Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-03-28

keeps ducked and half dozen customers took dive
under the nearest table All sudden somethin hit me
like dive bomber pretty nearly knocked down, and
there Old Liberty perched on my shoulder screaming
at the world
That 4qas the way a few weeks age Saul Thompson
broad shoudered seaman the son. grandson and
great grandson who walked the quarterdecks of
their square rggers, told how he got back the big
bald eagle that had been his pet for years.
The reunion between himself and the affectionate
national bird occurred saul said few months ago IN
bar the Embarcadero district Of San Francscos water
wholly unexpected by himself as 1t was
NV pal Slinl-weve been shipmatcs for the
ycars-and had lunch Tony Lazzeris restaurant
said Saul and thought we'd have beer before taking in
a movie and going the ship. That's how we hap
pened into this particular bar Gosh was amazed
when that old bird did his stuff"
The story began than 20 years ago when Thomp-
SON then a fisherman living Great ChebeaGue Island
in Casco Bay near Portland Maine caught eaglet and
determined bring up the bird and tame it. long period
followed he allowed the eaglet food save what
he fed it personally He studied the methods used by
falconcrs tanning birds prey hooded the eaglet and
otherwise tanned its naturally fierce disposition
1t and patience before Saul had brought the
by then the bird longer an eaget but
a grown young ranger OF the upper sliesto point
of affectionate docilty. Furthermore Old Liberty,
him. had learned liberation of other
humans than his master and them although
the of occasional unwaIy cat small
dog good the neighbors losses.
However neither his trainer nor Old Liberty was
at home much master and bird usually aboard
coastng schooner owned by an uncle, on which Saul
mate Carrying lumber they usually cruised
out of Portland and as far south as Charleston and
Savannah
Whenever Saul went ashore Old Liberty went with
him properly hooded for otherwise he apt TO get
hustle city streets Occasionally longer
voyages the schooner would make New Orleans, where
the Charities street bars entertained the odd pair.
Many free drink came to Saul and his pals after
they had discovered that Old Liberty. he approved of
his surroundings would take drink of beer for which
purpose he would be Peched on the edge Of the bar and
unhoodcd
'of course we'd had to train him to take beer" said
a TSt Ia If
you know how he likes you there isn't hardly any
thing you can't eagle to do"
However there came time when the sailor tired Of
coast@ise sailing and took a job as bosun tramp
freighter Before he signed however, he got the
shippers permission take along Old Liberty
Soon saul and his eagle We're headed south and the
great bird 10 know well the watcfronts of Para,
Rio Janciro Sac Paulo and Buenos Ares.
The were well on the way TO becoming saga of
the Seven Seas when they parted The Maine sailor,
stranded IN Rio was compelled TO sell his bird.
sell Old Liberty sarve and I never did like
starving said saul explaining that then. ten years
ago he had hunch he would some day his pet.
And apparently. old Liberty, too, believed that he
would Doc restored his master The great bird had
toerod ctrosv AZ every customer entering the California
and had mistaken customer for ms old friend
so enthusiastically when he "dIycbombcd him the
surprised man did a dive himself but out the door
Since saul Thompson first hooked The eagle Rio
had been sold least IL times according the bars
proprietor His owners included a Chinese lgunIiyuau
Brazil planter f'au0 Who
used fly The bird private plane an houored
passenger. ON o these trips Panama Old Liberty
flew away and his scoWng owner returned 90 his
fields without him The birds grcgarous habits. how
ever finally brought hiJn 10 Colon bar where he
watched carefully as eyer for hls beloved owner.
Old Lncr'ys arrival Iu The san Francisco bar was
by way 81 various owners who lived Mexico city Tia
1uana and SAM Diego Before saul Thompson left that
san Francisco bar last summer he'd made a den. with
the proprietor today old Liberty ar, once
at and tho great American bird poroh,s himself
the ships rigging and screams defiance and insults at
enemy submarine anu planes alike.