The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-01-16

Vice President-elect Roosevelts noun
tain lion hunting trip is destined 20 be
known as one of the most versatile ex-
petitions of the kind in hunting annals,
the versatility embracing not only the
strenuous Ex-Governor, but the press
agents as well, especially the press
agents. This is seen in the stories of the
first chase and killing which have come
out from Keystone Ranch, Col
The chase occurred last Saturday morn
ing, and the result was the bagging of
beautiful young lion. The New York Sun
has a picturesque account of it, The lion.
after run of some miles, was chased up
a tree by the dogs. The hunters all
said that Roosevelt should have the
shot, but, magnanimously, he insisted
upon drawing lots. He won, however.
Now, 'Tf you see it in the Sun, it's So
Let the Sun proceed, therefore: "As he
raised his rifle to fire the beast sprang
from the tree. A bullet from the Colonel's
rife met him in mid-air, passing through
the neck and breaking the spine. DR.. Ger
aid Webb was struck by the animal as
it fell, was knocked to the ground and
severely scratched about the shoulder and
arm. lie was on his feet in an instant,
however, and the lion lay dead before
him"
Observe, now, that the beast was wing
ed in mid-eir by the unerring bullet of
the mighty hunter. and that the projec-
tile had taken course through
It's body similar to that of the famous shot
of Admiral Dewey through the Spanish
flagship in Manila Bay-from stem to
stern. Note too, that as the body fell it
knocked DR.. Webb down. and that he
suffered scratches.
The motto of MIR. Pulitzers paper is:
Accuracy. accuracy, accuracy" The
Worlds account gets the lion in the tree,
and makes it jump out in desperate eff
fort to escape. ut landed a few feet
from DR.. Webb" continues the ."accu-
rate" narrative, land, although he was
ready 10 shoot, he was in position where
it would have been impossible for him to
have killed the animal save after a hand
to-hand struggle" At this juncture
Roosevelt raised his rifle and did execu-
ton upon the beast. Webb wasn't
scratched, but Roosevelt undoubtedly
saved him from a good scratching.
"All the News that's Fit to Print"
says the Times. The Times sticks to the |
mid-air craftsmanship version. THE ball |
struck true" it says. THE men scatter
ed quickly as the beast hit the ground,
INr Val 3,
threw themselves upon the lion and |
quickly dispatched him" How droll! The |
ball that Struck true" left it for the |
dogs to kin the game! And Webb didn't |
get blow or a scratch, or even a chance
for a hand-to-hand fight Evidently the
Times thought that news not eft to
print" Does ii not appreciate the siren
uous life?
The Press, which is an administration
paper and may therefore be relied upon
to have an authorized version, throws
more OF ginger into the story. The an
CRY and impatient lion" it says, "sprang
snarling into the air towards the little
party" The unexpected attack discon-
certed the hunters; that is, all except the
gallant Col. Roosevelt He stood his
ground. The man who single-handed chas-
cd the Spaniards out of Cuba was not
going to sprint from mountain lion.
1.-THE Colonel hastily threw his rifle to
his shoulder and fired, striking the lion
while he was yet in mid-alr The dogs
and the lion mixed it for few mo-
ments," when all was over with the lion
Webb wasn't in it at all
From these interesting accounts OF an
interesting hunting incident the couclu-
sion may be drawn that the first days
chase was productive OF one mountain
lion and some mountainous lynn.
-e-p-s-
Now the Constitution and Journal arc
into the midst Of "a no. ana heavy edi-
tolial night over whether The janitor Of the
Atlanta city Hall shalt be retained in Of