By Richard Gorby
This is the first of two articles regarding Governor Conrad Zulick. Please also read "Arizona's Governor Conrad Zulick Fell into Political Disfavor - Part 2" published on September 13, 1997 in the SHM Days Past Archives.
Arizona has had its problems with governors recently, and it might help to know that it has happened before. Conrad Meyer Zulick, the seventh Territorial Governor of Arizona, was removed from office before his term was over and was mentioned by the press in this, and many worse ways:
"It is doubtful if any event in the history of Arizona since its organization as a Territory has been so prolific of disgraceful results as the appointment of this man to be our Chief Executive--and to the best interests of the Territory at large it was an exceedingly severe blow."
Zulick was appointed by the new president, Grover Cleveland, in October 1885. A lawyer and surrogate judge in Newark, New Jersey, he had worked to support Cleveland, but was chosen only after several others had turned down Cleveland's offer. Who wanted to go to Arizona?
Zulick, however, had a reason for wanting the job: he was already there! He had been in and out of the southwest for four years, looking after business interests, mainly copper mining.
Probably no governor ever moved into his office under more peculiar circumstances. At the time of his appointment Zulick was in jail below the border, in Nacozari, Sonora, Mexico. He had gone there to help clients who had lost money in one of his mine developments. But instead he became a hostage of the mine employees. Under Mexican law a manager could be jailed until wages of the workers were paid.
His escape from this embarassing situation was organized by W.K.Meade of Tombstone, who had just learned of his own selection by President Cleveland to be United States Marshall of Arizona.
Meade's first move, after he received notice of Zulick's appointment as governor, was to contact M.T."Doc" Donovan, a former scout for General Crook during the Apache wars. Told about Zulick's incarceration, Donovan agreed to take a wagon and team of mules down to Sonora to bring Zulick back. Being familiar with the country, the ex-scout was able to pull into the mining camp at night. At 2a.m., moving past the sleeping guard, he awakened the surprised Zulick, who put his trust in Donovan, whom he didn't know, and climbed quietly into the wagon and was covered by a tarp
Moving slowly in order not to give away the escape, the men crossed the border near what is now the town of Douglas. Then "Doc" broke the news to his passenger and congratulated him on his appointment as Governor of the Arizona Territory. After stopping to make themselves a good breakfast, they headed for Tombstone.
Meade, the new United States Marshall, was sent word before their arrival, and Zulick was greeted in Tombstone by a crowd that carried the new governor into the lobby of the Occidental Hotel on Allen Street, Tombstone's "Whiskey Row".
Tombstone was excited for a reason. Only a few years old, mining had already brought in millions of dollars, and now the biggest town in Arizona, it wanted, and expected, to be the Territorial Capital. That the new governor had reached them first was exciting and they provided a lavish dinner at the Occidental that was attended "by all the notables of the city".
Tucson was waiting for the new governor and had arranged for a "huge banquet at the San Xavier Mission...which was the social event of the season".
All this must have been exciting and impressive to a small-time New Jersey lawyer, and in Prescott he was greeted warmly as well.
But things changed almost immediately. (To be continued, Part 2)
(Richard Gorby is a research specialist at the Sharlot Hall Museum.)
Sharlot Hall Museum Photograph Call Number: (citn215pb)
Reuse only by permission.
Tombstone's Allen Street where Zulick, the new Governor of the Territory of Arizona, got his first real meal after being broken out of jail in Mexico.