0CT.:i6, 1897.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
307 
panioD, -wheii I heard a smothered squeal from the rabbit, 
and immediately after there was quite a rustling down in 
the hole. Thinking that our fleet friend was coming out, I 
retreated backward in order to be at the proper distance 
when he should show himself. 1 had gone but a few yards 
when he slowly crawled out of the hole with a mink on his 
back that had its teeth fast in the poor rabbit's neck. With- 
out stopping to think I took a hasty aim and fired at the 
struggling mass, and killed them both so dead that they 
hardly gave a dying kick. 
;;;^s these notes are partly a record of confessions of what I 
now believe to have been not just up to the mark, viewed 
from the standpoint of ethics of the field, I may as well get 
the burden of that mink skin oflE my mind. 
Our storekeeper was rather close-fisted, and always tried 
his best to drive a good bargain; and just previous to the, 
shot recorded above he had bought of me a prime mink skin 
that I had learned was worth $2, but he had given me for 
it only $1.50. Of course this rankled, and came forcibly to 
mind wnen 1 was skinning this one. Not only thoughts of 
the trade bothered me, but I was much put out to find this 
skin, otherwise a good one, to be so full of shot holes that it 
was nearly worthless. I cured it, however, and took it 
down to the store one evening when the proprietor, after 
glancing at it, offered me, as he said, the usual price, $1.50, 
which 1 took without a banter. When he sold his peltry this 
skin only brought 25 cents, and he came down on me for the 
balance; but I declined to respond, and thus I made an 
enemy for life. Of course I now realize the turpitude of this 
transaction, and sincerely hope that in view of my youth 
and inexperience no part of it will be laid up against 
me. 
Once, when hunting rabbits in a large swamp, I placed 
my companion near a little run that entered the swamp and 
took my station at a similar run some 50yds. below in plain 
sight of him. The dog soon had one going, and after a turn 
or two in the swamp the rabbit made straight for my com- 
panion. 1 saw him as the chase came nearer brace up and 
Willi a tighter grip on the old gun he raised it nearly to his 
shoulder, and with one foot advanced, his body bent for- 
ward, stood there ready for the fray. When he caught 
sight of the quarry he deliberately drew a bead on him and 
pulled the trigger, then stood still for a few seconds, then, 
dropping his gtm, bounded through the brush at his best 
speed, meantime yelling for the dog at the top of his voice. 
Thinking that the rabbit was only wounded, 1 hastened to 
him and was greatly surprised to meet him coming out of 
the brush with the rabbit in one hand and a grouse in the 
other, both stone dead ; of course he knew nothing of the 
grouse until he heard it fluttering, and even then he did not 
realize just how matters stood until he arrived oa the spot; 
but tliat evening, when we gathered around the big stove at 
the store, he not only saw the partridge all the time, but 
quietly waited until the rabbit was inline, as he had only a 
single-barreled gun and wanted them both. Of course I 
had to back up his statement, although I am now sorry that 
I did so, as I bave since learned that it is very unsportsman- 
like to vary in the least from the cold facts and literal truth 
when telling or vouching for any performance afield. 
VVhile upon the rabbit question I may as well tell about 
the one that Cud shot our of a tree. His full name was 
Benry Caldwell, but every one called him Cud. He was 
about one-half farmer and one-half shoemaker, and all a 
jolly good fellow, with a pat story or anecdote for every oc- 
casion. Cud loved to hunt and was usually afield once or 
twice a week as .soon as his farmwork for the fall was done. 
One morning as I was starting lor the big swamp to have a 
rabbit hunt 1 met a young friend who wished to go with me, 
and as an inducement for me to consent he said thai, his folks 
had a cat to dispose of, and that he would take it in a bag 
and when we came to a good place we would let it out and 
give Milo a run. This suited me, as Milo was an excellent 
cat dog, and between us we had about cleared our section of 
country from that pest of the forest, the common house cat 
run wild. Just before we arrived at the big pasture, our 
cbosen coursing ground, a rabbit jumped close to us and 
after a few leaps squatted u^der a small bush. I was about 
to let him have it when Tommy, my companion, begged for 
a shot, and 1 handed him the gun and gave him instruction 
how to use it. Resting it over a big stone be blazed away, 
and greatly to his deligut killed the rabbit. 
