Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-08
ROOSEVELT INVITES HIM
Chosen From List of Scientists and
Naturalists.
PROSPECT HE FINDS EXCITING
Party Leaves New York March %
Presidents Companion Knows
Mexico, Alaska and Other
Lands

Los ANGELES. Cal. November AT
tracted by the remarkable achievements
of Edmund Heller in his explorations OF
strange and little known lands. President
Roosevelt has selected this twenty-siN-
year-old Riverside. Cal, youth from lists OF
hundreds of scientists and naturalists OF
the nation who aspired to the place TO ac
company him into the wilds of Africa
next March.
The honor came to young Heller unso-
licited and unexpectedly. The fact of his
selection was first learned when his
mother. Mrs. Marion Heller of Riverside,
received letter from the youthful a.
plorer in which he declares that the Pres
ident has sent him cordial invitation and
requested the State University Museum
authorities to release him for a year SO
that he can accompany the Roosevelt
expedition.
Heller has Travelled extensively in Mex
leo, Central America. South America,
Alaska and other lands.
Heller's Letter to Mother.
Hellers letter to his mother reads:
All tiAlS HdpptuGQ d lew weeks
ago and / have consequently grown more
or less excited. President Roosevelt wrote
Miss Alexander for my release that /
might accept his offer To accompany him
to Africa KIT March.
A few days ago | received long let
ter from the President concerning his
plans and expressing his pleasure at my
acceptance. He seems to have a rather
exaggerated view of my value.
Il believe he received most of his in
formation about me from DR.. Merriam of
the United States biological survey. But
I am not at all certain about this.
If 1 go, my chief work will be taking
care of the large game and supplying ad-
vice at the start. Later. on our return,
may classify part of the collection.
which will be deposited in the National
Museum at Washington.
1.-THE party consists OF the President
and his son Kermit, DR.. Means. United
States Army director and a well known
naturalist. and K. A. Loring, a field nat
uralist. Mr.. Roosevelt and his son will
do all the shooting of big game. Loring
will collect animals.
Colleague Of Naturalist.
DIR. Means will be the chief naturalist.
l am selected as his colleague. AS /
have not yet heard from DR.. Means. |
am still uncertain about some of the de-
tails.
The party will leave New York March
% and go direct to Naples and thence TO
Mombassa. Most of our time will be
spent in British and German East Africa,
in the central elevated portion, with
which 1 am already familiar.
LAS I am the only member of the party
who has had African experience, I fear
that considerable advice and some re-
sponsibility will be expected of me. am.
however, delighted with the prospect Of
travelling with a man who is SO universal
ly admired for his character and ability
And / only hope that I may be Of real
assistance to him.
THE trip will last one year and will
begin in British East Africa From there
we shall go to German East Africa and
thence to Uganda and down the Nile to
Khartum and on by steamer to Cairo.
1 shall not leave for Washington until
January"
BERKELEY, Cal. November Ed
mund Heller, when seen at the University
of California today, confirmed the report
that he had been engaged to accompany
the President to Africa.
Edmund Heller has been an empIoye of
the Agricultural Department.
A reporter for The Star called at the
home of C. Hart Merriam last night but
was unable to see him, as he was ILL
Mrs. Merriam asked her husband what
he knew about the story from Los Ange-
les, but all he would say was that he
knew Heller.