Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1914-11-19

NUM- OtnerS WHO met me aIter
n | reached Canada were four
state of Maine game Wardens.
c. and they were all fine men.
They assured me that l would have a
free passport through the state. They
got in touch with the commissioners at
Augusta, who through them invited me
to the Natural History hall in the cap
itol, where q reception was to be held
in my honor.
Tie people of Augusta accorded me
a tremendous receptiOn-one that l
shall never forget-and when cur par
~ arrived at the statehOuse hundreds
Of people had gathered for the affair
First Of all | called on the fish and
game commission in the office of the
chairman. Scarcely had the doors
closed when cold blJoded transaction
followed The chairman summoned
one of his clerks, who read off the vari-
GUS fines attached to the killing OF
game out Of season. Then l was asked
what | had killed. l gave this infor.
nation, and the chairman took down
the various things that l mentioned.
Then turning to me be said, at will
cost you $205, Mr. Knowles"
Members of my party stepped up and
assured the commissioners that the
fines would be attended to just as soon
as the party arrived in Boston, and
was escorted into the Natural History
hall, where the people were waiting to
schedule the time was very limited,
and presently | left the hall in the
waiting automobile in order to keep an
appointment with the mayor and make
train connections for Portland.
AS | started through a lane of peg
pie through the street one of the com
missiOners dashed down the steps and
announced that the chairman had de-
cided that | must give bonds before l
left the statehOuse.
But that matter will be attended to
just as soon as we arrive in Boston,"
protested the man who was engineer
ing the party. I'VE are on schedule,
and every minute is precious"
In spite of this the commissioners in
sisted. so | went back to the office
where the attorney general was wait
ing with the chairman.
But they are on schedule. Mr.. Com
missioner, and they haven't got time
said the attorney general.
We'll make time" declared the
chairman. with every ounce of author
ity that his Office allows.
However. to make long story short.
a spirited conference followed. and |
was allowed to depart to catch my
train after | had affixed my signature
to the document that gave me free
passport through Maine. This also
contained q clause to the effect that
would pay all fines for what game
had killed.
Afterward two of the commissioners.
for whom | have the highest regard.
came to me and said they were sorry
that such thing had happened. They
told me they had been in favor Of
granting me a permit in the first place,
but that they had had to give in to the
chairman of the board.
Such, through the admission of the
majority of the board of fish and game
commissioners, is the condition of the
state of Maine today. The majority of
the board is controlled by the minority.
| suffered more mentally during my
last ten days in the forest than at any
other time This suffering was not
due to the fact that wanted to go
out before my time was up, but rath-
er because of fear that | might be
molested by game wardens before |
had lived my two full months in the
forest.
After | had killed my bear | won
dered at various times just how the
game wardens and the fish and game
commissioners would act. However,
after | had got my deer the thought