Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-02-28
AND TEDDY GOT OUT, TOO.
President Ordered From CornfieId by
Irate Farmer.

ordered off a farmers corn field ir
southern Oklahoma and threatened
with arrest for trespassng. The in
cident occurred during the PRESIDENT
Ilobo wolf hunt in Oklahoma Territory
in April, five years ago, and outside
of some of the men who were with
the hunting party at the time, the
incident has remained a secret.
Col Roosevelt and party had beer
in camp on the Red River several
days. participating in wolf hunts, and
John r. Abernathy, now United States
marshal of the western district OF
Oklahoma, had already performed the
feat of catching a live wolf with his
bare hands. AS a rule the chase oc-
CURED in the early morning, and on
the particular day the hunt was pro-
longed several hours because Of the
cunning of the wolves and coyotes
in outwitting the hunters.
1t was a fleeing coyote, in fact, that
got the president in trouble. The
animal made a sudden swerve from
the Indian reservation and entered
corn field, where the young plants
were just beginning to give the sur
face a green tint. Abernathy and
Col. Roosevelt were in the lead, with
several troopers Of the Sth Cavalry
from Fort Sill military post, close be-
hind. and some members Of the party
quickly cut the wires Of the fence and
over it the hunters went pell-mell
Instantly the farmer owner Of the
land appeared.
"Here, You Fellows, Get Out"
Here, you fellows, get out Of this
field. You have no right in here, and
besides, you are tramping down my
corn. Get out of mere or I'll have you
arrested"
His threat had the desired effect or
the hunters, for with due apologies
to the irate farmer, they withdre"
and the coyote escaped. Some Of the
troopers remained behind to help the
farmer mend his fence, and informed
him that he had ordered the presi-
ueHt ol tHe OHiIeu S'n'SS A -
land. .,
| The presidents big wolf chase took
place on the Oklahoma side Of the
Red River, in what was then the
Comanche Indian pasture reserve, ar
Immense tract of 100000 acres, which
was set aside by congress for the In
dams when their reservation was open
ed to white settlement In 1901. The
reserve was known at that time az
the big Pasture" and by the old
timers in Oklahoma is still so desig'
mated. 1t was chosen for the hunt be-
cause of the number Of fierce LOOKING
lobo wolves that infested the Rec
River bottom, especially on the Okla
homa side, where the immense re-
serve gave them ample protection
even in time of the chase, such a.
Col. Roosevelt and his party enjoyed
Caught by Abernathy.
| One cowman, who had a part OF
the reserve under lease at that time
estimated the number OF lobo wolVe:
lin that locality at seven hundred, al
of which had their lairs along the
rivers and streams extending north'
ward to the Wichita mountains. Only
a month prior to the presidents visi
the biggest of these wolves was caught
by John Abernathy, who later con-
Quoted Col. Roosevelt's hunt. Ever
at that time Abernathy was known
throughout southern Oklahoma anc
Texas as a most expert hunter, ano
for months he had his eyeunununI
for months he had had his eye on the
monster lobo band, which had sue
ceeded in outwitting all Of the hunt.
ers and dogs in that community
When Abernathy heard Of the presl'
dents intended visit to the pasture
reserve he determined upon the cap
lture of this monster wolf and wa:
finally SUGGEST full, after the dogs hal
cornered the animal in his den
Abernathy announced that his specia
wolf was for the presidents own sport
and would be turned loose for one cl
the big hunts during Col. Roosevelt's
sojourn in Oklahoma.
| Abernathy was recommended to Col
Roosevelt as a good guide for III:
hunt in Oklahoma by Col. Cecil Lyon
national Republican committeeman
for Texas The president had made
known to Col. Lyon, during one of hi:
visits to the White House, that he tx.
pected to hunt wolves in the south
west, and when asked in regard to
guide, Col. Lyon Immediately suggest
ed that John r. Abernathy would bt
the most suitable man in the south
west Without further investigation
the president accepted Col. Lyon:
suggestion. Immediately AbernathS
assembled a number Of cow ponie!
and a great pack Of wolf hounds. ant
ready for the presidents arrival. Two
Of these ponies, the property o.
Abernathy, were recently ridden acros:
the country from Guthrie to New
York city by the two young Aber'
nathy boys.
Fierce Man-eaters.
Lobo wolves are the only wolves ir
the southwest which will attack man
kind. The timber wolves come acros:
from western Texas at certain season:
of the year and are very destructive
to stock, as they hunt in packs, anG
these have been known to attack
man when a pack Of them run across
a man on foot, but the lobo is said
| to be the only wolf which will at
tack a lone man without the aid OF
other wolves. This is only done
however, when the wolf is very hun
cry and the man is caught alone and
unarmed on the range.
The loboes in killing stock do not
hunt in packs, but in a family or pair
| ~-'~s'
range alongside the COW or steer, one
wolf on each flank, and they drag
the animal to the ground. Where a
wolf is alone, his mate having been
killed, his method in killing a big
steer is singularly an easy one. He
first cuts the tendons Of the steers
hind leg by a sudden vicious snap OF
his sharp teeth. The steer sinks down
and the wolf cuts his throat with
another sharp snap.
Land Opening was Desired.
| At the time that President Roosevelt
visited Oklahoma the people of the
southwestern portion Of the state were
making a campaign to have the big
Pasture" opened to white settlement
and they believed his visit would aid
them afterward in getting the desired
result. A bill was pending at the time
in congress, but had failed of passage.
The Big Pasture" contained l,l56
farms of 100 acres each, and, when
finally sold. brought to the Indians
the amount of $2,500,000, President
Roosevelt afterwards advocating the
opening Of the land, and it was dur
ing his administration that it was sold
to the white settlers. Today 1t is one
Of the best agricultural tracts in the
/