Evening star., 1911-06-04
RISE OF A NEWSB0Y
Career Of New President of
Lower California.
HEADS YOUNGEST REPUBLIC
Twenty Years Ago Seller Of Papers
In Warrington.
PROTEGE OF FRANK HATTON
Business Ventures In the West At
tended. With Success and Now
He u = Man Of Importance.
HEADS YOUNGEST REPUBLIC
pR0TEGE OF FRANK HATT0N

~~s
existence in the streets Of Washington to
president Of republic sounds like q
synopsis Of q best seller in tho list Of
popular novels. but tho old saw that truth
is stranger than fiction seems to have
ample justification in tho career OF Rich
ard Ferris.
News dispatches Of yesterday conveyed
tho intelligence that the independent in
surreotos Of tijuana. Lower California.
had severed connection with tho Mexican
liberal party 1unta. and elected Richard
Ferris Of Los Angeles president OF tho
republic Of Lower California" Details
Of the personnel Of PreGdent Ferris cabi-
not. or a declaration Of the policies to Be
pursued by the executive Of the worlds
newest state. were lacking, but that
Richard Ferris had been elected president
was clear.
Ferris career dates from q sleety even
Ing In late winter some twenty years ago.
His early history Is obscure. AS far as
was known he had no parents living, and
he had been graduated" from an 1nsti-
tuition for orphans in this city.
A Fall Into Good Fortune.
On this particular evening a red
headed. freckle-faced lad Of about four
teen years. whose gaunt face bore elo-
quent testimony to a woeful lack Of
acquaintanceship with beefsteak and
other things commonly considered es-
sential to the proper nourishment Of
a S car % Of the ~ capitai traction nc COMPANY
cry Of "Ev'nen STAR fell not un-
pleasantly on the ears Of the passen-
gers. to whom his FURNISHED locks and
P0 foN cfyh fc
and his quest for customers was not
unrewarded. The "gripman" of the old
cable car had received the signal to
go ahead. and was just in front OF
shrill cry caused him to quickly apply
got got of % and lifted the frail form Of a
lad from the street. where he lay with
his precious papers scattered IN con-
One Of the passengers was the late
Frank Hatton. and the injured boy was
Dick" Ferris. Mr.. Hatton was at that
time publisher of a Washington news
paper. He had the boy removed to q
hospital in a private conveyance. and
paid his expenses while the broken
arm mended.
When he was able to leave the care
Of the doctors the nfen1n wa YVES give sven "a
school In his classes he proved q
credit to his benefactor, and has since
he is not ungrateful.
Successful In the West.
Upon leaving high school his ambition
to 60 on the stage was gratified. For
period Of eight or ten years he led
rather precarious existence, but he then
opened a stock company in Minneapolis
which proved the foundation OF MS & 1ol-
woman of the stock company. Florence
Stone. who is described as being pos
sessed Of rare beauty and unusual AFFINITY
as an emotional actress. After spendin&
several years in Minneapolis. where his
theatrical ventures proved highly success
full. Mr. Ferris moved to Los Angeles. HIS
departure was the occasion OF tribute
on behalf of the united press OF Mime
apolis and ST. Paul, consisting of large
volume bound in Russia leather, and sing
ing In poetry, prose and cartoons the
praises Of 1.-The best fellow In the world.
In Los Angeles Mr.. Ferris pursued his
theatrical schemes and also invested IN
oil and fruit ventures, all of which were
uniformly successful. He then turned MS
attention to automobiles and aeroplanes.
successfully promoting the Portola auto
races at San Francisco and the aero meet
at Los Angeles year ago last WINTER
at which so many records were made by
Paulham and other pioneer birdmen.
In California Politics.
Not confining his activities to theatri-
Gals and sports, however. Mr.. Ferris last
fall entered the political arena In Califor-
mia. He ran for lieutenant governor on
an Independent ticket and polled thou
sands of votes, his chances for election
being impaired by the split vote. due to
the large number Of candidates for the
office.
That he has never lost sight Of the debt
Of gratitude he owes to the man who
gave him his start in life was we'll illus
trated on the occasion Of the arrival at
the Pacific coast Of the United States
feet on It's trip around the world. when
Mr. Ferris elaborately entertained. at his
famous log cabin bungalow in Los An
geles. Richard Hatton. the son of his
benefactor and at that time paymaster Of
the U. s. 8. Georgia Paymaster Hatton
has since been retired with the rank Of
lieutenant commander, and now resides
In New York.
Within the last two weeks letter from
Mr.. Ferris was received by Claude
Worthy Of this city, a magazine writer.
who made the trip around the world with
the fleet and also was q guest, with Lieut..
Commander HattOn at his receDti0n in