The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-01-02
A FAMOUS CHARACTER GONE.

The recent death or captain Rlcnaru r. Leary removes a somewhat unique char acter from among the history makers of the American Union. For ''Dick' Leary, as he was familiarity called, has helped to make history from the time when. though merely a boy. he took part in the naval battles of the Civil War and was one of the first to be wounded at Fort Fisher. He was so full of life and en- thusiasm that he was bound to be wher- ever any excitement was to be had, and it is not to be wondered at that he was on hand during the Samoan troubles in 1888, when he forcibiy and resolutely up- held the American flag and came precious near to involving our government in war with Germany. He came out of it all with flying colors, however, and left behind him as well as among the German naval officers the reputation of a man who would act first and argue afterwards.
 It was as the first Governor of our little island of Guam, however, that Captain Leary became known throughout the world for his energy, self-reliance and efficiency. In fact, as one writer ex- presses it, he was appointed to that res ponsible position because of his courage and undoubted ability to do things with out having to consult with anybody about them"
 This ability and faculty for acting promptly and on his own judgment was opa nf bia ctr DoiptS Gnuna of hta official acts were altogether unique. Such was his famous order requiring all the citizens of Guam to get married within given time. The Guamites. like most other easy going natives, had very loose ideas on the subject of matrimony. being content to live together without the in- tervention of priest or preacher. This did not at all square with the new Gov ernors ideas of propriety, so he sent forth his proclamation that they must all come forward and be married. pretty much as jealous Colonel once ordered his adjutant to detail a certain number of men to be baptized.
 It is to the credit of the pliable natives that they took this order as part of the program and went up to 'be married in due form without raising any row over it. The Governor supplied the marriage licenses free of cost, and was soon able to send to his government a characteristic report to the effect that the hymenial altar and the divorce court were popular resorts, and that the two were ringing out their decrees in harmony.
 Many other orders and proclamations were issued bearing upon the social and domestic, as well as the industrial and civil life of the natives, and in the main his regulations were for the best inter ests of the people and were submitted to without serious protest, though his order forbidding public celebrations of the many feast days in honor of various patron saints caused some dissatisfaction. On the whole, while some of his acts and regulations were decidedly peculiar and not strictly in accord with the genius of our government, they were doubtless best for the people over whom he ruled, and under all the circumstances.
 In the Spring of 1900 Governor Leary was recalled at his own request since which time he was on duty at one of the navy yards until he was relieved a few months ago on account of ill-health. He was fifty-nine years old and all of those years had been full of adventure and activity But he is best known and Governor of Guam.