The Cape weekly tribune. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1914, 1914-06-05
Articles Lost Fifty Years Ago While
On a Hunting Trip, Re-
stored to Owners
WILL EXHIBIT TREASURE
Cards Have Names of Three Well
known Citizens of
the Cape.

1t has been but few years since
the progressive tendencies of the
people of Southeast Missouri hive
been directed toward retaining their
sunken lands, by installing immense
drainage systems. Up to that time
the wild waste of dismal swamp and
gloomy wilderness formed blur
on the map of the great old state
as appalling and eXasperating to
the minds of the native populace
as any feeling of chagrin and dismay
that ever arose in the thoughts of
careful housewife at the sight
of splotch of fresh paint or an
overturned ink well on her favorites
piece of fine linen.
Great rivers carrying immense vol
umes of water came down from the
hills and poured their contents into
this low lying territory Thousands
and thousands of acres lay submerged
by cankering, putrid mass of stag
nant, murky liquid
Serving no useful purpose, this
great area formed an almost impene-
trable retrest and breeding place for
the most loathsomc and repugnant
of reptiles. Great poisonous snakes,
alligators and gars, wriggled and
squirmed, splashed and spluttered
amongst the reeds and buck brush,
while the conditions above and around
were made hideous by the screeches
and screams of strange and ferocious
beasts and birds unknown to sec
tions less wild
Men whose actions had made them
q menace to civilization sought refuge
from the mighty arm of justice within
the forbidding rcccsses of these un-
inviting haunts. Driven to desparc-
ton through unrelenting pursuit and
determined effort to bring them to
answer for their crimes, many bounded
fugitives, as last resort, sought safe
ty in these disease laden, pest ridden
precincts. Most of them met with
fates even more tragic than could be
conceived through the use of the
hangmans moose or the pitiless bull
lets from the guns of an angry mob.
Disease, grim and horrible, seized and
destroyed most of those not fortunate
enough to fall sudden victims OF the
wicked fangs of poison reptiles or
the hungry jaws of savage beasts.
The few who did excape were always
glad to avoid continuation of such
tfxytn hnr inn nd
turned to pay the penalty and make
amends for the legal infractions of
which they had been guilty
Directly adjacent and in close
proximity to this great natural cess
pool known as the "Old Field"
parts of which even at this time are
inaccessible, were to be found here
and there slight ridges and elevations
that stood above the ordinary stages
of water with which the section gem
orally was inundated throughout the
year. On these hummocks and bumps
were erected shacks which were oc-
cuped by hunters during the game
seasons.
The stories told by some of these
adventures in relating their experience
es while lost in this immense, bewil-
dering waste of muddy jungle, were
of such character as to create feel
ings of doubt in the minds of the
most creduous and shake the steadi-
est nerves of the most fearless lis
teners.
For many vars the old town of
Cape Girardeau formed the base of
supplies for the daring and daunt'ess
trappers who saw fit to tempt fate
each Fall and enter this gloomy
little world of wilderness and despair,
there to spend the drcary winter in
the pursuit and capture of fur bear
ing animals with which the dense
forests on the higher ground abounded
Every Spring when they returned to
dispose of their seasons catch new
experiences were clated, and proofs
of convincing and conclusive nature
were produced to Substantiatc their
claims. One man told in grucsomc
detail of IA personal conflict with an
enormous batlikc bird that had at
tackled him when he venturcd too
far into the slushy mirc, in an en-
dcavOr to secure a specimen of marsh !
corn which he stated grew in the !
most remote and swampy sections, |
the stalk often attaining hight of |
more than fifty feet. As evidence of |
the cncuIntrr. the end of his nose |