Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-06

| fairs he was appointed. in 1880, as di-
rector of the bureau of American repub-
lies now the Pam American Union. He
! held this position for three years, during
which time he also was chief OF the Lat
| in American department CT the chicago
worlds fair. He was commissioner of the
exposition to Madrid and special envoy
! to the queen regent of Spain and Pope
/ Leo XIII.
| Death Shock to Friends.
| The many friends of Mr. Curtis in
| Washington were profoundly shocked by
! the news of his death He was intimately
| acquainted with high officials of the gov
eminent for the past five administrations.
many of whom he had come to know
through his writings and whose friend
| ship he earned by his charming person
alitN. His friends and acquaintance
We're numbered in every circle of social
life i'll the National Capital where for
years he had been known as a resident
and in the development and beautifica-
ton of which he had always been most
keenly interested.
Mr.. Curtis was constant church sOer
and he was a member of the congrega
ton of the Church of the Covenant for
many Years He was a warm personal
friend of DIR. Wood the pastor. and was
president of the board of trustees of the
church. He also was much interested in
Peck Memorial Chapel, in Georgetown.
His friendly feeling for the church and
its pastor, Rev. II. E. Angus, was exem-
plified in a substantial manner for a pc
Rod extending over many years.
Despite his prolific writings and con-
slant application to work. Mr.. Curtis found
time to mingle with his wide circle of
friends in both public and private life,
and TO maintain his identity as a men,
Der or various organizations. In addi-
ton to the Gridiron Club he was mem
Der of the National Press Club and the
Cosmos Club. in this city. and of the
Union League Club and the Alpha Delta
Phi fraternity in New York. He was also
a member of the Washington Monumental
Society, and when in the city always at
tended the semi-annual gatherings of
that body. composed of representatives of
the oldest and most prominent families
of the District
An Extensive Writer.
While the major part of Mr. Curtis
writings were for the newspapers. he
corded his observations on his travels in
many volumes. He wrote about the CAPT.
tails of South American republics, and
about France. Germany, Turkey. Japan,
Sweden, Norway Syria and Palestine
There were, in fact, few countries of
which he did not write in his interesting
descriptive manner. In addition to his
works on travel he wrote the life of Zach
ariah Chandler. discussed the relations of
the United States and foreign powers, and
wrote two vOlumes-"The True Thomas
Jefferson" and THE True Abraham Lin
coin a series of biographical sketches
His constant industry and his facility of
authorship are well Illustrated by the
extent OF his literary labOrs
MI. Curtis stood unique in the ranks
of Journalists Like many others, he
started as a printer, setting type. He
gained his first newspaper expert
ence as a reporter on Cleveland
and Chicago papers, but in 1885
came to Washington the cor
respondent of the Chicago Record. and
later served in the same capacity for
the Chicago 'Record-Herald. BY mis-
contribution of a daily letter for that
paper and for The Evening Star he
came to be one of the most widely
known newspapermen in the United
States. His daily letters dealt with
interesting topics rather than the news
of the day, and his contributions soon
became valuable features of the two
papers While travelling Mr.. Curtis
letters continued daily, and he mapped
his own itineraries. and was under no
restrictions to the cost of his tours.
Mr. Curtis probably has travelled more
miles and seen and written about more
countries than any other newspaper
correspondent.
Took Perilous Assignment.
Mr. Curtis was, at various times.
printer, reporter. managing editor, editor
in-chief, Washington correspondent and
general correspondent. He ascriped his
successful start in newspaper work to
the fact that when cub reporter on
Chicago daily he volunteered to make
a perious trip on stormy Lake Michigan
in tug to ship which had been
wrecked during the night. The regular
shipping news reporter of the paper lost
his nerve and baked at the prospect. 4
Volunteers were called for, and young
Curtis responded. He went out with the
tugboat and crew and was the only 4
newspaper man on the scene. He OBJ
tanned interviews with some of the sur
vivors as they were being taken off t.e
stricken vessel, and his story earned him
a great reputation.
One of the earliest scoops of Curtis
was that of getting an interview with
the James boys while they were in the
midst of their war with the authorities.
He was on vacation in Missouri in the
hope of relieving eye trouble, with which
he was affected. He recognized a secret
service man on a train and surmised the
detective was on his way to investigate
the troubles in the OZarks section, due to
the activities of the James and Younger
gang. While the detectives were en-
deavOring to locate the desperadoes Cur 1
tbs found their hiding place and calmly
announced he had come for an interview
with the bandits.
Thought Him a Spy.
1--WE know what you're here for. You're
a spy was the reply of Jesse James.
Whats more, you won't get away from
here" But the aggressive reporter was
not to have his cherished scoop delayed
until too old to be of use to the Chicago
paper for which he was working. He re-
fused TO be prisoner. He talked TO Cole