Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-11-08
BRUN LOOSE.
Exciting Fight Win a Bear az Girard.
Pennsylvania.

From the Eric DispaJchl
OBrien's menagerie has gone into
winter quarters at Girard, and among
the pets belonging 10 that concern is o
gOOd-sized black bear, which wa kept
chained in the yard Of the Avenue
House. Any one acquainted with that
locality knows that the house was built
on a side hill, and 10 20 to the bar-room
from the roadway it is necessary TO as
cend a flight Of steps set on the slope.
A day or two ago there was ajolly party
assembled in the bar-rOom, among
whom were Colonel Swan, Billy Ellison
of North East, Jim Wadsworth, Of Cir
ard, and a half dozen more equally we'll
known denizens of the county. During
q lull in talk about politics, ColOnelSwan
went to look at the bear, going too close,
as the bar-keeper thought, but Swan
didn't heed the ~admonitiOn, and the
bear made aplunge at him with such eff
feet that he broke the chain. A state
ment that barrels Of ~saltcOuld have been
rolled on Swans coat-tails may be taken
cum grdnO sails, but ii is certain that
the gallant Colonel made the liveliest
kind of time to the baT-rOOm, distancing
the bear at the first jump. Bruin, find
ing himself at liberty, began 10 put on
lordly airs, aud trOtted round the yard
Ia search Of some tOhug, some n TO
caress, but his unexpected apparition
had cleared the yard, and there was dire
confusion for a few moments. The
place was fenced, with the exception Of
the stairway to the street, and a man
with a pitehfOrk jumped OF that to dis
pute Bruins passage, should he try it.
The others got hold of clubs, pOkers,
hoes, and anything handy for weapons,
and Wordsworth was 50 lucky IS to Sc
cure a fsh-spear. The magic "tOuch Of
elbows' inspired courage, and the men
began 10 advance on the bear in pla-
tOOns, Bruin slowly %retreating, as among
50 many he didn't know which TO hug
first. In this state Of indecision, he fl
nally turned about and trOtted into his
kennel. "pve got him." shouted Jim
Wadsworth, as he jumped to the front,
and presented the hye-pronged spear at
the mouth of Bruins den. Vain boast.
The echo hadn't died away before the
spear was broken into two or three
pieces, and the bear turned WadsWorth
a back sumeFsauit and rolled over him.
The astonisment and scare were mutual,
but the bear was up first, and without
stopping to give his PROSTATE foe q sin
Gle hug, he charged through the line,
needless Of "belts" from clubs, and
made for a rear fence. Here the unset
construction of the fence got the
Of him. At the corner where be
mounted, the bottom Of the post was
close to a stone wall, but the top leaned
10 the eastward 50 as to leave an OPEN
ing like the letter v, and ia the bears
hurry, he dropped his fat body into the
gap, Wedging il fast. His fore legs were
dangling on the side where liberty
awaited him, but his hindlegs were stil
ia the yard. WadsWorth was Just pick
ing himself up when the bear, with an
extra grunt, fitted himself in the gap, |
and cOmPreheuding Bruins situation III
a glance, he (Wadsworth) grabbed hold
Of one Of the bears hind legs and pulled
as though he meant to tear the leg out.
The bear tried to turn to bite this source Of
annoyance, but he could not reach far
enough, and In his fury he tore bic
chunks out Of the top fence-board with
ais teeth, and broke M tooth trying to
bite the top Of the post of. A dozen
.Ded-cords, and as many ~trace-chains as
GOULD be found, were brought, and after
infinite trouble, slip-nOoses were got into
he BEARS mouth and around his neck
and legs, and when be was tTHssed up
ike a mummy, five OF six men lifted
aim out. But he was not conquered,
md Of this he gave evidence when the
party tried to remove some Of the ropes,
in operation that was necessary before
ne could be properly chained again.
Finally some one sent for Adam Fore
the celebrated li0n-tamer, and
1y what hocus-pocus he accomplished
We know not, but he took the ropes
1T, put the chain on and fastened the
)ear to his Kennel. But for the crack
between the fence and the wall, the
might have had a glorious bear
aunt in the woods near Girard.