The Audubon Societies 



51 



several murders, have robbed trains and 

 otherwise made a reign of terror in that 

 locality. The people of the community 

 lack courage to take the initiative in wiping 

 them out. That is about all we know at 

 present, but we may know more later. — 

 James Henry Rice, Jr., Secretary. 



Third Audubon Warden Murdered 



Mr. Columbus G. McLeod, of Placida, 

 Florida, who had charge of the birds 



case has been secured, as the body has 

 not been found. The Association boat 

 was discovered sunk, and to keep it down 

 two heavy sacks of sand had been fastened 

 under the thwarts. In the boat was dis- 

 covered the warden's hat with two long 

 gashes in the crown, which had evidently 

 been cut with an axe. In the cuts were 

 bits of hair and considerable blood, 

 and there was also blood found in the 

 boat. It is supposed that the body of the 

 warden was sunk in the boat, l)Ut after- 



HOME OF WARDEN McLEOD, NORTH END CH.XRLOTTE HARBOR, FLA. 



breeding at the north end of Charlotte 

 Harbor, and especially the large colony 

 on Devil Fish Key, is supposed to have 

 been murdered on November 30. Mr. 

 McLeod was a man nearly si.xty years of 

 age, a bachelor, who had long been a 

 resident of the locality in which he lived, 

 and was, from all accounts, deeply inter- 

 ested in birds, in addition to his being 

 one of our most reliable wardens. The 

 Association had furnished him with Patrol 

 Boat No. 5. 



Verv little information resarding this 



ward floated out and carried to sea by 

 the tides, which are very strong in that 

 part of Charlotte Harbor, and it is un- 

 likely that his body will ever be found, 

 as it is probable that it was devoured by 

 sharks and other flesh-eating fish. 



It is not known certainly whether the 

 warden was killed because of his bird- 

 protection work, or for some other reason, 

 although it is surmised that robbery was 

 not the cause, as the contents of his house 

 were not disturbed. 



This Association has spent thousands. 



