The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-22
FLORIDA'S ALLIGATOR MAN.
JOE FRAZEE, UNIQUE CHAR
ACTER OF THE LAND OF
FLOWERS.

He Has n Distinguished Percentage.
He Lives in the Woods and Il "A
Mighty Hunter-His Profits From
His OceupatfOn-SOme OF the StO-
ries He Tells of His Experiences
in the Woods.
Jacksonville, Sept. 2l-JOe Frazee is one
Of the most unique characters in the
state Of Florida. Very few people in
Florida know him as Joe Frazee. but
as Alligator joe he is not only known
all over Florida, but throughout the
United States as well, He is called ALI
gator Joe" on account Of his profession.
He has, as he puts it, followed "alligators''
for sixteen years. It Is more than prob
able that three-fourths of the alligator
pets owned in the north were either caught
or Matched out by Joe Frazee.
Joe's father came from New Jersey His
great grandfather. on his mothers side.
was a slave trader and his great grand
mother, on the same side, was an African
princess, consequently his ancestry on
both sides is one of distinction. Joes IA
Their says: Il never could keep that boy
out Of the woods. Ever since he was S
years old he'd strap skillet and rifle
not turn up for days and days" But
Joe's excursions to the woods were of
some profit and he can now enlighten
the naturalists on the alligator and the
habits more than they have ever been
enlightened before. lie has learned
enough by observation to mimic the fe-
male alligator in her Matching process so
successfully that he seldom loses an egg,
I no f..~ 81,
old mother gator herself.
Just now he has so eggs in process of
Matching, and COO small gators, the result
of eggs already Matched. This winter he
Will sell all Of these 2, 400 gators al a half
dollar apiece. In addition to the gator
eggs ne mas 1900 terrapin eggs which will
! be Matched into terrapins and sold TO
aquarium owners. These turtles will
bring p cents apiece. This winter Joe
VIII carry out probably twenty parties Of
spoftSmcn to Kill gators in the South
Florida haunts of the saurian. at $2j a
party; ana. In addition to these, will slay
gators enough TO make 500 more on their
hides and teeth, so altogether, in a good
year, he makes about $50O-a pretty good
showing for an occupation that does not
| keep half of his time occupied and which
after all. for him, is bus run.
Last winter he made his headquarters
at the Royal Poinciana on Lake Worth.
lie would disappear from the hotel and
! turn up in day or two with the an
nOuncement that he had found the hole
of big gator and make proposition
to escort party to the place and cap
| ture the gator alive. Many of these par
| ties were made up and frequently the lead
| ing society ladies of the country were his
/ patrons A naphtha launch was taken
and, after a journey of some miles, was
abandoned for a light skim, which, was
/ propelled through devious ways to the
scene of the alligators abode, usually
some lonely and picturesque spot sur
rounded by a jungle of palmetto, mango
/ pay gall ana India rubber. Joe would
zfn ion
the hole and admOnsh them to make no
noise. Then, crawling upon his hands and
knees, he would reach the edge of the hole
/ and utter that peculiarly plaintive, grunt-
/ ing noise made by a young alligator. In
minute or two the gators nose would
/ show, and then the eyes. Like flash of
] lightning, Joe'S hand shoots out, with a
/ moose in 1t, and by a deXterous movement
the moose would slide over the jaws of the
/ gator and around his neck. Then came
/ the shout, I've got him. the signal for
4 ell the men to rush to the scene and yanlx
! the gator out Then came the tug of
war, and If a half-dozen men We're not
| the victory. Once on shore, Joe would
/ slip another moose over the gators tail
/ and bind the tail and head together and
! then wrap the loose end of the rope
| around the monsters jaws. He was harm
| less then, and could be loaded into a
| wagon and carried back to be exhibited
/ to several hundred wide-eyed guests. half
| OF them emulated by the example and so
Joe,s parties and profits would increase
/ Ihat is not the only way to hunt ga
| tors, though said Joe, although it is
| the easiest way. A rife, a bull's-eye
lantern and small boat are what l use
| when the northern people have gone and
/ gerous way, and one little adventure
/ l had sickened me. ON the Istokpoga-
| yoxee, which makes into the Okeechobee.
/ there are thousands of big gators.
! went up there one night and shined the
| eyes of a big gator and shot him. but
didn't hit him where the neck and head
hn nTraa n he hoo set-
! rush, his jaws wide open. He grabbed
| the boat and crushed the side just as
| If 1t had been made of paper. 1 leaped
! right upon the back Of another gator
| / had not seen. He gave a fiirt of his
tail and lifted me clear of the water
/ and against a cypress tree. l don't know
! how long | was stunned, but when woke
/ up l could hardly move. l certainly
couldn't climb tree for ] tried and /
wanted to mighty bad because / could
! hear wolves barking and panthers howl
/ ing all over the woods. When daylight
shone was glad; found my Winches-
| ter sticking muzzle up in the mud, and l
got it, cleaned it and trudged home"
asked.
"Oh, yes" Joe answered and gave a
peculiar whistle, and out of a pool arose
! the head of a ten-footer. There's Joe.
/ He's my namesake; you see." The big
/ head in his lap, just like pet dog.
They eat anything, you see" and Joe
! gave MS nameSake TIN can. The gator
opened his jaws and the can disappeared.
| He closed his eyes and seemed TO be en-
| Toying the dainty.
rs it fact that you can ride a wild
'gatorg"
"Oh, yes. That's easy enough. I jump
on a gators back, clasp one hand around
his neck and hold his jaws close to the
ground and he can't hurt me, either with
head or tail. You see. gator has i'm
mense crushing power in his jaws, but
| the muscles that lift his Jaws apart are
weak, and if you keep them together he
| cart hurt you.
"A gator uses his tail in capturing FOOD
as much as he does his head For in
/