The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1867-07-04
An Iowan Killed by a Bear.

we find the following account of 6
terrible encounter with a bear by /.
former resident Of Eddyville. Mr.
Vance was tor three years q soldier
in the Seventh Iowa Cavalry, and h;e
comrades-in-arms will regret to hear
of his untimely and horrible death
On the morning of the 28th ol
May, Eddy D. Vance and William
Robbins, boy oftwelvc years Of
age, started out hunting. About
q mile from the house they came on
the track Of q grey bear, (suppose,'
to be a cross between the black and
the cinnamon) which they followed
to one IF the branches of Bear Greek.
Perceiving the animal had crossed
the stream, Eddy followed on, while
young Robbins went down the creek
about half a mile to a better.placc OF
crossing. Vance had proceeded but
a short distance beyond the stream,
when he discovered the animal lying
down, about fifty yards distance. He
sred, but owing to the bears posi-
ton, the shot was not as effective as
it otherwise might have been. The
wounded animal ran short distance
down the mountain ard disappeared
around point of rocks Vance took
q short circuit above, keeping a
sharp lookout, but when stepping
down a low edge Of rocks, he found
within ten feet Of his danger
GUS foe who instantly sprang upon
him. There was no chance for re-
treat and but little time fer reflection.
Vance fred as the bear was coming
at him; the ball entering the animals
neck and lodged in his shoulder, en-
raging without disabling him. The
light commenced in good earnest,
but all in tho bears favor. Selling
The young man by the lett arm be
instantly threw him down, dislocated
his wrist, broke both bones Of the
forearm, tearing out nearly the
whole palmars surface Of the hand.
Vance succeeded in getting out his
knife with his right hand, but his
eff being entirely useless he was un--
able to open it, making several At
.empts to do 50 with his teeth
This futile attempt, which did not
show even q shadow of q chance of
resistance was soon ended, for the
bear seized his right hand, larcera-
ting it severely, and inflicted several
in the arm. Atthis moment
the dog came up Ga young cowardly
pup and made some hostile demon
when the bear turned
upon his new foe. Vance taking the
advantage of the moment attempted
to escape, and succeeded in getting
part way up ledge of rocks, when
The bear seized him by the leg, drag
red him down, and inflicted over
forty deep wounds, ranging from
ankle to hip. We counted twenty
four holes in one boot leg by the ami
mails tushes. Then seizing his victim
by the left lilac or hip bone, raised
him clear Of the ground and (to use
own words shook him as a
dog would a rabbit. The dog, see
ing his young master used SO rough
", ventured a second attack, but the
instant the bear turned upon him,
broke for home, and 1T is supposed
made the quickest teAee miles on
recod! Upon this second cessation
Of hostilites, Vance made another at
tempt to escape, but had proceeded
a few steps only when he accidental
" fell. In an instant tho bear was
upon him and seizing his forehead in
his powerful jaws, cut two frightful
gashes extending from each tcmpor-
al region, to the base Of the nose,
taking out the left eye and a portion
Of the nasal bone. This appeared to
satisfy the infuriated beast, for he
lay quiet few moments with his
huge paws resting upon the breast
of his PROSTATE victim. At length
he rctreated about fifty feet and laid
down in q position to see if any fur
ther attempts TO escape should be
made. Vance remained quiet for
some time, then commenced to drag
away Byslow and d,cauticus
he succcededin getting
out Of the bears sight aud making
his escape. With more than sixty.
deep punctured wounds upon his
bodys with one arm brokeny one
wrist dislocated, and both hands
laceratcd and torn, with one eye
dangling upon the check, and a large
flap hanging over aud nearly blind
ing the other, he travelled more than
three miles, through the snow and
up a high mountain, to within half
mile of home, where he sank com.
pletely exhausted and unable to pro-
ceed farther-one OF tho most aston
ishing feats Of endurance and resolu-
ton on record. In the meantime
the bear proceeded about two hun
dred yards down the mountain, un-
able To 90 further, when young Rob.
bins came upon him and put a bullet
through bis heart which ended his
career. Robbins then tracked his
and found him rs above
He. ran to the house.
got assistance, and Vance was Carr
ried home, where he died Saturday
morning, June lst. The subject Of
this painful sketch was the son of
John Il. Vance. formerly of Eddy
vile, Iowa. When 10 years OF age
ho enlisted for shree years in the 7th
Iowa Cavalry, and was with Gen.
Sully during his Indian campaign On
the Upper Missouri. Subsequently,
ho with his regiment " as transferred