The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1860-06-09

on reaching the hunting ground was to an
Dounce their business, and request such
other hunters as might fall in with the ur
sine gentleman of whom they were in search,
not to shoe. him, but to mercifully spare
his life. The whole country vas soon ap-
prised of the intent Of the hunting party,
and henceforth the life of Mr.. Grizzly was
as sacred as if he had been white elephant
in his own dominions.
In short time they discovered spot
which seemed to be, more than any other. a
favorite haunt of their expected captive; a
narrow ravlne in the eastern edge of Tuo-
iumne county, at the foot of the Sierra Ne
vada Mountains, on the head waters of the
Tuolumne River. Here a trap was made
in the following substantial manner: A
log house was constructed, fourteen feet
square on the inside, and fourteen feet high
the logs of which it was built. were each
from ten TO twelve inches thick, all hessed
smooth On the iAsides and stronglS de-
tailed together at the corners-huge heavy
logs were piled on the top, that the trap
might not be overturned-an opening eight
feet square was left for the bear to enter,
which opening was to be securely closed by
a sliding door, arranged with spring to
descend whenever the bait was meddled
with-the whole of the inside of the trap
was lined with smooth sheet-iron closely
nailed down. that the feet and claws of the
animal might be at fault when he endeavor-
ed. as he certainly would, to dig and gnaw
his way out. The bait was live deer, and
there was one constantly in the trap night
and day from the day of its construction
till the capture was achieved, a period of
more than seven months. This deer was
one of the wild species, lassoed for this pur-
pose, and fed and watered regularly by a
man who was detailed to watch the trap.
The whole duty of standing in trap to be
eaten was by no means done by one animal,
frequent changes being made as will soon
appear. The trap being ready for service,
the efforts of the party were then devoted
to the inveigling of the shaggy monster.
There was but one way to accomplish this
he was to be fed or baited in the vicinity
of the trap. until he became accustomed to
frequent the spot in search Of food, when
he might eventually be enticed into the Turk
ing snare. The mode of proceeding was
in this wise. The party would occasional
1y discover the track of their bear, and
would then lead bullock about in various
directions, crossing and recrossing the track,
and thoroughly beating up the ground near
where his bearship was lying. The bullock
would then De turned loose near the trap,
the hunters retire, and in a short time the
bear, having caught the scent of the bait,
would come forth and make short work of
the i'll fated bull. Many time the party
could easily have shot him, Lad that been
their object. But although old Grizzly, in
the course of seven months, devoured near
ly thirty bullocks, he had still kept out of
the trap. He made but single meal from
each animal, always refusing to touch car
cass he had once left. He had now become
so accustomed TO frequent the spot that the
hopes of his pursuers grew daily more
bright. At last, one hungry day in Sep
TENDER, 1854, the old Grizzly walked
straight into the fatal pen, paid his particu-
lar respects to the unhappy animal therein
confined, and in an instant the spring door
closed and he was a prisoner for life.
The good news of the capture was soon
told, and in few days a party of about
twenty persons assembled, strong iron
cage was brought to the spot, and the task
of caging the beast begun. The top of the
trap was taken off, and from above Mr.. Griz
Fly was lassoed with multitudinous ropes of
raw hides, which were thrown around his
neck and each of his legs, and he was
stretched '-that is, his limbs were rem
dered unservicable by being violently drag
ged in different directions. Five or six
ropes being attached to each leg, he was
held fast until his strength was exhausted,
a muzzle put on his jaws, and he was half
dragged, half driven from the log trap into
the iron cage. This operation took twenty
men three days to accomplish. During the
operation he broke more than seventy of the
strong raw-hide lassoes that were thrown
about him, and when the struggle at last
was ended, he was completely drenched in
blood from the slaughtered bullock and from
himself. The exact details of the stretch
ing aud caging are unimportant. Suffice
to say that his resistance was of the fercest,
and that in the course of the fight he
knocked Adams sky high, and an Indian
sky higher, and luckless Dutchman sky
highest of all, without, however, seriously
injuring any one of them.
Being safely housed, ''Old Grizzly" now
rechristened Samson" began his involun-
tary travels. A hundre and fifty miles
through the woods to Stockton, thence by
steamboat to San Francisco, where he re-
manned FIVE years, thence by the John L.
Stevens to Panama, and by the Baltic FROM
Aspinwall to New York.
Samson stands four and half feet high.
is ten feet in length when fully extended, is
eight feet round the body, and weighs 1854
pounds. Larger bears have been killed,
but none so large have ever been taken alive
Samson is now in New York, being one
among the many wonders comprising ''Old
Adams so EalifoPpsa
be seen of all curious men for the low lew
OF tweDty-6v cents each.-N T. Tribune.