National Republican., 1885-11-14
COL. KINMAN's CAREER.
Picturesque Character and his Presi-
Dental Contributions.

The approach of session of Congressis
always heraldcd by the coming of au
army Of national characters, some-aud
nearly all-of whom are cranks. But occasion.
ally there appears n man with hobby which
becomes interesting in the course Of time. OF
the latter class n conspicuous character is Col
Seth Kinman, q famous bear hunter of upper
Califoi MA. Col Kinman was born In Penn
syiyanla, which place he LEFT in 1919 to seek
gold in California, accompanying tho second
oyerlnndtrain. During the long and tedious
trip he was frequently one of q small hunting
party which supplied the train with game, and
thus became cnnmored of hunting and
uappiRg 70 the exclusion of anght else.
ON reaching California he, in company with an
Old plainsman, LEFT the gold fields and sought
and profit. He early became noted for his
courage and daring In pursuing the ponderous
grizzly or agile panther. and preserved their
skins mud bones rs trophies of his prowess. To
his collection he continually added these, us
also the antlcrs of elks making display wor.
thy OF museum of natural history At the
election OF James buchanan, whom, he, had
known as youth and young man, he deter
mined TO come east on pleasure trip and pre-
sent the s0ge OF Lancaster with n chair which
he had constructed of buck horns, ugsested
by the familiar apellaton bestowed upon
Buchanan during the campaign.
He remained in Washington but a short time
alter accomplishing the purpose of his visit,
which was so kindly received that he deter.
mined TO renew his visit and bring another
specimen of his woodcraft and handicraft u
PRESIDENT Lincoln at his election: This he did
in the form OF a chair composed of elks' ant
lers Then IN the prime of.life. Col. Kinman
was q typical bAckwoodsmaii, and attracted at
tention even In those stirring times. While in
washington he renewed his acquaintance with
Col: John G. Fremont, whom he had known In
Caliiornia. Dythnt gentleman he was induced
TO enlist In California regiment, and attained
the rank OF colonel but shortly lcft the service
TO return to California: as his health suffered
from the charge OF climate and cnforoe,i
straint. He rcsumed the avocation of hunting,
suppiementinS II with live trapping" to sup,
ply the few travelling shows and gardens of
zoology then existing which pursuit he found
profitable. lie afterward supplied Barnum
with a large number OF grizzly bears, among
dental gifts had attracted so much attention
that he continued the practice of presenting
each Chief Magistrate In turn with a unique
to Johnson was abcar boneand bcarskin chair
that TO Grant n buffalo horn chair,
,dSi and SIMILAR one to Hayes The early
he sent beautiful combination Of bear and elk
skins mounted upon the bones Of deer Col.
Kinman is now en- route 70 Washington with a
magnificent buck horn chair. that material being
chosen by reason of Its similarity to the one
President, Col. Kininan has a rare fund Of
backwo0ds stories. and the, happy faculty of
delivering them in most ininitablo manner,
though chary at times In fayoring his company
with them. II is related Of him that on ono
occasion party Of gentlemen, who had tried In
vain TO unloose his tongue to give them Of
his accumulated stock of entertaining inforina-
tion, undertook TO .get hiru intoxicated as n
means to the end. They drank In concert for
while with no visible effect upon the doughty
colonel, for he was seasoned vessel and they
were becoming demoralized through their re-
peated libations SO the party split up into
three smaller ones, each Of which treated him
In turn. He thus took three drinks to one of
the others, which continued for several hours
without avail, when the party gave up In, dis.
gust the task they had essayed, and proposed q
separation. To this the colonel would not
listen, and proposed might cap" Said he:
Gentlemen, before We retire lot us take q
Rocky Mountain bumper" Asserting to this,
he directed the attendant to furnish a tumblor
for each Of the party took his, called for
full demijohn, filed his glass to the brim and
requested the others to do likewise, which
tossed his huge bumper of with a satisfied
smack Of the lips. and watched the painful
efforts of his whilom hosts in disposing of
theirs In various and devious ways. Then he
bade good night to such as were In con-
dition to hear II and left his tormentors to
their own wretched thoughts and feelings.