The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-21

furnishing him with pin money-a suit Of
clothes now and then, a new hat, bottle OF
champagne, and such other things as are
Indispensable to a man of means" The
Matchless was located by some impover-
ished prospectors, who, after laboring for
some time without results, sold out to
sold it to Tabor for Sill. 0oO The purchase
had been made solely on his faith In the
value of the property, and when properly
developed his net income from 1t amounted
to about $1,000 day, and there was time
when the returns amounted to as high as
100000 a month.
Having lived for brief period in Kansas
1t could not be otherwise than that Mr.
Tabor would at some time become possessed
of political ambition, and, as matter or
fact, he early developed the yearning for
Office. AS has been seen, he was appointed
postmaster at Buckskin Joe almost the
moment he became resident OF that camp,
and upon his return to California Gulch he
was commissioned as postmaster of that
camp, and was in possession of the office
when the name of the camp was changed
to Leadvile. Subsequently he was elected
mayor of that city, and was its first chief
magistrate. Upon the expiration OF his
term as mayor he was nominated and elect
ed Lieutenant governor oyerinor OF the state s ana
rotary of the interior in the Cabinet or
President Arthur Mr.. Tabor was chosen to
fill his unexpired term as senator IN con- on.
the experience was such as to make him
anxious for election for the fall term. The
opposing candidate was Judge Bowen, who
was elected by a majority OF one vote, the
casting ballot being his own. as he was at
the time member of the Legislature. But
the zenith of Mr. TabOrS political ambition
was never fulfilled. The one absorbing de-
sire of his life was 20 be chosen by the peo>
pie Governor Of the State and this was
never realized, and probably never Will pc,
for even if he does succeed in retrieving his
fortune, he will be too old to re-engage IN
the strife for political supremacy. But the
failure of his aspirations In that direction
was not attributable to his lack OF capaDil-
ity, for Mr.. Tabor is not the illiterate man
that many people have been led to belleve
On the contrary, he is possessed or q ran
education such as the common schools OF
the period and section in which his boynood
days were spent, supplemented by the &C.
quirements which a long and active inter
course with men of affairs would afford. l;
was social influence which constantly con,
fronted and antagonized him that composed
his disappointment and procured ms de-
feat and though he fully realized the 1acts,
was never, even in the days of his greatest
opulence, able TO overcome them.
DOMESTIC TROUBLES.
OF Mr. Tabors domestic troubles much
has been written, true and otherwise, and
on his life malice and friendship have alike
left their mark At the time of his divorce
from his first wife under the decree OF
the court he set aside 81, 100000 worth of
unincumbered property for her use. At the
time she said to some friends that she
would take care of the property and in
crease IL in order that when his reverses
came, as she expected they would, ana
leave him without means or friends, she
might be able to offer him the assistance
he would need. But the time never came
during her life. The reverses had come. 1t
is true and the usurers were pressing MIN
hard, but he was a stubborn hghter ana
made a bold resistance, and at her death
he was still in possession of realty or great
value though it was heavily mortgaEeu.
Her estate, valued at M,zVoVW, Went ~
marriage occurred in Washington, -. y,
while he was senator. The bride, a peautlIui
Oshkosh belle, Miss McCourt, was given
away by President Arthur, ana the event
was magnificent and lavish. Upon his fall
ure she reIinquished all her jewels in order
that he might obtain the fuller discharge
from his obligations and nave tne peter
opportunity for recovery Therefore 1t may
be said that in adversely he was not aDan-
doned by his family, as some otner men
have been, and even in his poverty he was
surrounded by many elements or happiness.
1t was not as fatalistS and others assume,
| because of his domestic troubles that mis-
fortune came. He was an inveterate and
not always wise SPECTATOR without pc
ing a gambler as that term Is commonly
applied he took the chances or a pIunger
in speculative ventures.
With the first dawn or success ne invested
freely in speculative improvements. When
Leadville was yet only a. mining camp ne
erected an opera house there at cost OF
nearly half a million dollars. When Denver
was little more than an aspiring town ne
built a group of residences far out in the
suburbs at an expense of million dollars
When the population of that city was not
more than fifty thousand he put up an once
building that absorbed about a million anC
a half dollars and few years later erected
the Tabor Grand Opera House which cost
/ a time the
of the drama in the world, with the single
exception of the Grand Opera. House II
Paris, and is even now one of the best ap.
pointed and most magnificent theaters II
| this country. He had faith In the CITY anC
| State as he had unbOunded commence III
| its mines, and he proved his faith by works
| Nor was his Judgment at fault IN tnaI re.
| spect His expectations would nave peer
| fulfilled if he had confined his speculatlve
| onerations to Denver and Colorado But nc
| INDUCED in mining operations IN Otan, All
| IONA. New and old Mexico, and everywhere
| else that opportunities came to ms notlce
| and he bought real estate ana erected cosby
| buildings in other cities with other results
| His improvements in Colorado were IN.
| tended. no doubt, quite as much TO improve
| his political fortunes as TO aoV;tnce MS Pc
| both directions But his outside speculatlons
were ruinous and brought on the nnancla
distress that eliminated IN pas,n1krup. o:a
| Whether his new undertaking WILL succeed
or not is a matter of conjecture, put II II
certain that thousands of people VIII nope
with him that the best results may LOil9M
and bless the present mining king OF COLO
RADIO for the part he has taken IN the III
| terests of his predecessor