Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-11-17
A LEAN BLACK BEAR
Escaped Death by Pres. Roose-
veIt's Trusty Rife
Only to Be Run Down by Dogs and
Later Killed by Guide.
President Left Post and Guide Collier
Is Assrieved.

Smedes, Mass, Nov. ia lean black
bear, which weighed 235 pounds, is
hanging up at the Presidents camp on
the Little Sunflower, but to the regret
of the entire party, the first trophy of
the hunt did not fall to the Presidents
Winchester. The bears trail was
struck by the hounds soon after the
party started Friday morning.
The members of the party, except the
President, Mr.. FOote, Mr. Parker and
Holt Collier had been stationed at the
various crossings and as soon as the
dogs gave tongue, the President and
his guides plunged through the dense
underbrush in pursuit. Within a few
minutes the dogs showed the direction
the quarry was taking and Holt Col
lier, with the instinct of an old bear
hunter, Immediately made up his mind
where the animal would come out.
To save the President needless hard
riding through the brush. he directed
Mr.. Foote to take the President along
the trail to d certain cut off. On their
way several swamp deer were jumped
up, bpt no effort was made to get
shot at them. Then for several hours
the President and Mr.. Foote waited.
The trail of the bear carried the
hounds out of hearing and shortly af-
ter noon Mr.. FOote abandoned hope
that the quarry would come back their
way and he and the President returned
to camp for lunch.
Had they remained the President
would have had a shot, as the bear
with the pack at its heels crossed at
almost the exact spot which Holt had
indicated.
About mile beyond this point bruin,
exhausted by his long race ran into a
| waterhole and turned upon the dogs
They were all over him in an instant
The poor beast was too much exhaust
ed to make much of a fight. but he
rabbed one of the hounds by the neck
and crushed it, killing it instantly. AS
| the bear was making a sweep with it's
paw ut another dog, Holt Collier jump
ed from his horse and with his rifle
knocked the game over with a blow on
| the head. A messenger was sent back
| for the President. Meantime Holt rOped
| the bear and tied him to a tree. When
| the President arrived he would neither
shoot it nor permit it to be shot.
Put it out of its misery" said he to
| SIR. Parker, and the latter ended it's
| life with his knife.
| On the way back to camp with the
dead bear the dogs struck a fresh trail
| and the President. Mr. Foote. Mr.. Man
| gum, Secretary Cortelyou and DR.. Lung
| followed it. The Associated Press cor
respondent arrived at camp just as
| Holt Collier with the bear slung across
the horses launches, descended the
river bank opposite.
IF the Colonel had stayed whar l
l put him." said the aggrieved Holt, he
would er done got this yere one.
| Mr.. Fish and Mr. Parker also re-
| turned to camp, but at dark there was
| no sign of the President and some
| anxiety was manifested lest the Presi-
dent in his enthusiasm would get too
| far away and be forced to sleep on the
| trail.
| The camp is admirably located under
| some big oaks on the edge of the Sun
| flower. The President expressed his
| satisfaction at the simplicity of the ar
| rangements His tent contains four
cots which were occupied. last night,
by himself. Mr. Fish. Mr.. Dickinson
and Secretary Cortelyou.
| None of the small army of newspaper
men and photographers who followed
| the President here succeeded in reach
| ing camp. Friday. The only newspaper
| men allowed there were the three Press
| Association representatives. who came
| with the party. All kinds OF eXpedients
| were attempted by the others to get to
| camp but without avail. Every train
| leading out of the woods was guarded
and no negro could be found who cared
| to risk making an attempt to guide.
Two outside newspaper men, however,
| did succeed in getting within half a
mile of camp but were stopped by two
| negro guards with guns.
| The correspondents left with vague
threats of legal proceedings against the
| guards, but as the camp and country
for miles around is the private property
of the Illinois Central. it is not prob
able that a legal action would stick.
| Bob Bobo telegraphs from Bobo sta
| ton that he could not bring his pack
| of dogs here, as he was engaged with a