Milo came in at tiie report of the gun, and as we were 
nearly to the pasture 1 kept him at heel. Some ten rods 
from the fence stood a big while oak tree,, nearly 4ft. through, 
with not a limb for more than 20ft., when there was a dead 
branch about 6in. in diameter that stuck straight out about 
4ft., where it was broken ofl:. Making for this tree, I held 
Milo while Tommy laid down his rabbit, and letting the dog 
have a sniff at the cat he took the bag about 30yds.- away, 
and shaking out the cat, whacked her wiih the bag, giving 
her a good send-off, when 1 slipped Mdo, who went for her 
for all he was worth. But our tun was short-lived, for the 
blamed cat just took a half circle at her best gait and came 
back to the tree, and went up it about l^in. ahead of the 
dog, and never stopped until she reached the dead limb, 
when she crawled out nearly to the end of it, and curled up 
and watched the dog, who was barking his very best. Tom- 
my came back disgusted, and proposed to go and find some 
stones and pelt her off; but 1 said, ' No, it is cruel to throw 
stones at a cat; let us go back the proper distance. A charge 
of shot always fetches them." So we went to a clump of 
hazlewood bushes some 40yds. away, and I was just 
ready to fire when 1 saw Cud running toward the tree. 
Laying down the gun, we crouched under the bushes 
and awaited events. Alilo had kept up his barking, 
which had attracted Cud, who made for the tree, expect- 
ing to find a squirrel. When he arrived within about 
40yds, he spied tne cat, and as quick as a flash the old gun 
came to his shoulder and he blazed away. The cat sprang 
^more than lOft, from the tree, and as she struck tbe ground 
she pulled just the best she was able with Mlo about a rod 
behind her, also putting in his best licks and gaining at every 
jump, and as they went into a little hollow 1 saw the cat go 
into the air some 4 or 5ft., and as I knew what that meant, 
I turned to see what Cud was up to. He was loading his 
gun, and as so«n as he had returned the ramrod he started 
toward the tree, and as his eye fell on Tommy's rabbit he 
dropped his gun, and grabbing the rabbit he pulled out his 
jack knife and cut its throat. This performance almost 
lelched me, but i somehow managed to hold in, but I had to 
grip Tommy by the windpipe ana hold on or he would have 
spoiled the tun. How that boy did laugh when I let up on 
him after Cud had gone, in fact I was not far behind him, 
and both of us was very near hysterics. To see Cud as he 
looked at his prize and then at the big tree, shaking his head 
as his eye rested on the dead limb, and then to see him walk 
wound the tree and again shake his head as he again in- 
spected the rabbit, was about as much as poor, weak human 
nature could stand. 
That evening, at the store, when Cud came in and casu- 
ally remarked that he never knew until to day that rabbits 
could climb trees, I had to take Tommy by the collar and 
lead him out into the fresh air, and so" I lost the remainder 
of the story, but I often heard it afterward, with the facts in 
the case just as I have told them, for Cud was always truth- 
ful, but he had not seen the cat after he fired, and he thought 
it was a rabbit, and he said that the fool dog was afraid 
of the gun. I had sworn Tommy to profound secrecy and 
I never lisped a word, all of which I now know to have been 
very wrong, as I have long been convinced that many of the 
"facts in natural history," as well as in other cases, are 
learned by the scientist from Cud and his representatives 
throughout the land, who will prove to you that rabbits do 
climb trees, or some other "fact" equally absurd. 
Shadow. 
[to be continued,] 
CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 
Minnesota Indians and Game. 
(Special interview.) 
Chicago, 111., Oct. 9. — I have interviewed by mail State 
Executive Agent S. F. Fullerton, of Minnesota, so supple- 
menting recent personal talk with him upon the subject of 
the order from the authorities at Washington, restricting the 
shipments of game from Indian reservations in Minnesota, 
and to day am in receipt of his opinions in regard to the 
effect of the order. His letter reads in part as follows: 
"I have taken a trip to both the Indian reservations, that 
is, the Red Lake and the White Earth. I wanted to see how 
they felt in regard to the order that was issued from Wash- 
ington. Was at Detroit, where our friend Davis lives, the 
man we have had so much trouble with. Some of the people 
there take the ground that Indian Commissioner Jones has 
exceeded his authority, and has no right to issue such an 
order, but they will obey it just the same, as the Conamis- 
sioner is very much in earnest about the matter. The last 
words he said to Mr. Byrnes, our attorney, when he left 
Washington, was that if that was not strong enough he 
would make it just as strong as the Commission wanted it, 
which is very gratifying indeed to us. If necessary we will 
have the president revoke the treaties in regard to the 
Indians, so far as shooting is concerned, and that will surely 
settle all controversy. 
"We have a case coming up in our Supreme Court that has 
a great bearing on this same question. Mr. Stephens, our 
warden at Detroit, found in the possession of a Mr. Lacy 
two prairie chickens on Aug. 28, this year. He seized them 
and arrested Mr. Lacy. The judge fined Lacy $10 for each 
bird. He immediately appealed to the Court Commissioner 
of Becker county for a writ of Jutieas coi'piis. The case was 
heard and the Commissioner discharged him from custody, 
he claiming that the game was killed on the White Earth 
Indian Reservation, The Sheriff of Becker county immedi- 
ately appealed to the Supreme Court, and it comes" up on the 
5th inst., when the court convenes. We are almost certain 
of winning this case, and of course it is in line with all the 
others that are pending. You will remember making men- 
tion in FoKEST ASD Stbeam of a case that came before the 
Minnesota Board of Pardons, in which we caught two In- 
dians from the Fond du Lac Reservation with two saddles of 
venison in their possession in the village of Carlton, in Carl- 
ton county. They claimed that they had shot the deer on 
the reservation and could sell it if they wanted to. We 
arrested them and put them in jail. They made application, 
through the District Attorney, Mr. Stringer, for a pardon. 
