Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-31
WRONGS VISIBLY PUNISHED
Striking Instances Of How Fortune Becomes
the Nemesis Of the Family.
THE FAIR AND THE TABOR MILLIONS
Downfall of Both CO~ineident with
the Desertion of Their Wives
"The Evils that Men Do
Live After Them"

The recent tragic death OF Charles L.
Fair and his wife while automobile riding
in France recalls the varied history of the
Fair family, upon which fortune smiled
generously and cursed betimes. 1t is unnec-
essary here to recite the details-the Com
stock strike, which made rich beyond the
dreams of ~avarice' the Big Four. Of whom
the elder Fair was one, the ambitions and
designations which wealth aroused and
partly. satisfied. the family feuds, separa-
ton, scandal and ignominious deaths with
which the history Of that fortune is check
cred.
The melancholy story of the Fair for
tune is one Of two striking illustrations OF
how great wrongs committed in some way
at some time recoil on the ~wrongdoer. The
careers Of James G.. Fair, founder Of the
family fortune, and of H. A. w. Tabor Of
Colorado, are Identical in many respects.
Both men secured fortunes from mines.
Both became lavish spendthrlfts and dis
solute in habits. Both became United
States senator's. Both, in their excess a
wealth, deserted their wives who had strug-
gled with them In the days Of poverty.
Here the parallel ends. The Fair fortune
withstood the recklessness of the founder
and was practically intact at his death.
Tabor's fortune took wings and disap-
peared long before his death. In both in
stances the divinity that doth shape our
ends imposed and exacted the penalty.
Millions to Fight over.
When the elder Fair died eight years ago
he left a fortune Of $50, 000, 900. For seven
years the heirs squabbled over 1t and spent
$4,000. 900 in effecting a settlement salts
factory to the children and a number Of
alleged wives. Now the sons share Of the
fortune will probably undergo the same
process. From the day when they began
to accumulate away back In 1855 the Fair
millions have borne a curse. Everyone
connected with them has had trouble and
s~leepless nights. they have twice awaited
heirs in whole or in part and on each occa-
sion disputed claims have been put for
ward. Even the method of their getting
spoke romance and the methed Of their
spending while old Mr.. Fair controlled
them was even more romantic.
Born in ireland in 1881, Mr.. Fair came to
this country with his parents in 1s4S. He
was educated chiefly in Chicago till he was
10 and then ne went 10 se-k fame and
fortune in the California gold fields, then, in
1850, attracting the attention of the world.
His was no rapid rise to wealth For ff-
teen years he struggled on as prospector,
AkD III IA - va Ae 0Ns
by the sweat Of his brow and accommodating
no more money than would sufice for q
single nights enjoyment. Suddenly the
tide turned. dollars poured in upon him in
one uncsasing food till in 1872 he was
reRuted to be worth $50. 0o0. oOo.
A Gay Old Boy.
With wealth and the cares Of wealth. Mr..
Fair began to develop tendencies which he
had either held In check or not possessed
before. He tired of his still handsome wife
and spent much of his time counting the
good graces Of those who took his
fancy. So free was he with his loves
tina Mrs. Fair left him and later obtained
a divorce. So free, too, that he left one
will bequeathing $50 to every child who
could prove his paternity. Neither die he
forget the women. for to many he made
gifts of shares and deeds conveying real
| estate and to others presents OF jewelry
and handsome checks. Such, gifts were
often the result, apparently, Of a mo-
mentary caprice, for the documents neces-
sary for the transfer were seldom drawn
by lawyers, but penciled by the millionaire
himself on scraps of paper plucked from