New-York tribune., 1908-02-09


bIe shack being the rendezvous for hlt Carson.
Uncle Dick" Wooton Don Jesus Abreu. Ceran
St Vra,n Charles Beaubien. and almost all the
noted characters identified with the stirring history
Of the Santa F6 Trail. His sheep multiplied rap
idlv that he soon found himself wealthy, and then
he took to gambling His worst enemy never ac-
cused him OF cheating. but II seemed impossible
for him to lose and his wealth piled up until 1t aP-
peared to be q burden 70 him Then he began to
buy race horses and to make enormous bets OF
their prowess Here also his phenomenal luck
In 1S64. Charles Beaubten died and Maxwell
purchased his rights from the heirs, becoming
thenceforth sole owner Of the Maxwell Ranch, OF
the Maxwell Land Grant. as 1t was called thereafter
He built 4 baronla mansion At t1marron, and began
entertaining . style and on scale that have never
since been e1uulated II the Southwest. Expense
was never considered He lived only for pleasure
and all corners were weIcorne,-WI-h no questions
asked as to their anteCedeuts their destInatlOn.
SO that the Maxwell MANSION became the stopping
place for every traveller. trelghter, and fugitive
that passed through that part OF the country.
Plates We're always laid in anticipation OF twenty
four strangers. There was rarely q vacant chalr,
and often the tables had 70 be prepared q second
time Most Of the apartments were fitted up n
the most lavish manner possible IN the prevailing
Mexican style. but several We're devoid OF any
furnishing save tables. chairs. and cards
Every year the gambling mania that possessed
Maxwell became more acute. until he seemed unable
to content himself with any other occupation or
amusement l. was said that he always kept from
twenty-five thousand to fifty thousand dollars IN
gold and silver coin in drawers about the house lie
track Of the number ot his sheep, and never knew
how, much he realized from his wool clip That he
was robbed hab.,u4ly by both guests and en-
ployees everyone believed; but whether this was
true or not he neither knew nor cared
With the acquisition Of the land grant, his sheep
were given ample grazing ground. and multiplied
until they numbered tens II thousands. Soon the
grant as defined bv Miranda and Beauben was per
ceived to be entirely too small, and Maxwell began
to make indefinite claims 10 the possession OF a vast
rrtncIpaItv stating that the grant really conveyed
all lands drained bv the Red RIVER and It's trlbu-
taries He possessed both the nerve and the power
to enforce his claims, that no one cared 10 DIS
uute them. His Mez-aus were completely enthTalied
bv the prevailing system # peonage, but they were
even more closely bound h,m by ties Of self interest
and personal attachment He never refused them
ANYTHING they asked for. and whatever they were
unwilling to ask for they stole They all loved hun,
and they all robbed him. There was not one who
would not have fought for him. or who would have
hesltated To- as5as=In4te anyone who treSpassed
upon lands claimed by him or made any attempt
70 question has pretensions. He was literally mon
arch Of all hr surveyed.
Then gold was discovered at EIzabethtown.
Maxwell didn't need il. but that was no reason why
he shouldn't have It. He felt sure OF his ability TO
establish his claim by the right OF might TO barony
greater IN extent than some OF the Kingdoms OF
Europe. So he spent fortune building a hume