Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1896-04-18


cosf Cents Gallon.
He used to be called the Duke of
Tombstone" when an Arizona settlement
marveled at tbs recklessness Of man
who bathed three times day and wa
ter cents gallon at thati Edwin
Fields II 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 sensation in a community where
burros We're the highest type Of draft
animals. Now he is sspoor old Ed
Fields, and when he gets out Of the
county hospital, where Harrison street
police ambulance took him last night.
be viii be taken to the poorhouse at
Dnnning 10 spend his few remaining
years in contemplation of the time when
he owned a large part Of the city Of
Tombstone and 4 mine worth more than
half million.
Too poor to ask Tor help, yet soreIy in
need OF it; too proud to ask for money
and yet having a brother whose fortune
is vast, be was taken from a lodging
house at 68 Thirteenth street, against
his will, on the strength of certificate
obtained from DR.. A. W. Cowley, who
had found that his mind was falling and
that he needed comforts he once would
have scorned.
Dr. Joseph Fl. 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, and Fields was
there before me, although the town con
tanned but rs people at that time. Ho
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
month. The mine which be owned
was called the sGilded 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
III the end secured perfect title. He
sold the mine in 1881 or 1882 for 5000,
600 in cash, every cent Of which went
to him.
After the town grew and Fields
amassed his wealth he assumed a 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 anegro valet
He dressed during the summer in white
flannel and changed suits three times
day When water was selling in Tomb
stone at cents gallon, he took three
baths day and broke 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 Tom bstone and settled in Chi
cage One day during the Worlds fair
period seedy looking individual step
ped into my Office, and 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 a
month. Where had his money gone?
Well, asked him that one day, for /
could not understand how a man that
never drank, never played cards or gam
bled to my know ledge could have squan-
dered 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 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 in
that city and in Chicago.
81 do not know his birthplace, but he
was an eastern man and was well con-
nected. He has sister living at Steu-
benville, o., a brother at Farleys, N.
NJ, who owns a 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, 6S Thirteenth
street, whenever he was without en-
ployment. fear he will not live long.
as he is suffering from a complication of
diseases and is now an old man. Chi
cago Times Herald.