Strange news from Oyster Bay

Three secret service men and a bull dog quietly walk away from a house on Oyster Bay saying, “Hush!” “Don’t make a noise, he’s asleep!” “Sh-h-h-h!! He’s sleeping” and “He is asleep!” Inside the house the following noises are made: “Z-z-z-z!! Bzzz! Z-z-zoch!! Z-z-z! B-z! B-z-zip! Bz-z!” Caption: “‘A live bear has taken up his home in the woods on Sagamore Hill, and in the early hours this morning he paid a visit to the home of President Roosevelt. Secret service men hastily organized a hunting party. The hunt lasted until 6 o’clock. The bear got away. It is the belief that it has been living here for several days.’ — Extracts From a News Item From Oyster Bay.”

comments and context

Comments and Context

Cartoonist Ralph Wilder, the stylistic disciple of John T. McCutcheon in Chicago, humorously illustrated a news item on a slow-news day in the mid-August of President Roosevelt’s long vacation in Oyster Bay. If a bear was in the vicinity, and did in fact escape the notice of the nation’s most famous bear hunter, Wilder confused the issue by drawing bear tracks that look like human footprints.

The bear, more than the president, was being protected was the secret of the Secret Service as portrayed by Wilder.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-13

Creator(s)

Wilder, Ralph, 1875-1924

Language

English

Period

U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)

Page Count

1

Production Method

Printed

Record Type

Image

Resource Type

Cartoon

Rights

These images are presented through a cooperative effort between the Library of Congress and Dickinson State University. No known restrictions on publication.

Citation