Our Attorney. General, Mr. Childs, and Chief Justice Start, 
of the Supreme Court, are members of the Board of Pardons. 
They both looked into the matter very carefully, -and decided 
that an Indian had no more rights than a white man and 
would have to submit to the police regulations of the Slate 
the same as a white man. Of course it is very gratifying, on 
the eve of the trial in the Supreme Court, to know that we 
have the best legal talent in the State, viz the Attorney- 
General and Chief Justice, on our side; so we have no fears 
of not winning our Indian cases, and we think by this time 
next year the vexed question of what the rights of the In- 
dians are in regard to game will be settled for all time to 
come, 
"They are just changinglndian agents on the Reservation, 
and of course we could not get anything very definite out of 
the ones in power. Mr. Allen, the present agent, has never 
been very friendly to game protection, judging by his actions, 
ag I have written him several times, and he has never even 
answered my letters. Of course, he will iave^a^cSance to 
reflect now, as he will be an 'ex' in a very short time, and 
Mr. Sutherland, of Detroit, will take his place, who, we ex- 
pect, will make the Indians obsy the laws of the State. Of 
course he can do nothing less than to follow the instructions 
of the Indian Coni tissioner in regard to his recent order. 
"You ask me what we think of the order, as a Commis- 
sion, and I will say that nothing has ever happened in Min- 
nesota, in our judgment, that comes anywhere near being as 
good as this. You have no idea, living in Chicago, how 
much game is marketed by Indian traders. The poor Indian 
gets little or no benefit from it. He simply does the hard 
work of hunting, and sells his venison for from 2 to 4 cents 
per pound and his partridges and ducks at from 5 to 10 cjnts 
apiece, the trader making all there is in it. We think that 
in the interest of the Indian, Commissioner Jones's order is 
a splendid thing, as well as in the interests of the game of 
the State at large. 
"I have just had a letter from the Stale Game Warden of 
North Dakota, Mr, Bowers, giving myself and deputies 
authority to seize all game coming from North Dakota, 
whether going through Minnesota to another State or stop- 
ping in our State. 1 am awaiting the same authority from 
Wisconsin and South Dakota and also from some of the 
States further west. You can see at a glance what a splen- 
did thing, with co-operation, this will be, if we can only get 
it in good working order. It will absolutely shut off the 
shipment of game* out of any of these States if we can get 
all the Slate game wardens interested." 
All the News from South Water Street. 
I have to-day had a long personal interview with State 
Warden H. W. Loveday, of Illinois, and have his opinions 
in regard to the game market of Chicago, Mr. Loveday 
says that he has now appointed 246 deputies at different 
parts of the State, and he has had reports of over 400 cases 
tried under the game laws this season, to say nothing of 
many_ reports not yet turned in by deputies. This is a good 
showing for out-ot-town work, but it appears that on South 
Water street also Mr. Loveday has really been doing som 
business, and that in a way to give the average game dealer 
a genuine and sincere touch of Weltschmerts, as we say in 
Chicago. Since Oct. 1 he has tried nineteen city cases and 
will be busy the rest of the month, usually having two cases 
each day, one in the morning and in the afternoon. The 
large majority of these cases are for illegal shipping of game. 
Warden Loveday says he has taken game from almost every 
dealer on South Water street. Some of the dealers have 
pointed out for him packages ef illegal game which they did 
not want to receive, and some packages he has seized con- 
trary to the intention of the dealers. He claims that some 
of the heaviest dealers have observed the law, or at least 
have turned over to him boxes of game which came to hand 
before the opening of the season, (We may doubt, as I 
think Mr. Loveday does, that they have advised him of each 
and every package of illegal game received, but each lot so 
turned over to the warden is that much of a discouragement 
to the country shipper of contraband game.) In all, the 
warden has seized about 4,000 to 4,500 head of illegal 
birds in good order, to say nothing of many partially spoiled 
birds, only portions of which could be saved, this usually 
the breasts, which were salted down and sold at about half 
the price of a good bird. Were there nothing more to be 
said about the work than the above, it would be a very fair 
showing. 
