The New York herald., 1920-01-24
Mr.. Gamers Death Stops Scheme for
an Ape Colony.
/Spsci0L Dssndfch to the RsrohI

Mr.. Gamers Death stops Scheme Tor
an Ape Colony.
Especial Despatch to the Herald)
BALTIMORE, Md. Friday.-The death
OF Professor Garner. in Chattanooga.
to his son Harry e. Garner, who lives
here. Professor Garner had decided to
spend his remaining years on the coast
of the Congo, where, with Clark Abbott
10 New York attorney, ne had arranged
to establish an ape colony
This colony was to be made up OF Chin
panzees, anthropoids and babboons, and
In fact, all simian species. His last years
we're to be devoted to writing on the sub
ject of simian habits and sound communi-
cations.
He was on his way to Florida and Cuba
when he was seized with q heart attack,
according to a letter to his SON. He had
gone to see his sister. Mrs. George Tor
bett, OF Bristol, Tenn, and was on his
way to Florida to meet Mr.. Abbott when
he was fatally stricken. The two had ar
ranged to stop over in Cuba for few
weeks and then to set out on their mission
Mr. Garner, or Professor Garner, as
he was generally known. was regarded by
apes and his remarkable researches and
tests furnished added arguments to the
adherents of Darwin as to the descent OF
man and the development of the human
race. For years he lived in the jungles
of Africa to study the habits of chin
panzees and gorIlias at close range.
At one time in the African wilds he
confined himself in a cage hoping thus
to be in a position to distinguish the
various ''eeks" and "wa-hoos" of the
monkey and gorilla and learn the mean.
ing they actually conveyed. After making
Photographic records of the calls of the
pes, Professor Garner returned to the
United States and declared that these
animals of the jungle had a near Ian.
euage and could communicate with one
another
He asserted that the apes had more
or less abbreviated form of mans speech
conta lining only seven groups of SOUND
as against the 40 of the human tongue
He further said that tests he had made
convinced him that certain distinct sound:
really we're words of monkey language
Professor Garner made trips into the
jungle for the New York Geological Park
and the Smithsonian Institution. He
brought many chimpanzees and gorillas
to America. which were exhibited in AL
pdTtS Oh the country DeIOTe SclcnllIlt
bodies.
Last November Professor Garner
brought a suit in the New York Supreme
Court against Photographic concern for
distributing picture of a Chicago anima
keeper kissing an ape, with legend un-
derneath. saying that Professor Garner
had just returned from Africa. At that
time he emphatically denied that he had
ever kissed an ape, and said that he con-
sidered such thing dangerous.
In his Chicago home for years he kept
many animals captured in the jungle
They were treated as his friends and
never chained. but allowed to roam about
the house. He employed helpers whose
duty it was to see that the animals
had every attention and also that they
were tucked in when they went to bed.
Mr.. Garner was born in Southwest Vir-
ginia about sixty-five years ago: After a
common school education he began row.
ing life in the West as railroad employe
and a cowboy. For a short time he was
with circus in business capacity and
here began his interest in animals. Later
he was a teacher in Roanoke College, at
Salem, Va.
His interest In animals, however, soon
caused him to quit teaching and go on
his first trip to Africa with an animal
trader.
(For other Obituaries See Page Eight.
Part 0nel