The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17
RISE OF TWO CHARLES.
Ross of the Stage and Curtis of the
Senate Jockeys Together.

From the Kansas City Times.
'And now Kansas has made Charlie a
United States senatori Well, we'll we'll"
Charles J. Ross, sketch writep and
comedian, dropped the newspaper he had
been reading in his dressing rom after
the first act of "The Social WEiirT' at the
Shubert theatre the other Dtsht. Silently,
carefully, he combed his IAr-hair that
is almost whte-then put on a light sum
mer suit and straw haf and moved in
front of a mirror. The reflection was
that of "a gay old man." his part in the
play. He appeared 40 be in a reverie as
he stood for a moment before the mir
ror
Curtis, you mean?" queried his visitor
you know him?'
Know him?" replied Ross, smiling
''Why. years ago that little black haired
Indian boy and / rode the ponies to-
gether al the tracks in Kansas and Mis-
souri,. Yes, we were fellow Jockeys"
Then Ross sat down. leaned far back
in his chair and told about it.
Lets see 1t must have been in 1874
yes, that's right, for I'm forty-eght
years old-that | escaped from that in
stitution In Chicago and came to Kansas
| City. Never mind about the institution
I just a place where boys are taught
manners and how to walk the Straight
and narrow path
Il got to Kansas City somehow and
started to work. l blacked shoes, sold
papers-anything to make a little money.
Then / got job of candy butcher on
the plug that ran from here to To-
peka.
Zone day after had been on the run
several weeks / left the train at To-
peka and went to n county fair there.
missed the plug on the return trip and
didn't have nerve enough to ask for my
lob again. So | went back to the fair
grounds and hung around the stables
where the racing horses were kept
That's where met Charlie Curtis Sen
ator Curtis, / suppose / should call him
now.
Charlie was about my age-hfteen
years He was a jockey. I only weighed
about 105 and Charlie got me a job Of
riding the last few days of the fair. In
the winter / went to work in a little
frame hotel in North Topeka bell
hop / don't remember positively, but
think Charlie Curtis worked there with
me part of the time. Anyway he and
went out the next summer with string
of racers owned by Newton Douglas. Of
Topeka We made all the county fairs
in Missouri including Kansas City, We
Travelled in wagons.
MY last ride for a long time was in
Cameron Junction. Mo | rode horse
that no other jockey would ride, and
afterward I didn't blame them. That
fool horse took me through a picket
fence then turned around and kicked me
while | lay on the ground. | didn't get
over that accident in a hurry.
"That was the beginning of my ac-
ouaintance with Charlie Curtis--the little
black haired fellow-and he was a rather
good Jockey, too. Oh. yes, I've seen him
many times since. visited him often in
Washington when he was congress-
man"
Ross paused a moment. Then, And
now he's a United States senator"
Ross is q Canadian. A few years after
the accident in Cameron Junction, Mo-
he began. racing again. This time he
rode In the fixed races of p. T. Bar
NUNS circus. Then. he became assistant
trainer, confidential secretary and track
representative Of George Lorillard. the
famous turfInan. While In the employ Of
Lorilard he introduced the messenger
system, allowing women to place bets
II could always dance and sing, said
Ross. That's how l happened to light
on the stage. I went to New York after
leaving the ponies and had no trouble
getting job In Q vaudeville show"