The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-11-14
TO HUNT BEARS In PaIVATE
ROOSEVELT NOT TO BE INTER
RUPTED IN MISSISSIPPI.

Illinois Central Railroad Makes AR
rangemonts to Prevent Any One from
Obtaining n Horse OF Mule TO Ride to
the Presidents Camp-Party Don
Their Hunting Clothes aud Start for
the Camp.
Clarksdale, Miss, Nov. 1S.-President
Roosevelt was Joined at Memphis by
the members of the hunting party
President Stuyvesant Fish, of the Illi-
nois Central; General Counsel Dickin-
son, of the same road; John NJ. Parker,
of New Orleans; John McElhenny, for
merly lieutenant of the Rough Riders;
Major G. H. Helm, w. W. Mangum and
H. L. Foote. The latter three are Mis-
sissippi planters and well-known bear
hunters. Mr.. Foote Is considered one
of the best shots in the state. Mr..
Parker has had charge of the prepara-
tions for the hunt, and the president
appears to be greatly pleased with the
arrangements. The camp is located
fifteen miles east of Smedes, on the
banks of the Little Sunfiower river, in
a particularly unbroken wilderness.
There are no settlers for miles in any
direction. The oak, ash and cypress
forest is choked with an underground
of bud vines. A trail has been cut,
and the camp and horses have been
provided for the members of the party.
The camp itself consists of three sleep
ing tents and one cook tent. Hoke Col
lier, a negro who was a scout in the
Confederate army during the civil war,
and who afterwards acted as guide 4Dr
General Wade Hampton, has charge Of
the pack of hounds which has been at
the camp for a week. Among them is
the most celebrated bear dog in this
country. Collier, Mr.. Parker said, was
credited with having been in at the
death of 1000 bears. He is said to
have killed nearly $50 in a single sea-
son.
TT will be rough work." said Mr..
Parker.
"That is exactly what I want" re-
piled President Roosevelt.
I'VE will have bear meat for Sunday
dinner" added Mr.. Parker.
LET us get the bear before we ar
range for the dinner responded the
president, laughing heartily.
Mr.. Mangum and Hoke Collier are to
act as the presidents guides. A heav-
ily-wooded ridge beyond the Little Sum-
flower, where there is a chance for pam
ther as well as bear, Is to be tried first.
Later the hounds will be loosed in the
cane breaks in the swamps on this side
of the river. Mr.. Parker seems abso-
lutely certain that the president will
get a bear.
when We strike the TRAIL" said he,
1--WE will follow it until we get what
made it,
'That is the kind of talk I like to
hear" replied the president.
Secretary $Cortelyou and DR.. Lung
probably will not go out after bear, but
Mr.. Parker promises them little less
arduous sport in the form Of deer
drive. He says there are also plenty Of
deer in the woods
The president and the members of the
party donned their hunting clothes
aboard the train in order to be ready
for the horseback ride to the camp i'm
mediately upon arriving at Smedes.
An expedient has been adopted to
keep the curious away from the camp.
The country for miles around it's loca-
tion is owned by the Illinois Central
road, but of course there would be no
legal way of preventing the invasion
by onlookers. 1t would be, however.
practically impossible for any one to
reach camp on foot, and arrangements
have been made to prevent any one
from obtaining a horse or mule at
Smedes without a. permit. In this, way
the managers of the hunt believe that
privacy has been assured.
Smedes, Miss, Nov. 13.-President
Roosevelt and his party arrived here
shortly before o'clock this afternoon,
and in their hunting togs started soon
afterwards for the camp on the Little
Sunfiower river. AS the distance is
about. fifteen miles, and the trail is
rough and bad, the chances are that it
was after dark before they reached the
camp.
, Smedes is siding On the Yazoo and
. Mississippi Valley railroad, where cot
ton is loaded from the big Smedes
plantations. A plantation store and
the residence of one of the managers
are the only structures, except negro
cabins, in sight. Work on the neigh
boring plantations was suspended this
afternoon, and several hundred negroes
were. at the siding when the train STOP
ped Most of the men sat on the cot
ton bales, but the black mammies and
the pickaninnies stood along the track.
They showed their white teeth in broad
grins, but made no other demonstra-
tions as the president stepped from the
train. He was clad in hunting cos
tune, riding trousers, heavy leather
leggings, blue flannel shirt, corduroy
coat, and wore brown slouch hat.
Around his waist was buclSled his car
fridge belt, and at his side hung his
ivory-handled hunting knife.