The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-07-25
TANNER ESCAPES.
Colorado Game Wardens on
Governors Trail.
He Shot a Deer In Violation of
Law.
LEFT FOR CALIFORNIA
Officials Say They Will Catch
Him Coming Back.
Governor Said to Have Been
Ignorant of the Law.

O0DeQues 1OlO-s July A0-TONSi4 4AOA
Tanner of Illinois is safely out of the
state, despite efforts on the part of
game wardens to detain him for viola
tion of the game law in killing out of
season one four-pronged buck. Not
satisfied with the pelt of mountain
lion for his parlor, the executive of Hi
nois slew a young deer, and the Incl
dent promises to make trouble between
Colorado and Illinois.
The open season begins August Is
and one caught with deer in his posses
sion before that time may be committed
to jail for a period of from ten days to
six months, or be made to pay a fine of
from $40 to $500, or both. Even an at
tempted violation is sufficient to cause
arrest.
There was no concealment in Cover
nor Tanners offense, and the news was
promptly wired to the chief game war
den at Denver with a request for in
structions. The local wardens did not
care to arrest a visiting governor and
therefore took no action on the prem
ises.
1t is said Governor Tanner will re-
turn this way from California for which
state he boarded a train at GlenwOOd
Springs, and that on crossing the Utah
line coming east he will be served with
summons to appear before Justice He'd
den at GlenWOOd Springs.
DEER INSTEAD OF LION.
The governor was anxious to repeat
his experience with the mountain lions
and lay in wait all day for shot at
big fellow whose tracks had been dis
covered early in the day. The lion did
not appear and the brown-eyed deer
was sacrificed to the NalOr of the Vis
itOr. After the commission of the Of
fense the entire party hurriedly packed
and left Glen Beulah.
According to report the offense was
due to ignorance of the law, as it was
understood that the state exercised no
control over private preserves. Justice
Hedden asserts that the state jurisdic-
tiOn extends over the entire state with
out regard to ownership, and steps will
be taken to punish the offender.
Governor Tanner, before leaving, dis
counted his prOwess, but a member of
the party stated that the only lion
that was killed was landed by the gov
ernor.
ON THE LION HUNT.
The party, including Governor Tanner
Maurice Starne, T. s. Wood Z. N Prid-
dy, and Under Sheriff Long arrived at
the park last Thursday and on that
night lion visited the place and killed
a deer and a pony. Early next morning
the hunt up the gulches was cOmmenc-
ed but no trace of the lion was found
the first day Governor Tanner. how
ever brought down a lynx.
The next day the lions tracks were
followed UP the gulch two miles, when
suddenly it was scared from its lair by
the dogs. Then began the chase
Governor Tanner and Under Sheriff
Long led When the lion was first treed
two other members of the party fired a
it, but missed. A little later the lion
was treed again by the dogs and Cover
nor Tanner spied it first. He offered to
let the undersheriff take the lead, but
Long declined. The governor was about
225 yards away when he raised his rife
STEADY, governor" said Long. as he,
too, brought his rife to his shoulder in
order to have a shot should the COVER
nor miss.
KILLED AT FIRST SHOT.
Governor Tanner fired, and the bull
let entered the lions body below the
shoulder and pierced the heart. The
beast fell, and as it did so struck one
of the dogs, which yelped with pain
The governor hurried through the
brush with his rifle raised, ready to fire
again The lion, however, was dead.
The dead beast was taken to Grand
Junction, where it was placed in the
hands of a taxidermist. 1t weighed $50
pounds. and measured Z feet , inches
from tip to tip.
AS the governor gazed at his prize he
remarked: This is the acme of my en-
tire sporting life"
The governor was quite sunburnt and
was feeling better physically than for
some months. He proved game" dur
taking too arduous for him
Politics was not discussed during the
journey, but one of the friends of Gov
ernOr Tanner was heard to remark that
it would be Senator Tanner when
theV next met