The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-11-18
CURTIS, ONCE
JOCKEY, OUT
FOR PRESIDENT
First Entry in 1928 Prcsiden.
tial Sweepstakes Descend
ant of kaW Tribe

Topeka, Kan, Nov. 1S.-(AP)-
Senator Charles Curtis of Kansas,
idolized as a jockey in his boyhood
BY racetrack fans Of Topeka, now as
a man and leader of the Repub.
lican party, is the first entry IN the
1928 presidential sweepstakes.
His candidacy develops the posi-
bility that the nation may have IN
the White House a president de-
seconded from one of the first fam
lilies in America, for the maternal
great great grandfather of the
Kansas senator was Chief White
Plume Of the kaw tribe, the Indian
ruler Of prairie realm which now
is part Of the state represented by
Senator Curtis in the highest legls-
lative body Of the land.
Lived on Reservation
In his early boyhood, Charlie Cur
It's, as he is known to his neighbors
in Topeka, lived on the Kaw reser
walton with his grandmother. She
was Julie Pappan, the granddaugh-
ter of Louis Gonvillc, a French pio-
neer. Her husband, Louis Pappan,
also was a Frenchman.
Curtis own mother, Helen Pappan,
: the wife of Capt. Orren A. Curtis, a
regular army officer, died when her
son was three years old.
The half Indian, half French
grandmother of the future senator
told her grandson to forsakc the
ways of red men and to go to the
white mems world at the first Op-
portunity.
The opportunity came when Chey-
cnne Indians raided the kaw reser-
walton. The boy, only eight years
old. ran many miles to tell soldiers
of the danger confronting his peo-
pie on the reservation. The Chey-
ennes were driven away, but Charlie
preferred to go to place made
safe at all times by white men. He
came to Topeka, which was near his
birthplace.
Poverty an Obstacle
His first obstacle was poverty. To
earn . living he sold papers and pea
nuts and then became a jockey. But
none of these jobs fitted in with his
ambition to study law, so the dark
haired youth went to work as hack
driver. While sitting high on his
hac waiting for passengers, he read
his law books.
Charlie Curtis struggle to study
law attracted the attention of Judge
A. II. Case, who took the boy into
his office to study. Curtis was ad.
mitted to the bar at q, and imme-
diately was made Judge Cases lega
partner.
At "a he was elected county attor.
ney, anu as prosecutor it was his
duty to enforce the new Kansas pro-
hibition law. His courage in prose
cutting influential men for violating
the law made him famous despit,
his youth.
He was elected to the lower hous,
OF congress at 81, and except for
two year interruption, caused by hi
.---QQly political defeat, he has been il
congress since 1898, rising to tn
post Of Republican leader in the sen
ate.
81 Years Of Age
Senator Curtis is 81 years old. II
was born near the site CT the Kan
sas capitol, year before Kansa
was admitted to statehood. He is
widower. His wife, who was Ami
+. Baird before their marriage
1884, died in 1924.
The Curtis home in Topeka
next door to the old home of tt
other Kansas senator, Arthur Cal
per. His own children being ava
from the paternal roof, Senator Gu
It's own sister, Mrs. Rome Colvi
keeps the home fires burning wifi
he is in Washington.
Senator Curtis has one son, Harr
King Curtis, a Chicago lawyer; tw
daughters, Mrs. C. P. George, Fo
Sill, Okla, and Mrs. '-'ebster Knigh
II, Providence, r. /.