New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-01-20
JERBY GREENING AND HIS BOYS.
THE FAMOUS HUNTERS OF PIKE COUNTY.

IRON AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
MILFORD, Penn, Jan. 1S.-For some time
past public attention has been turned to the
mysterious Cheever murder case in Pike County, and
sketches Of the famous GreeniDe family. which mp
Gated in the crime, will be Of public interest
For fifty years or the Greetings have enjoyed a
widespread reputation. "Od Jerry" the father of the
family is seyentyfye years old, but he is straight
flagstaff and looks than forty-fve. For sixty
years he has hunted in The Pike County forests and he
knows every acre OF ground between the Delaware and
susquehanna Rivers In appearance he is rather striking
shaggy, rzzed beard his face his sharp, blue
eyes CLEAN beneath heavy eyebrows and his physique Is
that Of athlete. He will hunt all day. ramping through
snow a foot deep, and. II need be, wadng icebound
streams with bare feet and trousers rolled TO the knee
Since he has been "backwOOdsman" he has killed 36l
bears and 1873 deer besides number Of beaver wolves
wildcats, painters and smaller game. He thinks no
Of hand tOhaud encounter with wounded bear
fourpronged buck than he would Of cleaning his gum
in fact he would prefer a "scrmmage with the animals
10 anythlng-except perhaps, the vanous whiskey OF
this region. Many the tales told Of the old mans
daring In November 1873 he entered bears cave and
after capturing cubs had desperate hand-tOhand
fight with their mother who appeared upon the scene
Just as Jerry leaving the In 1Si9 he was up
set from a boat in sawhn Pond by an Infatuated buck
which he was pursuing, and nearly drowned. few
years another wounded deer chased him up tree
where he remained until he nearly frozen to death
when help arrived His escapes told by himself would
I'll a volume and would make interesting reading He
many aphorsms.
Old Jerrys wife IS a quiet, mothcry woman and their
,t -, ki t6 b ~ isn nv which she is con
stantly surrounded The boys Case, John Alonzo and
young jerry, "chips OF the old block, tHey rear
neither God Their experiences have been rough
and they lawess and vindct.e both by nature and
much alike in disposition, and John who is ao-
been accredited with the best disposition Inc
different members " the family all make their living in
the way. The farm owned by the old man ylelds
nothing " value The adjoining lands are owned by
Madame Ponsi the actress; John Vincent, stage man
agtr Harry r. Dodsworth, the band master, and other
NEWCOMERS All this adjoining land IS covered win
valuable timber and here is that the Greetings do their
work" They and sell timber, railroad ties hoop
poles and anbar, and during the hunting seasons act a.
guides for metropolitan sportsmen. In their work
Of cutting lumber they are respecters Of
party lines ~; they cut whore they please
OF continual trospasng. and Of assault and battery
which sometimes result that the Greetings hvt Oten con
santy before the courts during the past tWentynN
years. $500.
Ole Jcrrys brother, who lived near here, had the
misfortune to offend the old hunter, who made II so m
pleasant that he was finally obliged to move 10 Shqenr
part OF the country to escape the persecution OIL 0p,
ana MIS- boys mere was Ohly one man III AZ N m
County whom the Greetings were AFRAID to modest
one WINTER pacAWGod7 cFd po1cI bduse nor far
from Old Jcrrys log cabin One sunday while Old Jerry
out hunting he OF the "boys" who was gong
TO the meeting and who invited Jerry TO come along
and the revival get busted up" Greeulng Went
p.
house the preacher lining ont" hymn. ihe nIst
thing Jerry his companion mounting the puPlI
steps uttcring words not calculated 10 INSPIRE
religious thoughts. The preacher small. Wlry'
athletic man. and In less than moment the INTRUDER wa
seized 10y the collar and thrown bodily out OF the
window. He did not come back, and the preacher
recognizing Jerry in The audience and hoping 70 scare
him. said that il owing TO the power OF Religion va.
ne able overcome his antagonist quickly jerry
thought that II religion could enable man to ASA
another who MS muscular superior was just what
he wanted to help him ngt It out with the only ndn ~
the county of whom he afraid. That very moment
he went forward and converted" and after one OF
two meetings rlt the power increasing. JUST ABOUT
that time ne met his much feared antagonist no" OF
never" said Jerry, throwing of his coat and making
luuge bis enemy, who always ready for a nsnt'
In less than minutes jerry looked as he nae Oeu
struck with u cyclone lie went home and told ms VIE
II there good in religion than that ne uIuh
want H. and he has been inside a church since
"Mebbe yOull think / lyn' when say tlat ar
weighed uppard o. five huuderd an hy-sX pound Sald
Jerry the other day. in concluding hunting tale " But
It's tn gospel truth sir an tn D'arskn hang1n up IN my
rancho TO Rattlesnake II prove my alegraton, a.
OF lawyer that uscty stop to Barney stgers aers
said never lied yet, boys, an I'm getiln too o.
learn tn hiHess, fr I'm nigh eighty year Ol but I'm
tWister vet"