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24 chapters
SILVER QUEEN The Fabulous Story of Baby Doe Tabor
SILVER QUEEN The Fabulous Story of Baby Doe Tabor
Copyright 1950, 1955 by Caroline Bancroft All rights in this book are reserved. It may not be used for dramatic, radio, television, motion or talking picture purposes without written authorization. Johnson Publishing Co., Boulder, Colorado The Denver Post...
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The Author
The Author
Caroline Bancroft is a third generation Coloradan who began her literary career by joining the staff of The Denver Post in 1928. For five years she edited a book page and wrote historical features for the Sunday edition. On a travel assignment for the New York Evening Post , she interviewed a long list of celebrated authors in New York, London, Paris, Holland and India. Her articles have appeared in many nationally known magazines. Her long-standing interest in western history was inherited. Her
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My Interest in Baby Doe
My Interest in Baby Doe
The formerly beautiful and glamorous Baby Doe Tabor, her millions lost many years before, was found dead on her cabin floor at the Matchless Mine in Leadville, Colorado, on March 7, 1935. Her body, only partially clothed, was frozen with ten days’ stiffness into the shape of a cross. She had lain down on her back on the floor of her stove-heated one room home, her arms outstretched, apparently in sure foreboding that she was to die. Newspapers and wires flashed the story to the world, telling th
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Chapter One
Chapter One
“Oh, you are too beautiful to work, my lovely Bessie. I want you to keep your arms always as exquisite as they are now. Never spoil those curves!” I can remember my mother pushing me away from a scrub-board with these words when I was a girl. It was in the kitchen of our home in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, just before the great fires of 1874 and 1875. Papa was still quite rich, even though he had been badly hit in the horrible fire of 1859. Later he was nearly ruined by these last ones which practically
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Chapter Two
Chapter Two
The miners in the Central City district were changing shifts at noon. In the midst of the turmoil Harvey and I got off the train at Blackhawk and caught the stage for the mile’s ride up Gregory Gulch after being handed a note from Mr. Doe directing us to a boarding house where rooms were awaiting. As the miners scuffed along the dusty road in their heavy boots, swinging lunch pails, they drifted into groups. From nearly every one of these burst song, each group lending an air to the intermingled
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Chapter Three
Chapter Three
Leadville, the Saddle Rock Cafe, and the gay, boisterous mining and promoting crowd about me all swam dizzily away from my consciousness as I dropped down in a chair between the great silver king, Horace Tabor, and his manager, Bill Bush. I was in love! That was all I knew. I was in love with a married man. I, a divorced woman, whose future with Jake was merely a nebulous suggestion. Yet here I was, beside the man I had dreamed of for so long— “Surely, Bill, we should have champagne on this ausp
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Chapter Four
Chapter Four
My wedding day! A lavish, historic wedding that was famous around the world and was to be talked of for years to come—that was the marriage I had. Toward the end of Tabor’s thirty-day stay in the senate in Washington, he sent for me. In the meantime, I had left Denver and gone back to Oshkosh to visit my family. Mama was elated with the dazzling good fortune that had befallen me. She wept with excitement and joy; Papa was gradually becoming reconciled to the idea of a second marriage provided th
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Chapter Five
Chapter Five
Fortunately for my state of mind, Tabor’s death was received with the prestige due a great man. I think that if his passing had been snubbed as he himself had been in his last years, I could not have borne my sorrow. But his going was solemnized as it should have been. “Deepest condolences to the widow of Senator Tabor,” arrived from the governor of Colorado, the mayor of Denver, the legislature, the city council and every civic and fraternal order in the state. Flowers filled our hotel suite to
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Postscript to Seventh Edition:
Postscript to Seventh Edition:
Twelve years ago the first edition of this booklet appeared—on June 26, 1950. Five thousand copies sold in four months, and a second edition appeared before the end of the year. Since that time the editions have consisted of ten thousand copies each. The original edition was in the nature of a real gamble. In my mind the Tabor story had already received more than adequate attention in three books and countless articles, not to mention many fictional treatments and one movie. My work seemed rathe
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For Research Aid:
For Research Aid:
Father F. M. McKeogh of St. Peter’s, Oshkosh, James E. Lundsted of the Oshkosh Public Museum, and J. E. Boell of the State Historical Society at Madison have supplied masses of Wisconsin data. Their courtesy and unusual interest in running down many obscure points in the last three years have amplified and verified my knowledge of the Doe and McCourt families. In Denver, The Western History Department of the Denver Public Library—Ina T. Aulls, Alys Freeze and Opal Harber—have suffered with me in
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For Criticism:
For Criticism:
Marian Castle, author of “The Golden Fury,” has made pertinent suggestions for clarifying captions and improving the general style....
