Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-11-27
Desperate Fight with n GrIz-
ely Bear.

A correspondent of the Helena
(Montana) Gazette, writing from Camp
Green Clay Smith, near Yellow Stone,
gives the following account Of bear
fight:
Orderly S. R. Shroke, of Company
E, Captain Campbell, formerly of Mon
roe, Wisconsin, having been in Mon
tans something less than a year,
thought he must needs signalize his
mountain life by dispatching, single
handed, huge grizzly. Accordingly,
on the 5th instant, while out hunting,
being about fifty miles from this camp,
on the eastern branch of the Powder
the opportunity was embraced to do
so. Leisurely proceeding on his way,
his tranquility of mind was suddenly
disturbed by looking up and seeing a
huge bear just ahead of him. Their
eyes met simultaneously, Bruins
Vengefully glaring. The sergeant
halted, and cooking his piece, the
bear coming right on, as if, under
standing the manRuVer, he would
show how contempLuously he regarded
it. But the sergeant, equally defiant.
and prudence perhaps was lost sight
Of in that novel ambition which a ma
jority of those recently from the East
have to kill a grizzly while in the
mountains-leveled his rifle and fred,
Just as his savage foe reared upon his
hind legs to close with him. His bull
let struck close to. if it did not pene-
trate the heart. The beast fell. Re-
gaining his feet, with a fierce, terrible
growl, he wheeled and endeavored TO
escape. Calling to his companion, who
was probably one hundred aud fifty
yards in the rear, to come quickly 10
him; upon his arrival they pursued
the animal together. When within
twenty yards, the sergeant having re-
loaded, again fred. and he shot the
bear well up on the shoulder, and
about midway of the body his com.
psnion Immediately succeeded with
his bullet, planting q good ounce oi
lead in one Of the huge beasts shoul'
ders. Bruin turned upon and pursued
his foes. They stood their ground, and
when sergeant Shroke had reloaded the
bear was within ten feet of him, com
ing with unabated speed He leyeled
when he almost imagined he could
feel the monsters hot breath in his
face. The trigger is pulled-the per
cussion proves faulty; with the undis
charged gun in hand 8 powerful blow
Of the infuriAted, grizzly carries away
the greater portion Of his scalp. Be
fore reaching the ground the bear had
caught in his mouth his left hand, and
the Jaws of his teeth met among its
cords and sinews. The sergeant sinks
to the ground beneath the shaggy gi
ant, whose hold on his hand was still
unrelaxed when his companion reach
ed the spot and sends bullet into the
beasts head. Stunned, but still having
murderous vitality, the bear rolls over
on his back, and his red tongne again
protrudes from his mouth to once
more close on the sergeant. Quick az
thought the segeant thrust his right
hand down the animals throat and
fiercely grasped his tongue. Again the
bear withdrew his worries, and catch
ing in his mouth the sergeant's gun,
commenced vigorously chewing off the
stock. Now. regaining his feet, the
sergeant discharged two bullets from
his revolver. These ended the contest
with the death of the bear. The ser
geant returned to camp in indeseriba-
Bile agony, and, though suffering with
great pain, he is in fair way of speedy
recovery but he will carry to his last
moment the scars of this desperate en-
counter. He says ne has killed the
bar, and don't want nothin more to dc
with the critters"