Evening star., 1916-12-27
CAPT. NJ. McGURRIN
OF Boise, Idaho.

Our unbroken western horses have
the goats Of all of them, even such
wonderful riders as the Cossacks,
Arabs and Italian troopers"
This remark of Capt. NJ. McGurrin of
Boise. Idaho, stockman. ex-regular, ex-
national guardsman, former member of
the staff of Francisco Villa, and now
"Washington for few days, explains
why he has spent the last nine months
tntrance. He is in charge of one of
the greatest wild west shows ever
staged. 1t consists of four big remount
stations, under the direction of him
self and his staff of twenty-six expert
hOrse-breakers. When he went over he
found as many as $500 fine western
horses from Montana and Idaho at one
station, that were useless to their
owners because the latter did not know
how to break them in.
i;' All day long and every day these
animals are roped, tied. saddled, bridled
and broken for the troopers, who up
to the time of his arrival. were trying
to start the process by beginning with
the haltering. Needless to say, it
didn't work. he explains.
:" Center Of Interest.
.. The big corrals. each with a snub-
hing post sunk in the center, are the
constant centers of interest for ever
changing groups of swarthy Arabs.
surprised Cossacks and trim and trig
French, English and italian cavalry
Amcers. Capt. McGurrin is with the
french army in an entirely civil ca
pacity and is on leave in this country
10 recruit additional assistants.
a'Another phase of his work. he told
reporter for The Star today, is the
breaking in of American mules for noun
tlin battery work. This. also. was pro-
Brsssing but slowly until he arrived
The first time a field gun fastened to
q mules back lets off, he said, 1.-The re-
coil and nervous shock combined usually
knocks him fat. But by the second shot
brace himself for the performance, and
the long ears turn forward and back
ward listening for the warning click
that precedes the report. 1t usually
an intelligent mule for work in the
.Jackass battery as we call it.
Where Best Mounts Are Obtained,
French. British and Italian officers
with whom have talked all agree that
the finest mounts for cavalry work
come from Idaho and Montana They
have tried out their own eastern Ameri-
can horses, South American horses-all
kinds-but nothing holds up like the
western when once broken in. At Miles
City, Mont. the principal shipping
point, there are accommodations to
handle 10000 of them at time"
Capt. McGurrin has been particularly
Impressed with three things during his
service abroad. The first is the splen-
did democracy of the French army The
guf between officers and men, he saws
is far less deep than in our own forces
~
pair discipline and efficiency
The second is the pitifulness of the
conuition OF many OF the non-combatants
In that country and of the refugees who
nave helped fill it. The work of America
in helping relieve the stress cannot be
too highly praised. he says and is known
OF and gratefully acknowledged by persons
In ,the humblest walks of life. German
prisoners, he adds. tell of similar hard
ships among the civil population Of that
empire.
r'Fhe third is the wonderful service, both
on the battlefield and behind it, Of the
Catholic priests and sisters. Capt Nc
Gurrin is affiliated with no denomination
hass4self. but says that Frenchmen have
to1d him repeatedly that these services
will help heal the wounds of the recent
severance of all official relations between
TIE French government and the church.
accompanied by the seizure of the latter's
Droperties.
:. Fought in Cuban Campaign.
..capt. McGurrin fought in the Cuban
Campaign of 1898 with "A cavalry troop
from Illinois he had helped organize
he later Joined the regular army serv-
tns In the Philippines continuously,
Without a days leave, for more than
seven years-said to be a record In
1919 he helped organize body of vol
Hiteer Idaho cavalry. which was the