Mr. Loveday says that he is sorry the newspapers got wind 
so soon of his seizure of the game of the Monarch Cold 
Storage Co., 1,500 partridges, for otherwise he might have 
gotten the name of the shipper of these birds, which came 
from some party in Minnesota, whose name was never 
learned, the cold storage outfit claiming not to know the 
shipper. This being the case, all the warden could do was 
to take the game, which, under the law, he sold at auction, 
All these birds went last week to New York, at $4.50 per 
dozen. This made quite a neat little sum for the warden, 
who gets the whole amount, not being forced to divide with 
the school fund as he does on fines. Thus it may be seen 
that, while this sale clause in the law is in some of its bear- 
ings a very vicious and dangerous one (as I have pointed out 
in the celebrated, or rather infamous, Kewanee case), it 
certainly is a very good one for the encouragement of the 
warden, who otherwise would have rather slim picking for 
a living. With nothing but the fines to depend upon no 
warden could afford the job and administer the duties of his 
office houestly. By means of the confiscation clause, a good 
active warden on this dishonest game street of ours can make 
himself comfortable, and make a lot of crooked dealers 
very uncomfortable. I think I violate no confidence when I 
mention that Mr. Loveday told me that the ofiice, with these 
confiscation moneys and all, would be good for about $3,000 
a year, but that he would not make so much out of it, as he 
was forced to spend a great deal out of his own pocket in 
traveling expenses. He has no State fund to use, and per- 
sonally thinks that the office should have a salary and an 
appropriation behind it, so that the warden can have proper 
tools with which to work. There is certainly much reason 
for complaint about the present game law, which was ac- 
cepted by the game dealers' lobby because it was well nigh 
fatally weak in its executive clauses. It is not beyond hope 
that we shall have a better game law yet in this State before 
many years. 
Loot of the . West. 
Warden Loveday uncovers one rather staggering item of 
the possibilities of the confiscation clause of our game law. 
He has been advised that he cannot hope to win in a fight 
against the big cold storage companies unless he can show 
that they are holding Illinois game, or game from other 
States, which was put in storage illegally. His lawyer 
advises him not to try under the present law to assail these 
big fences for having in possession train loads of game, 
merely on the ground that they have it in possession. It is 
necessary to specify, to prove title, to trace the game indis- 
putably before attempting to break open these repositories. 
It seems that no one is ignorant of the fact that this game is. 
held here over the legal seasm, and indeed AVar den Love- 
day says that he and his agents, after inspecting some of 
these big houses, that in three concerns there were piled up 
over $135,000 worth of game! He saw whole rooms full of 
venison hams. He saw untold thousands of dozjns of game 
birds, lying here iced up, waiting for the demand of a trade 
whose dimensions are really known to but very few. All 
this vast amount of game is held with perfect calmness by 
the dealers, who know, or think they know, that they can- 
not be held to account under the present law. Warden 
Loveday may be following legal advice when he refrains 
from going after this game, but if I was in his place, even 
at the risk of getting a legal licking, 1 should certainly have 
to go after that little pile. I see no reason, under the law, 
why the warden may not as legally and as legitimately get 
rich out of this game as the game dealers themselves. In 
fact I would rather see the warden have this money. Should 
he try for it and fail, he will meantime have so stirred up 
the question of game protection, of which the bulk of the 
public remains in the densest ignorance, that thenceforth 
the matter of enforcing the law would be a far different and 
far easier task. It would please me to see Warden Loveday 
get that $135,000 worth of game at least tied up in the courts, 
so that the dealers could not rush it out to tihe Eastern mar- 
kets. Let them carry it, so tied up, for a few years, paying 
interest and insurance on it, and putting up a good stiff 
bond for it besides 1 Methinks-we should then have some 
fun and some news. If Warden Loveday will go after that 
$135,000, he can't any moie than lose it, and he can make a 
reputation if he loses, a fortune if he wins. 
Figures. 
The figures of the game trade are very large ones, and not 
much understood. Thus, at the bsginning of the open sell- 
ing season on the street, F. M. Smith, one of the big dealers 
here, opened the doors of his cold storage rooms, and sent to 
New York at one shipment, 2,000 doze7i quail! His books 
opened (for the legal season only) to the warden, show that 
he puts down daily 200, 300, 400 dozen quail. He is on„ 
dealer only. This is one city only. That is where the game 
goes. The industry is an enormous one. It has reaped 
the woods and fields and streams of the West one after 
another. It has reaped, but none has planted for the harvest. 
It has been the pillage of an army of invasion, ruthless, bar- 
barous, destroying, defiant, taking all and leaving nothing 
for pay except contempt and laughter. And this the Ameri- 
can people suffers after its indifferent fashion. The one com 
fort lies in the fact that, though the American people is 
slow to act upon suspicion that anyone is imposing upon it, 
it acts swiftly and sternly when it once begins. Hasten that 
time for our odoriferous thoroughfare I 
