Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16

/ well known savoir- -faire, he meant a
great deal Of what he said, as I know
from gentleman who was at
that time we'll known WASH
ington official to whom the great
man unburdened himself Of his
Los Angeles happenings. In adj
dition to the festal character of his
reception, it was warm hearted trib-
ute to a great American and, as SUCH
went straight to his heart. His recep-
tion In Mexico itself was much like
that which the people of the United
states accorded to Lafayette fifty years
earlier
DR.. Winston
Speaking of this banquet recalls
Dr. Winston, one of the best known
Angelenos, of those days. He was
Nirginian of good stock and played
Boniface of the st. Charles for ten or
a dozen years. About all the money
he made in the hotel business and in
ether business ventures he "blew'
into a mine up near "Old Baldy" called
the "Zapatero," located somewhere off
from the channel Of the San Gabriel
river That there was fine ore up
there could not be disputed but it was
hard to get at and was looked upon
as pocket. Finally the shafting
fell in and the doctor at last gave up
his enterprise. Many others have
since looked at this property, and,
amongst others no less a man than
John w. Mackay, who inspected 1t in
person, in company with the late l.. J.
Rose. The bonanza king admitted the
fine character of the ore but as he
did nothing further it Is likely that
this much talked of mine was in reali-
ty entitled to be called DR.. Winstons
folly
When the doctor kept the ST. Charles
it was the great resort of the Democ-
racy of the southland, just as the La
fayette hotel across the street, kept by
the Fluhr brothers, was Republican
headquarters. One of these brothers, l
believe, is still alive and a resident
of Los Angeles.
DR.. Winston left a number of daugh
ters of dazzling beauty and accom-
plishments and a stalwart son, who is
now in business in this city. These
ladies were. in fact the toasts of all
the region south of the Tehachapi.
Two Sensational Episodes
Stories of startling tragedies attach
to both of these hotels. The Lafayette,
somewhat over a generation ago, was
the scene of the killing of Charley
Howard by Dan Nichols, and thereby
hangs a most gruesome tale. Howard
was the son of General Volney E. How
ard and was a blooded young fell
low of the touch and go order. He was
one of the handsomest men on the
coast and the scion of one of the most
distinguished families of the state.
Dan Nichols was the son of Judge
John G. Nichols, of whom / had some
thing to say lately in treating of the
notable mayors of Los Angeles.
The difficulty grew out of some little
misunderstanding at a ball, at which
Miss Florida Nichols and her brother
Dan were present. The latter was
dancing with Miss Minnie Larabee, a
famous belle of that day, and some
slight collision in a waltz or other
round dance took place, at which How
ard took fire. The whole incident was
not worthy of a harsh word. The fiery
Howard sent Nichols a challenge,
which the latter declined. The south
ern Hotspur posted Nichols, announced
that he would shoot him on sight and
sat a whole day in front of the st.
Charles with a double -barreled shot
gun, presumably loaded with double B
shot, on his lap. The cooler blooded
Nichols, at the advice of friends who
knew the trning nature of the affair,
left town for some days. When he
returned he was sitting in the billiard
room of the Lafayette hotel, when
Oh lrley Howard passed on his way
down to ii livery stable opposite Ar
cadlA street. One of the guild who
often take more interest in a mans
quar- rels than he does himself went