The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-03-12
A Great Bird Gone.
From the New York Sun.

Capt. Caleb Cronkman, an old and
highly respected resident of the Twenty
second Ward. owned, until lately. a gi-
gantic ostrich, that was asfamiliarly|known
in the REGION as himself. The great bird
disappeared about three weeks ago, and
yesterday San reporter asked the Cap
tain where it was. The Captain said that
he received on Friday the following dis
patch from his trainer in Hoboken:
The ostrich is dead.
"One morning in june" the Captain
continued, II was aroused by a peculiar
cracking sound at my door, and I dis
covered in the hall q gigantic ostrich
which had just bitten off my door knob
Wit. the aid of some of the gentlemen in
the house I secured the bird and turned
it into the back yard. The next morning
an advertisement appeared offering a re-
ward for the ostrich. which had escaped
from a menagerie. l was 80 charmed
with the birds unique endeavor to satisfy
its appetite that bought it, and got it
cheap by turning over the reward in part
| payment
IL occupied the real-room on the Sec
ond floor, with window opening on the
root OF the extension. l put up a fence
around the roof, and thus made nice pen
for the ostrich, and for some days gave
a glazier constant employment In rester-
ing the window glass that the ostrich
had eaten out. Finally settled this both
er by planking up the windows and there
after the only trouble the ostrich gave
me was when he took advantage of the
carelessness of some gentlemen who had
left the bathroom window open. On
such occasions the ostrich would slip
down into the room and eat few plates
and tumblers; but, as rule, he got
enough from the fragments of broken
crockery and glassware which the house
afforded, with now and then a junk bot
Tie SALAD, or dish of crooked nails as a
delicacy.
but one day, about three weeks ago, he
crept down into the dining room, and
remained there undisturbed for longer
time than usual, and before it was dis
covered he had cleared one table of
crockery, glassware, knives and forks,
spoons, castors and all, and finished up
by swallowing the tablecloth. Notwith-
!, standing the great quantity and the
nourishiny qaaiity ct tue food taken, he
seemed t" p'ue away IF III that meal tor
wald. and about ITO weeks ago l had
him taken over to my Hoboken farm
thinking that change Of air ana scene
might be beneficial. Still he grew worse
and finally about week ago, l Dough,
out hardware store on Union Hill and
turned the bird into it, hoping that the
sight of all the hardware on the shelves
= with the privilege of eating whatever
:, pleased his fancy, might brace him. up
But, in spite of all these efforts, he faded
and died, as set forth in the brief tele
> gram which read to you.
I'VE ran him through stone crusher
\ and found in him about two barrels O
iron, stone and glass, and, last of all, tina
;, table-cloth which was the real cause o.
his death. The wonderful machiner,
3 which could crush stone Jug like al
egg-stell was overcome by that paltr,
table-cloth, which had got so twisted anc
wedged among the cogs and bearing
that the apparatus could work no longer
|, and doubtless life was burden until h,
died."