The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-12
VICTIMS OF THE HUNTERS.
MANY MEN KILLED oUTRIG HIT III
DEER STALK

DEEIf STdLh Effos
mistaken I'm the woods TOR Garae ana shot
Down by ''Sports,o who no Vet wait 10
see whether n Moving Hush IL Distursed by
~ MAN or n Deer-A Rigid Law Needed.
Boston, Dec. 1l.-Now that tho snow and
frost has driven the tcnderfoot from the woods
the sDortsmen who were afraid to venture near
their old haunts In Maine during October and
November are preparing for still hunting on the
snow. Tho night train from the Unions Station
carries anywhorc:from Ave to twenty. five hunt
crs each night bound for the Dead River region
or the far away Allcgash. This is unusual for
this time of the year, but there are hundreds OF
mon who hcsitated about risking their lives In
the early part OF the season, and they waited
patiently for the cold weather to drive those
who couldn't tell n deer from a man miles away
from the region Of big game.
Thus far this season seven men have been
killed outright in the Maine woods and half rs
many more wounded. Three or four have been
killed in Massachusetts and two in Vermont.
Two deaths marked tho opening Of the hunting
season, one in Maine and the other in Vermont.
The accident in Maine happened in tho little
village of Stratton, u few miles from Farming
ton. Louis Potter and Theodore Goodrich
started out cnrly on the morning Of Oct. l, and
separated for "A still hunt around the edges OF
the clcarings. They had been separated about
an hour when Goodrich, seeing n bush move, and
catching sight of something which he thought
10 be a deer, took quick aim and fired. He hur-
ricd to the spot to bleed his quarry, and found
his friend Potter shot through the heart.
The fatal shooting In Vermont took place in
Woodford. near Bennington. Two parties left
Bennington the last day of September to be on
the shooting grounds early on the morning of
Oct. 1. In tho party that went to Woodford
yns Mr. William A Wall n loading husineas
man of Bennington. At Woodford Hollow the
Wall party met John and Harry Harbour, who
placed the hunters on various deer runs while
they went into the woods to jump the game.
The Harbour brothers had not been long absent
when Wall heard II shot, followed by a voice
which said, Il am shot" or "He shot me- Mr..
Wall does not remember which. A search was
made and John Harbour was found dead. Who
shot him vas never discovered. but near the
body were found signs of a hastily deserted
hunters camp.
Two more men were shot in upper Maine be-
f fs,h t of o @9Gss f B%sid 2 GpSn n and &c w Ss5Gre the
who. was engaged in swamping out n road for
logging opera a1t1In, IN township No. 2 near
were working near him, but there was no sound
of a rifle, and they were startled when they
bushing out between some trees, when struck.
The bullet entered his back and passed upward
might have been made by a thirty.thirty,
which will Eli far and away over g mile.
on the 18Th the l3.year:old:son Of Mrs. Mar
worth. was shot in the back by some unknown
person. The boy, had gone for Il stroll in the
pened along and mistook him for a deer. An.
S S.nSi T Twin L sPeot near S SsSaasas % Sfeaf oet. ~ 3!
One Of two brothers, Henry, p. Qlmstead Of
Paekord,' 1a a ie Wei snI ma nnn N,t,sr p' Of aen Attic:
boro, Mass. Olpstead and his brother. who
North Twin, were returning from a visit to
some bear traps on Ragged Stream. They were
walking close together. and Henry wore a bright
close that Frank Olmstead thought his brothers
rifle had been accidentally discharged. Henry
the body. He lived about two hours. Pack.
ard, who afteIward gave himself up; Is a man OF
% 20; a ! ae sSnldI H hsy had sI S1nlea that at T SIs i, he s snS
only two days before had left the vicinity Of
Norcross through fear Of being shot. The Off
occurred. could do nothing. so he was dis:
'N'SsT To men a 0a natzv sso Ok Ph III Psn Nc, wero shot
at in October, and prevented q second shot by
n near R RSSiInSi Me- o0y Wits Mhs s Sird s]s scS,fse.'a ana
tM WA cTo DAY Davenport n TT of Phillips Me-; received
hunters who thought he looked like a deer.
Charles ln n; TAYLOR Of Proyincetown. Mass.
bird shooting. Mr.. Taylor was IS employed by y !" a
and was spending his vacation on tho. cape.
This. occurred Oct. l6. and eight days later
killed by his brother while bird hunting. There
have been other cases of shooting in Maine
which have not been reported.
The frequency of fatal shooting accidents has
been such that hundreds have been deprived of
their usual fall sport through fear Of being
shot. The next Maino Legislature undoubted-
ly viii be asked to frame n statute bringing
such cases within the scope of criminal care.
lessness," so that an example may be made OF
those who care so little for human life as to
shoot on ~thosmove of a bush or n vague glimpse
of something alive through the underbrush,
knowing that the woods all around them arc
peoplcd with hunters and guides. There are
entering the woods If it is known that a dis
gruntled ncighbor happens to DO out with his
repeater in quest Of game.
1t is all fired easy" said a Midway guide
In camp on Second 10 Merry Lake last month.
ito square up matters with an enemy by
for there is no law to punish you for 1t. 1t is
simply a case of watching your chances. crease
or kill, and then swear that you thought you
were pulling on a deer"
This same, guide was hunting at Moosehead
one fall. and he and his snort" a Baltimore
sat with ono leg over the other knee, his back
against a tree, and his foot dangling in time to
q tune he was whistling. There sounded the
report of "A rifle, startlingly close, and the Balti-
more man yelled with pain. He had been shot
through the dangling foot by a person who
THAT fellow" said the guide. had n grudge
against me, and ! shall always believe that no
thought 1t was my foot he was shooting at
TO RELIEYE KLONDIKE MINERS.