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Saint James Hotel

Hotel in Cimarron, New Mexico Territory, built in 1872.[1]

Originally named the Lambert Inn for owner Henry Lambert, former personal chef of General Ulysses S. Grant. Known as a hangout for outlaws, the 43-room hotel with its restaurant and saloon was the scene of twenty-six killings. When a man was shot in the hotel, the word in town was that "Lambert had a man for breakfast."[2] Notable guests of the hotel have included Jesse James, Wyatt Earp, Buffalo Bill Cody, outlaw Davy Crockett, Clay Allison, Black Jack Ketcham and Annie Oakley.[3]

The Jeweled Gun: In April of 1876, Bart Maverick and Daisy Haskell stayed for a night at the St. James Hotel while traveling from Santa Fe.[4] Daisy had hired Bart to pose as her husband, John Haskell, and ostensibly escort her to Laramie, Wyoming Territory. Upon registering at the hotel, Snopes — a former groom for John and Daisy Haskell in Philadelphia, recognized Daisy but knew Bart was not her real husband. After Bart left the hotel to find a poker game in town, Snopes confronted Daisy in her hotel room and attempted to blackmail her to keep her secret. Rather than drawing money from her valise to pay Snopes off, Daisy drew her jeweled derringer. Panicking, Snopes tried to retreat and reached for his gun, but Daisy shot and killed him before he could draw on her. The sheriff believed Daisy's story, but Bart was growing suspicious and demanded she tell why she wanted him to pose as John Haskell and why they were traveling to Laramie, or he would back out of their arrangement immediately. Daisy feigned a nervous reaction as a result of her killing Snopes and convinced Bart to wait for her explanation until they reached La Mesa the next night.[5]

In the 20th century, former New Mexico Governor Lew Wallace wrote portions of his novel "Ben Hur" while staying at the St. James, and Zane Grey began writing his novel "Fighting Caravans" while a guest in room 22. Today, the St. James Hotel is still in operation and has been restored and is reported to be haunted by several ghosts of hotel guests that have died there.[3]