Arizona republican., 1920-04-18
PROMINENT I MAN
 IF q TATE DIES
 AT G|LA BEND
Heart Attack Causes Death of Capt. John Christy - Had Long and Brilliant Career in Many Countries Was Leader in Arizona Affairs

Captain John Christy of Clifton. business man and mining man. former legislator, former soldier and prom inent Arizonan, died at o'clock Thursday night at Gila Bend. where he had gone recently to the holdings of the Gila Land and Cattle company. of which he was president. In his death the state lost one of her best- known and best-respected citizens, for Captain Christy had been prominent in Arizona since he came here Is years ago. and had been a pioneer in devel- oping the state.
 Captain Christy was born in Ireland SO years ago. Between the time of his young manhood and the time he came to this state. about 1905. he had been British government representative in Scandinavia. a participant in one of England's most famous military cam paigns in Egypt, an officer in the royal northwest mounted police, a gold seeker in the Canadian northwest and a timber man in the northwestern states.
 When death cut short his long and brilliant career Captain Christy was president of the Gila Land and Cattle company. organized only few weeks ago by himself and a syndicate Of Norwegian business men, and it was on the holdings of this company that a heart attack caused his death He was also operating a silver property
 
 large timber and livestock interests in the eastern part of the state Captain Christy returned from New York only ten days or so before his death. and had gone to Gila Bend to look after the interests of the new company. which is doing much development work there, until regular superin- tendent could arrive
 Had Adventurous Career
 Besides being prominent in business -,-.<x- 4<~N1 n<,ff part in civic and political life. Four years ago he was a member of the state legislature. Physically he seemed no more than 45, in his very prime. and he was noted Tor his courageous and fine personality. It was often said of him that he would go where any man would go. and that he would send no one where he would not go him. self.
 Before coming to this continent while still far from middle age, Cap tain Christy had covered large part of Europe in his career. For six years he had been in the service of the Brit ish foreign office in Scandinavian countries. He was member of the celebrated Gordon relief expedition in Egypt in the sos. Captain Christy's long residence in Europe and famil iarity with European business men and conditions proved valuable to him after coming to this state. as he inter
 
 portant Arizona enterprises in the early days of development here.
 After coming to America, Captain Christy became captain in the fla nous northwest mounted police, fin which he served brilliantly. In 1897 he emerged from the Dawson and FL dorado gold fields with a fortune of $120,000 in gold dust. and came to the northwestern part of the United States, where he became associated with the timber industry in Washington and Oregon.
 Held Large Interests in State
 Coming to Arizona 15 years ago. Captain Christy became interested in mining in Greenlee county. also ac- quiring other interests. At the time of his death he was operating valuable silver properties near Clifton, held large timber interests in the San Fran cisco mountains. in the region of the Blue river and Black river. and had considerable cattle interests in addi- ton to the Gila Land and Cattle com pany, which he organized not long ago. During his residence he more than once interested European capital in this state. His organization of the Gila Land and Cattle company. whici, 's developing and farming a large area