Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1911-10-21

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t, here tonight and who will no donb
\ wonder who put me on his trail
j A Led Of Eleven.
Strange as it may appear, I frs
knew and met the governor at Gran
ada, Colo, in the year 1874. He wal
quite a lad. being at that time abou
IL years of age. His mother and
brothers were there as well as hil
uncles and aunts; they were contract
ing in the building Of the Atchison
Topeka and Santa Fe railroad. which
was then extending its lines toward
the territory of New Mexico.
As Cowboy.
Even at that young and tender age,
George had the spirit OF adventure,
and in 1879, when still boy, being at
that time but 16 years Of age. he
5ourneyed to Lincoln county, New
Mexico. At that time the county Of
Lincoln was so large that it covered
the entire southeastern portion Of
the territory. While there, and un.il
the year 1882. he worked on ranch,
doing any and all kinds OF work that
was usually undertaken by the early
cowboy ON the open range.
Enters Politics.
firing Of this life, he returned to
Trinidad, Colo, where he accepted
position with the United States hotel
! in the year 1882. and remained there
until the following seag. when he
again tsek up his residence in this
territory. locating at the Town Of I,a-
ton. George remained in ',atcn until
the year 1885, when lie returned to
his first love, southern New Mckee,
engaging as chief clsrK ana deputy
collector and treasurer under Jimmy
Dolan, who was powes in thai see
tion during those day.
Many Public Trusts.
''He remained in the employ of Do. !
Ian until the fall of 1888, when he
ran for, and was Overwhelmingly |
elected as probate clerk and recorder
for Lincoln county, which position he
held until the following election in
1890, when his party nominated and
again elected him as assessor for Lin
coin county. In 1892 his party once
more called upon him and he was
again elected, this time as sheriff of
Lincoln county. In 1894 his party
again ho1ored him by nominating
md electing him as a member of
he council from the Ninth district
onsisting of Grant, Dona Ana, Lin
oln, Cha yez and Eddy counties, and q
tier, when the legislature met at )
anita Fe, he was further honored by n
eing the choice OF his party and p
lected president of the council At t
or the adjournment of the legislature s
e was appointed clerk of the Fifth b
United States district court, the ap- h
ointment being made in 1895. He v
esigned, however, in the year 1895 /
o again respond to the call of his
riends, accepting the nomination Tor s
he territorial council, to which posi- q
ion he was once more elected. II
A Rough Rider. "a
when the war with Spain was de- {
Jared, George Curry was among the d
cry first to respond l was governor
!, that tine and well remember when T
appointed him first lieutenant of the :
'irst United States volunteer cav
Try, which was afterward known as
.oosevelt's Riugh Riders, the cap
ain of the troop being Colonel Jack !.
v. Fleming of Silver City. Just be
ore the completion of the squadron.
olonel Fleming, owing to deaths in
is family, was relieved from duty,
nd I appointed George Curry as cap :
lin of the troop. T
Office Sought the Man.
cat the close of the Spanish war 4
aptain Curry returned to the terri
Try and settled in that section which
now known as Otero county, and
1899 when that county was created,
appointed him as the first sheriff
that county, although at that time,
g was opposed to the partv was n
He was not candi- y
ate for The Office at the time: it was
clear case of the Office hunting the
an.
eavy Responsibilities in Philippines.
George Curry did just what he ~
-omised me he could do; he did 1t VI
lickly. and then resigned to accept =
commission from President McKin- =
y as first lieutenant in the Eleventh ~
nited States Volunteer Cavalry and 10
lied for the Philippines. where he IN
ade good in every position hefheld, q
ON lieutenant, captain chief or po- en
,e OF Manila and as governor Of
any of the islands In the Philip IN
mes, and finally he continues his y
ccess as governor Of this great ter oe
tory which we hope will soon be q
ate. u'
Hagerman Had Split the Party.
sT have landed him here in Santa