The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-09-11
Elmer FOrd'S
Famous Exploits

Oh AiHl6A HoAN9
wears has held the title OF the cham
pion bear hunter Of Green county ana
who, in his peculiar methods q track
ing and killing his quarry, could give
cards and spades to the mightiest nlm-
rods in the Adirondacks. MllhaM
Butts of East Windham enjoyed tne
reputation up to the time OF his death
Trophies Of his prowess are stii as
plaved in the Butts house, which ne
kept for many years and where ne naa
4 tame bear that in time became
hopeless victim OF strong drink. Butts
mighty as be was on the trail, never
did the things that made Elmer Foras
name q synonym for reckless courage
1t was Ford's contention that the
keenness Of the human eye was su-
perior to brute strength and brute couI-
age and he demonstrated this on many
occasions. AS many as 20 times ne
has entered bear den unarmed ana
chased the animal out after gazing AZ
him steadily for two minutes Ihat
was simply to prove that he possessed
hypnotic power which he could exert
at will. His great feat, however was
to enter den, crouch on allfours ana
compel the bear to leap over him anu
make for the open.
This was his invariable practice
when he was accompanied by green
horn for whom he was acting as guide.
IN the fall Of 1899 an Englishnan VINO
had hunted elephants in Africa ana
tigers in India visited the Catskills on
the strength Of story he heard on
shipboard that in the mountains oI
Green and Columbia counties could pc
found the fercest 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 a trai
on the south side Of Windham Higi
Peak and followed it for II hours
bringing up at nightfall in the thicl
. brush near the summit Of South noun
a tain. In the morning after night
rest wrapped in blankets in the shelte
Of a temporary shack, they came With
gnnshot of a full grown black hear. tn
Englishman was given the first sno
and tumbled bruin over with a shot !
the head. He was much disgusted
find that he had shot an animal weigl
ing about 400 pounds when he e
pected at least 500 pounds OF bear me
Il guess those people on the boi
were handing you a lemon, said For
This Is the wrong place to find grl
zlies. That bar is about as big as '
get EN-, but SO long as you're disa
pointed I'll try to show you some fur
There was an hours rest and
snack Of luncheon and Ford led t
way up the mountain side. 1t was
steep and wearisome climb, but all
reaching a clearing the guide point
to a big fiat rock between two trees
n Underneath that rock" said he,
a bar hole. see by the signs that
~ mister bar is to home. I'm goin in
get him. You stay here and watch
and when he comes out just give 1t
him"
Ford put his rife in the crotch Of
\ arm and crawled into the den on
fours. The Englishman watched h
/ and as soon as his eyes became
customed to the darkness he saw
cleaning eyes in the further end
the cave Ford advanced to wit
three feet Of the bears head and I
gave a sudden yelp. The bear, a
: male. leaped clear over his b
= dashed out Of the entrance to the
struck the Englishman in the q
and bowled him over. Before he g
recover the bear had dashed thro
the brush and was out of sight.
r. why didn't you shoot?" asked T
soon as he stopped laughing.
God bless mel" replied the Eng
~ man. Il never heard Of boarding
bear ln his den before. Indeed,
not sure there was a bear there al
n don't you know"
In the following autumn Ford i
wager that he would go into the n
tains and put a string Of bells ar
a bears neck He was gone two
When he came back he claimed
stakes. but the stakeholder sa
would be necessary to prove thi
had done what he agreed.
Wait said Elmer
TWO nights after that he led
men from Big Indian isl the si
Black Dome and pitched camI
the morning the camp was an al
by a commotion In the underbrus
big she bear came plunging dow
mountain frantic with fear appar
= for with every jump there was a
Of an old COW bell fastened aroun
neck. Behind her came two cubs
wearing a string Of leigh bells.
Thought l might as we'll do il
while was about it. said Elmer