The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1905-09-05

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left home before 81 years of g To-
eating first at Kansas City. and going
to Cottonwood Falls, Kan, in 1871,
then the terminus of the Santa Fe
railroad. In 1872 he went to Fl. Crit
fin, Texas, where he worked with
cattle and also on government con-
tracts for supplying wood and nay.
In the fall of 1876 he entered the
field of buffalo hunting, which he
followed for about three years. Dur
ing this time he and his partner kill
ed 10000 buffalo, and with the prof
its of the same they went into the
sheep business. In 1878 Capt. Poe
was appointed town marshal at Fort
| Griffin.
He vent to Wheeler county, Texas,
in 1879, where he served as deputy
sheriff and deputy o: s. marshal. His
unfaltering devotion to duty in sup
pressing l~awlessness, his in~variable
justice and fidelity to his trust, led
TO his being appointed in 1880 to sup
| press the lawlessness going OIL in
the cattle country. He was also en-
ployed by the Canadian River Cattle
Association to protect their interests
and was instrumental in quelling the
law1essness that had made it almost
unsafe to live in this section of the
Territory. 1t was at the time Billy
the Kid and men of like character
were operating in northern Texas
and eastern New Mexico. They would
round up cattle, run them Of and
sell them, and the cattlemen were
almost helpless. Capt. Poe was Civ
en- almost unlimited authority to
draw on the cattle association for
money to protect their property, as
the gang of desperadoes or abandon
their business. To Capt. Poe is
largely given the credit of accomp-
fishing this work.
In 1881 he co-operated with Pat
Garrett, sheriff of Lincoln county,
ding the country of Billy the Kid and
his gang. The story of how the Kid
was killed would alone more than fill
the space at our disposal.
In the latter part of 1881 Capt.
Poe, believing that the cattle asso-
citation was not justified in paying
him the large salary he received, since
cattle stealing had been effectively
suppressed, resigned and into
ranching for himself near Fort Stan
ten. in partnership with Frank Good
in, whose widow is now building the
Goodin block in Roswell Capt. Poe
went to Mexico to buy cattle for his
ranch, and while gone vas nominal
ed for sheriff of Lincoln county. and
was elected shortly after his return.
the nomination and election coming
entirely without his solicitation, and
being a tribute to his we'll known
qualifications. His principal deputies
while sheriff were J. Smith Lea and
Jim Brent, but there were several
others. Although lawlessness had
somewhat abated, still there were
some desperate characters in the
country. Capt. Poe filled the Office
of sheriff two years, was reelected
in 1884, served another year. hen
resigned on account of private inter
ests. Shortly after this he made the
trip to South America referred TO
earlier in this article.
Capt. Poe was married May 5, 1883,
to Miss Sophie NJ Alberding, of Cal
ifornia, who is nov a leader in Ros-
well society. as her husband is a
leader in the business life of the |
community.
Of Capt. Poe's early career we
quote largely from a history of New
Mexico published ten years ago by
the Lewis Pub. Co, of Chicago. The
book purports to give a history of
New Mexico from the earliest period
of its discovery to the present time
item years agol and devotes consider
able space to the eminent men con-
nected with its history. Capt. Poe
is given a more extensive write-up in
the book than any other man of this
section.
Other Roswell men now members
of the Old Settlers Society. who are
accorded biographical sketches in the
history are: Hon. G. A. Richardson,
Nathan Jaffa, NJ. L. Pierce, E. A. Ca
hoon, DIR. w. T. Joyner Honorary
member, w. S. Prayer, w. G.. Ur-
ton. Also ]. B. Mathews and Joseph
c. Lea, 9th of whom are now dead.
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