of
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| History of Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume I, 1911, page 262
BOIL COFFEE IN A WASH BASIN. Frank Freeman, the undismayed hunter, has been seen shooting ducks at King Lake on crutches, with a broken leg, with a five by eight inch board nailed to the bottom of the crutch to keep from sinking into soft ground. C. C. Braunwarth hunted at Barrow's Point, with his Parker gun, and rubber boots up to his ears, only a collar button being in sight, having with him his two dogs, Bum-Bum and Major. Charles Fisch with his dog Duke on the opposite point was a familiar sight. "Billy" Musser also shot lots of ducks. Another famous hunter was Captain Johnnie Hoehl with his fighting dog Dan and camping outfit in his sailboat Endyminion boiling coffee in a wash basin with Judge Walter I. Hayes as scullery cook. Jim Wier and Jake Worst could be seen pulling in alongside of the Endyminion with twenty-five wild geese and over a hundred mallard ducks.
Professor Witter spent many days in the Illinois bottoms hunting ducks, always alert for rare specimens for the taxidermist's skill, and studying natural history. Alex Dunsmore was a persistent hunter and says to this day the sight of duck sets him crazy. Johnnie Van Buren's spiel was "take a nip and the next time the ducks will come closer." "Navy" Kranz, better known as George Kranz, used to squat in the mud at Five Points, using a pond lily leaf a la umbrella, and would hide for hours at a time so the wood duck could not see him. John Gorman was a prize winner at glass ball shooting, but always failed at ducks. He never got a feather. Billy Ament, the well known circus owner, often sat all day in a flat boat playing Home Sweet Home on a mouth harp for the ducks.
Will Reeder, now Rear Admiral Reeder of the United States navy, always enjoyed hunting at "good old Muscatine" when on a leave 0£ absence either from Annapolis or when at home after his long cruises. The old boys tell of him falling in while crossing a swollen stream when out with a party of four. They describe his nautical language and ruddy appearance as his head came above the water and he realized the depleted condition of the commissary department.
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