Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-04-17
TRAGEDY B4nK
OF / OC'S vi I'll
STRANGE ACTION OF ANIMAL IN
THE IDAHO PANHANDLE DIS
TRIcT sTIRs INTEREST.

Spokane, Wash, April 16.-Where
the chill winds sweep and the snow
swirles and drifts and forms great
overhanging combs to creak into
slides with the approach of spring
dog maintains its lonely vigil on the
summit of the ridges radiating from
the st. Joe divide in the Occur d. Alene
country. in the panhandle of Idaho,
east of Spokane. Although parties
have searched the hills no one has
been able to solve che mystery of the
CANNES faithful watch, but enough is
known to justify the belief that the
spot was the scene of a tragedy and
that when the snow melts under the
CHINOOK winds and the July sun an
other remarkable instance of a dogs
devotion to its master, even unto
death. Will have been recorded.
Frank Hathaway, linotype operat-
Or employed by The Press at Wallace,
Idaho, in the heart of the slver-lead
mining district, crossed the trail over
the st. Joe divide returning from
hunting trip before the first snow
fell last fall While passing through
large growth of timber below the
divide he heard reports Of a shot gun
fired as fast as it could be loaded, and
then rifle chimed in. Forty shots
were fired in rapid succession. Hath
away saw no one in the wild region,
but spoke of the incident to M. Liv-
ingston, prospector, living in a
cabin several miles down the trail.
Livingston says he heard the plain
tive bowling of dog coming from far
up the mountain that night. Again on
the succeeding night the dog howled,
and on the fourth night after the
shooting strange dog was seen skulk-
i'm about Livingstons cabin as if in
search of food. He fled at the pros
nnfH owe ,1lo l,,,% 1arE
side the shack disappeared during the
night. Every night since that time the
dog has been fed but never will let
anyone approach him.
A few weeks after the shooting the
first blizzard of the winter swept over
the mountain and after three days of
storm the ground was left covered
with six feet of snow. Still the lonely
dog made trips to the cabin each time
returning to the mountain top.
When snow had succeeded snow and
the cold clear weather of the latter
part of January crusted the snow so
that it would bear the weight of a man
Livingston climed the mountain to
find the hiding place of the dog. The
dogs frequent trips made trail which
was plainly visible md after trailing a
mile above the cabin the dog was
found lying in the shelter of a bush,
making it's bed in the snow. The ami
NAL fled at the approach of Livingston
but returned when the man was de-
parting.
When Livingston made known the
story Of the dogs faithful vigil on the
barren crest scores of residents of
Wallace visited the mountain top. The
mystery became the topic of general
conversation in Wallace and all old
time pioneer residents We're agreed in
the belief that the body Of the dogs
master lies buried beneath the snow.
Ranger Pulaski, Of the Occur d Alene
more than 100 men armed with shovels,
the spot the dog was guarding. The
snow was seven feet deep and al
though the men cleared small plot
of ground, their search was futile. AS
the bush in which the dog sought
shelter was the only one to be found
in radius of several hundred feet the
members of the searching party decid-
ed that the body of the man may be
at any point on the summit
Four months have elapsed since the
dog began its vigil and the reports Of
two guns re-echoed on the mountain
top. Contrary to every trait in canine
nature except that of faithfulness, the
dog has remained at this one spot
sleeping in snow and ice and travel
ing down the steep mountain side for
it's food. Every man in Wallace is Of
the belief that when July's hot sun
clears away the mantle of the snow
covering the bleak height. the body
of the dogs master will be uncovered.