.
M, who owns big sheep ranch, and
another brother who owns an 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, So Thirteenth
street, whenever he was without en-
ployment. fear he will not live long,
as he is suffering from complication OF
diseases and is now an old man. Chi
cago Times Herald.