The Dickinson press., 1895-06-29
A BIG ALLIGATOR.
Fourteen Feet Long and Probably
More Than q Century Old.

Fourteen Feet Long and Probably
More Than q Century Old.
To F. A. Dennette and his brother,
Elton D. Dennette, belong the credit
for the killing Of Fort Georges fam
ous gator, q giant in size and SO old
that his back is crusted with barna-
cles and moss. But their encounter
with the saurian was not without ex-
citement and some damage to the
hunters.
They found the gator in one of the
small creeks that make into the island,
sneaked upon him in their boat and let
him have a bullet from a Winchester.
The big fellow gave a roar Of pain
and rage, and at once started for h
small craft, his jaws wide open and
his tail flashing the waters into yeasty
foam. They jabbed an oar into the
gators mouth, and lie crunched it into
pulp, and then they took the other to
stem his onslaught. but he broke tha,.
too, and ground it into kindling wood.
When almost upon the boat he swung
his tail against it and nearly upset it.
Elton Dennette was knocked over
board. and no sooner had the gator
seen him than he made for him, and il
the young man had not hastily scram-
bled inboard he would certainly have
met an awful fate. The two young
men had two pairs Of oars, and with
these they managed to keep the little
craft away from q swing of the sau-
RAMS tail. which would have crushed
in the sides as If they were paper.
While one Of the hunters kept clear Of
the enraged beast the other kept
pumping lead into him from the Win
chester until the water was covered
with red foam, telling that the mon
ster was badly hit.
Finally he appeared to give up the
ghost, turned over en- his back and
fioated upon the surface. They las
seed him and lowed him ashore, but
the gator was not dead. and still had
any quantity Of fight in him, and SO
when n of the sportsmen ventured
too close the gator gave a lash with
his tail, knocked the young fellow
upside down and raralyzed his legs
for the time being and went for him,
grabbing his foot in his frightful jaws
and inficting a painful and perhaps
serious injury. 1t was two minutes
before the jaws of the beast could be
pried open, and it was ar hour later
before the last spark of life left the
reptile.
The alligator was one Of the largest
seen in the st. Johns in recent years
He measured IL feet and 3 inches II
length and around the barrel 8 feet
His head was 3 feet long. Those
versed in gator lore say that the oil:
fellow must have long age passed thu
century mark. He has been seen II
the vicinity Of Fort George for man!
years and has probably had q ton o.
lead shot at him by e%nterpristnt
sportsmen in search of a big trophy
Florida Times-Union
A Squirrel That Loves Music.
A pleasing story is told by a bo,
who lives at West Troy, in New Yorl
"k recently caught a squirrel" he says
"but the animal was shy and SCENE
decidedly averse to being tanned. 1
the cage was a wheel, such as may b
seen in most cages for squirrels, bu
my squirrel would not go near it Will
any person was looking. The othe
day a friend came to see me an
began to play on his flute near til
cage. The squirrel at once lost hi
shyness and appeared in the whee
After listening a moment the littl
animal began to jump around in til
liveliest manner. 1t made the whe,
fairly spin, and was delighted. A
soon as the music ceased the 'sQuirr,
rested. When my friend began I
play again the squirrel repeated hi
antics. Since that time aot mbmbm
antics. Since that incident it has b.
come quite, tame"