In the pages of the Harrisburg Telegraph on November 28, 1917 were numerous stories of Thanksgiving preparations in Central Pennsylvania.

Few were as amusing as the tale of a Harrisburg veteran, his trusty shotgun, and a devious turkey plotting his escape from the Thanksgiving dinner table.

Marksman Bags Escaped Turkey

War Veteran’s Sure Aim Restores Housewife’s Thanksgiving Bird

Persons residing in the neighborhood of Walnut and Balm streets were treated to thrilling turkey hunt this morning when a big gobbler confined in the summer kitchen of the home of Mrs. H. Wolff, 27 Balm street, broke his way through a window to liberty. After a series of wild flights, the bronze beauty alighted on a set of telephone wires in front of the grocery store of Hugh Roberts, at 1215 Walnut Street.

The feelings of the owner of the bird may easily be imagined as the thought of a turkeyless Thanksgiving. In her distress, she appealed to Roberts, who is a veteran of the Spanish-American War.

“Don’t worry, madam, I’ll get him for you,” said Roberts upon hearing her story.

“How?” said the distracted owner.

“Why shoot him, of course,” replied the grocer as he went inside for his trusty double-barreled shotgun.

Visions of a shot-sprinkled turkey for dinner tomorrow instantly flew through the mind of Mrs. Wolff and she started to remonstrate with Roberts, who, however, calmly proceeded to shoot the fugitive cleanly through the head. A careful examination proved that not one of the shot had entered the bird’s body and Mrs. Wolff and family will have it with all the “the fixings” tomorrow, thanks to the skill of grocer Roberts.