The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-08-17
Elmer F0rd'S
Famous Exploits


Big Indian 10 East Windham the men
in the Catskills are saddened over The
departure OF Elmer Ford. who for 20
sears has held the title of the cham
pion bear hunter of Green county and
who in his peculiar methods Of track
ing and killing his quarry, could give
cards and spades to the mightiest MIN
rods in the Adrondacks William
Butts of East Windham enjoyed the
reputation up to the time Of his death.
Trophies OF his prowess are still dis
played in the Butts house. which he
kept for many years and where he had
tame bear that in time became q
hopeless victim Of strong drink. Butts,
mighty as he was on the trail. never
did the things that made Elmer Ford's
name a synonym for reckless courage
1t was Ford's contention that the
keenness Of the human eye was su
perior to brute strength and brute cour
age and he demonstrated this on many
occasions. AS many as 20 times he
has entered bear den unarmed and
chased the animal out after gazing at
him steadily for TWO minutes That
was simply to prove that he possessed
hypnotic power which he could exert
al Will His great feat, however. was
to enter a den, crouch on all-fours and
compel the bear to leap over him and
make for the open
This was his inyaliable practice
when he was accompanied by a green
horn for whom he was acting as guide.
In the fall Of 1899 an Englishman who
had hunted elephants in Africa and
tigers in India visited the Catskills on
the strength Of a story he heard on
shipboard that in the mountains Of
Green and Columbia counties could be
found the fiefeest and largest bears on
the American continent The visitor
brought an arsenal with him. and after
due inquiry engaged Elmer to take MIN
through the woods They struck q trail
on the south side OF Windham High
Peak and followed it for II hours
bringing up at nightfal in the thick
brush near the summit of South noun.
tain. In the morning after a nights
rest wrapped In blankets in the shelter
Of temporary shack they came within
gunshot Of a full grown black bear. The
Englishman was given ae FIRST shot
and Jumbled bruin over with a shot n
the head. He was much disgusted e
find that he had shot an animal weigh
ing about 400 pounds when he ex
pected at least 500 pounds Of bear met
II guess those people on the boa
were handing you a lemon said Ford
This Is the wrong place to find griz
zlies That bar is about as big as W,
get EN-, but so long as you're disap
pointed III try TO show you some fun.
There was an hours rest and
snack Of luncheon and Ford led th,
way up the mountain side. 1t was
steep and weansome climb, but afte
reaching a clearing the guide pointe,
to a big fiat rock between two trees.
Underneath that rock, said he, ii
! bar hole. see by the signs that oil
mister bar is to home. I'm goin in t.
get him. You stay here and watch M
and when he comes out just give It q
him
| Ford put his rife in the crotch of hi
: arm and crawled into the den on al
fours The Englishman watched hin
and as soon as his eyes became a,
customed to the darkness he saw tw
A.. cleaning eyes in the further end q
the cave. Ford advanced to With
r three feet of the bears head and the
e gave a sudden yelp. The bear. Il
male, leaped clear over his bacl
dashed out Of the entrance to the deI
4 struck the Englishman in the ches
. and bowled him over. Before he coul
recover the bear had dashed throug
the brush and was out OF sight
why didn't you shoot?" asked For,
as soon as he stopped laughing.
0 God bless mel" replied the Englisl
! man q never heard Of boarding th
bear in his den before. Indeed. / wa
r not sure there was a bear there at al
S don't you know"
In the following autumn Ford laid
wager that he would 90 into the mou
b tains and put a string of bells aroun
n bears neck. He was gone two day
! When he came back he claimed Il
stakes. but the stakeholder said
: would be necessary to prove that /
{. had done what he agreed
Wait" said Elmer
Two nights after that he led fol
men from Big Indian up the side
l. Black Dome and pitched a camp.
i The morning the camp was awakene
by a commotion in the underbrush.
+ big She bear came plupging down q
Il mountain frantic with fear, apparent
! for with every jump there was a claI
Of an old COW bell fastened around h,
y neck Behind her came two cubs, eat
= wearing a string Of sleigh bells
Thought | might as well do it rig
while was about it, said Elmer
a Ruskin's Long Sentences.
i Ruskin, it is said, has written mo-
sentences of inordinate length tbs