South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-03-31
TEDDY" BELIEVED
IN EXISTENCE OF
ANDEAN MONSTER
Former President Even Con
sidered Expedition to Hunt
PlesiOsaurus.

odore Roosevelt believed there
might be some huge surviving amph-
- IAN in the jungles OF the Southern
1ndcse. such as recently has been
descrIbed in dispatches from South
America. and when the former pre-
sident went on his expedition which
discovered the River Of Doubt. he
had some idea Of looking for It,
John Barrett late director Of the
Pan-American union. and minister
10 Argentina during President
Roosevelt's administ alton has just
disclosed that part ~ Col RoOse-
velts expeditiouary plans which
hitherto are said 10 have been untold
"Onreading the first cable report
said Mr. Barrett. that Martin shelf
field. an American Of whom ] have
personal knowledge had reported
that he had seen what appeared 20
De- plesiosauriau monster or huge
amphiblau swimming I'm the waters
OF a southern Andcau jungle lake.
] recalled that nearly twenty years
ago in November 1908. when ! was
minister 20 Argentine. a cielr-hcad-
cd typical American prospector and
explorer. whose name I have forgot
ton came 20 the legation and i'm
convincing way. proceeded 10 relate
TO mo a story almost Identical with
that now reported recently hy
Sheffield. 70 the effect that he had
seen swimming i'm a lake. a huge
llzard-liSe monster with a curved
curved neck. His expert discussion
OF the mineral and timber resources
- the Andcan platcaus and plains
ii convinced me Of his sincerity and
responsibility. He urged me 90 help
him raise money I'm either Argentina
or the United States preferably the
latter 20 outfit and conduct an OK
petition 70 locate and capture this
extraordinary animal. and begged
me 20 write 10 President Roosevelt
about 81 and mention his name be-
cause ne had been associated in
some way with Roosevelt i'm the Cub
an campaiga.
Although ] gave him no promise.
he said he would call again short
ly afterward ! wrote President
Roosevelt a personal AMI unofficial
letter referring 10 this incident In
about a month and a half there
came in the legation pouch per-
sonal letter from the president writ
ten In his own hand writing and eK-
pressing real interest in the story
OF this American whom he said
ne well remembered and asking me
10 get without fail into touch with
him a. once and ask him 90 write
ali about what he had seen
The man meanwhile sent word
that he was of again on "A mineral
and timber prospecting tour I'm
southern Argentina and Chile, but
giving no address and no names Of
those he might represent.
I'm April. five months later just
before I went 20 Panama as first
American minister, I received a let
Nter from the prospector written from
ONE far away place I'm Chubut or
so-called Pata gonia lie was almost
enthusiastic IN his story Of how he
had again found a fresh trail of a
strange animal leading 10 the waters
OF a lake although he had not ac-
tually again seen the beast as i'm his
first expedition. This letter ! at once
forwarded TO President Roosevelt.
and I am wondering II IL is still i'm
his archives which many have been
NANrFl N4. DAllAN AlNtii nav ilNh e
received any further word from or
about this American prospector.
Possibly he may be alive and read
this and give the world some further
Information
When I returned TO the United
States the first salutation President
Roosevelt gave me AS 7 entered the
white house was Wei, old Pan
American. where is your Argentine
amphibian and what has happened
TO calling the mans
name. II is my impression that Rep.
Cannon and several other congress
men were In the room az the time
and they may recall this salutation
because everybody seemed amused
hy IT,
After tho departure of the others
the president Tor half and hour dis
cussed. as an enthusiastic naturalist
and scientist the possibility OF there
beins some huge surviving anphi-
hian defendant from the ancient
- plesioaurians and actually took
stock. so 10 speak. i'm the story or
the American prospector whom he
said he well remembered. 7 men
toned the incident 20 Secretary Loeb
as left the presidents Office and he
may possibly recall my conversation.
Years later when Colonel Roosc-
welt made his famous trip 90 South
America ne told me couhdeutialy.
Just before sailing. that. although
hc had never heard anything FUR
ther from this American proSpcctor.
should not be surprised IT, after
H.s /. 49,
90 make a special trip OF exploration
TO southern Argentina and Chile
ir the hope of asccrtainiug whether
the.e was any truth I'm these stories
OF this monster amphinbiar which
strongly appealed 90 him. He want
ed nothing said about 80 lest there
should be dIdecuIe II ne did not sue
coed
shortly before he left Buenos
Aires Argentina. for his notable
and possibly fatal trip Up the Par
ana and Paraguay rivers into the
heart or Brazil hc sent me word
through a mutual Argentine friend
that ne finally decided on the Bra
lian instead OF the Argentine eX-
p-0rinE expedition
After his return 20 America and
when he was recovering from the
poison and fever contracted i'm the
wild hot tropical jungle Of Brazil. I
saw him for LONE talk. when he
said Well while I am game and
u glad that ! discovered this unknown
river IN Brazil. I would probably be
FAR better physically II 7 had gone
30 The cooler region OF southern
Argentine and Chile and might