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For Proofreading:
For Proofreading:
Mrs. J. Alvin Fitzell has graciously read and re-read galley sheets in order to catch errors....
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For Photographs:
For Photographs:
Fred Mazzulla, collector of Western Americana, has been a beaver of industry and ingenuity in locating unusual prints and in making gifts of copies. The Western History Department has supplied the great majority of prints used; generously donating these in return for my gift of many originals. Frances Shea, Dolores Renze and Edgar C. McMechen of the Colorado Historical Society provided ten views from the Tabor and W. H. Jackson collections. Samuel F. McRae, Lenore Fitzell, Mary Hohnbaum, Ralph B
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COLORFUL COLORADO: ITS DRAMATIC HISTORY
COLORFUL COLORADO: ITS DRAMATIC HISTORY
The whole magnificent sweep of the state’s history in a sprightly condensation, with 111 photos (31 in full color). $2.00....
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UNIQUE GHOST TOWNS AND MOUNTAIN SPOTS
UNIQUE GHOST TOWNS AND MOUNTAIN SPOTS
Forty-two of Colorado’s romance-packed high-country towns have their stories told with old and new photos, history and maps. $2.00....
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THE UNSINKABLE MRS. BROWN
THE UNSINKABLE MRS. BROWN
The rollicking story of an ignorant Leadville waitress who reached the top of Newport society as a Titanic heroine. Illustrated. $1.00....
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LOST GOLD MINES AND BURIED TREASURE
LOST GOLD MINES AND BURIED TREASURE
Thirty romantic and fabled tales of Colorado’s misplaced wealth inspire the reader to go search. Illustrated. $1.25....
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AUGUSTA TABOR: HER SIDE OF THE SCANDAL
AUGUSTA TABOR: HER SIDE OF THE SCANDAL
The infamous quarrel of the 1880’s is told from the viewpoint of the outspoken first wife. Illustrated. 75¢....
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TABOR’S MATCHLESS MINE AND LUSTY LEADVILLE
TABOR’S MATCHLESS MINE AND LUSTY LEADVILLE
Colorado’s most publicized mine was just one facet of the extraordinary history of the lusty camp where it operated. Illustrated. 75¢....
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HISTORIC CENTRAL CITY
HISTORIC CENTRAL CITY
Colorado’s first big gold camp lived to become a Summer Opera and Play Festival town. Illustrated. 85¢....
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FAMOUS ASPEN
FAMOUS ASPEN
Today the silver-studded slopes of an early-day bonanza town have turned into a scenic summer and ski resort. Illustrated. $1.00....
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DENVER’S LIVELY PAST
DENVER’S LIVELY PAST
A wild frontier town, built on a jumped claim and promoting a red-light district, became a popular tourist spot. Illustrated. $1.00....
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THE BROWN PALACE IN DENVER
THE BROWN PALACE IN DENVER
No hotel had more turn-of-the-century glamor, nor has seen such plush love-affairs, murders and bizarre doings. Illustrated. 75¢....
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GLENWOOD’S EARLY GLAMOR
GLENWOOD’S EARLY GLAMOR
Society polo games, presidential bear hunts, and miraculous healing hot springs made this town unique. Illustrated. 75¢. ( Add 10 cents for mailing one copy; 15 cents for more than one ) BANCROFT BOOKLETS 1081 Downing Street, Denver 18, Colorado ...
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