History of a Missouri River Town

“One of the most remarkable caves in Franklin County is known as Labaddie???s Cave. To this cave attaches the most melancholy interest of any in this part of the country. It is said that in the early days, just when no one seems now to know, a hunter named Labaddie, accompanied by his son, a small lad about twelve years old, trailed a bear which he had wounded into this cave. The hunter followed the bear into the cave, under the impression, it may be, that the bear was nearly or quite dead. The father did not return, and the son, after waiting several hours for him to return, became alarmed, and went back alone to St. Louis. If a rescuing or investigating party was ever organized, its efforts at finding the body were fruitless, the difficulty being probably to identify the locality. In after years a gentleman entered the cave, and found the skeletons of the hunter and bear where they had fallen in an unseen but not unequal death struggle, as both had perished. The remains of the lost hunter were not brought out for internment, it being thought the most fitting place for them to rest and molder away was where they were found.”