Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1909-10-14

tory, and MS last DAYS were spent IN
the quiet solitude Of his home in this
city.
Dashlns. Young Sergeant
Frost came to New Mexico from
| Washington. ID. c., as a sergeant in
the signal corps Of the United States
army. Soon after his arrival he was
commissioned by the governor to
build a military telegraph line from
Santa Fe to Phoenix. Arizona. dis
tance of 500 miles This commission
gave Frost his start as a factor in
New Mexico politics. The telegraph
| line and its builder we're the talk of
the southwest, and the native citizens
of the two territories, many of whom
had never heard of telegraphy, were
more than anxious to meet the man
who could make wire speak. This
acquaintance, established more than
quarter of century ago, gave
Frost the nucleus of his political
power among the Spanish-speaking
citizens of New Mexico. These recog-
nized in him a man of great ability
and they urged him to remain in the
territory, which he did when his term
of enlistment expired. BY that time,
which was in the latter 70's, Colonel
Frost was a young man of consider
able influence in the territory.
Siienced Cattle Rustlers
Frost settled in Santa Fe. and al
most Immediately allied himself with
the Axtell wing of the republican
party. There was bitter fight on
at that time, and Governor Axtell was
finally succeeded by Acting Governor
Ritch, personal friend of Frost 1t
was under Ritch that Frost received
his first political recognition, as .he
acting governor appointed him adj
jutant general of the territory. At
that time cattle rustlers were ter
rorizing the cattlemen of northern
New Mexico, and the local peace of
ficers seemed unable to cope with
the outlaws. When Ritch commits
stoned Frost he said to him:
Young man, | want you to drive
the cattle rustlers from New Mexico.
That's why I've appointed you"
Frost selected score of the best
members of the territorial militia and
within a day or two left for San
Juan county, where the rustlers were
making life miserable for the cattle
men and inhabitants alike. In a
month he returned, making this re-
port to his chief:
"Governor, there are no cattle rust
lNns in New Mexico now; they are
either dead or have fed to Arizona.
You know 7 am not protecting Ari-
zona"
The report pleased the governor
and from that day until Ritch was
succeeded by General Lew Wallace,
Frost was his political adviser.
Beginning of Political Power
General Lew Wallace belonged to
the faction of the republican party
opposed by the Ritch element in New
Mexico. Frost was chagrined at the
presidents appointment, and at once
resigned his commission as adju-
tant general. When Wallace arrived
at Santa Fe he knew of the opposi
ton to him, and prepared to win over
his political enemies. He asked one
of his friends to name the strongest
man in the opposition camp. "T. B.
Catron is the leader" replied his ad-
wiser, but a chap named Frost is
the coming man.
That's the fellow I want" re-
piled the general, and a messenger
was sent to summon the former ad
jutant general
Here is your commission as adju-
tant general" said Wallace as Frost
entered the governors office.
I "a
Frost.
20, yes you do" said the general.
'Ive decided to break up this oppo-
sition to my administration by max
ing you my adviser You know all
about this territory and don't know
anything"
This was the beginning of Frost's
political career as a dictator. 1t
continued, practically uninterrupted,
until the term of H. j. Hagerman,
the boy governor who succeeded
Miguel A. Otero as executive in 1906.
Hagerman and Frost were continual
ly at loggerheads, the ill-feeling be-
tween them being precipitated by the
removal by Hagerman of Frost as
secretary of the territorial bureau of
immigration, position the latter had
held for twelve years, during which
time largely through his efforts, thou
sands Of homeseekers had been in
duced to take up their residence in
the territory. Frost fought Hager-
man and his administration through
the columns of his newspaper and
vowed he would get his official scalp.
1t was his last political battle, and
perhaps his most spectacular one.
Frost, as usual, came out on top, for
within seventeen months after Hager-
man assumed office, hes was sum-
marily removed by President Roose-
welt, after he had failed to disprove
ugly charges filed against him at !
Washington. Then followed the ap-
pointment of Governor Curry, who
suited Frost admirably, and the blind
leader supported the Curry admins
tration until his last illness forced his
retirement from active life.
Colonel Frost never allowed his
physical infirmities to interfere with
his annual trip to Washington, where
he was always welcome at the White
House. He had been the guest of
every president from Garfield down to
and including Roosevelt He was a