Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1872-02-21
LIVELY BEAR FIGHT.
Three Bears Attack q Farmers Cattle
Yard in Potter County.

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Yard in Potter County.
The Williamsport Ga-ette says: a
gentleman reached Williamsport on Fri
day evening last, from logging camp"
in Potter county. where he has been for
FIVE weeks past, who relates the particu-
lars of an exciting encounter with an old
bear and two cubs. 1t appears that a
man named Jonas Elmaker and his wife.
had made small clearing in jackson
township. They have a comfortable log
cabin, small barn, several head of eat
tie and few pigs. About nine O'Clock
on, the evening Of January 3lst, Mr.. El-
maker heard great commotion among
his cattle and pigs at the barn. On rush
ing out to ascertain the cause Of the
alarm. imagine Lis surprise on finding
that an old bear and two cubs had at
tackled carling calf. The cattle were
snorting and believing at fearful rate,
whilst the pigs were squealing as Justify
as if they expected to be despatched
every minute. The bear had thrown the
calf down and was preparing to drag it
out of tie yard. The cubs were run
ming around swapping their teeth and
uttering half-suppressed growls of de-
light at the prospect Of "good square
meal"
Mr. Elmaker returned to the house at
once, informed his wife, and made pre-
parations to attack the bears. He seized
his rife, whilst his wife armed herself
with a long handled double-bitted axe
Thus armed they advanced to the astask
The bears, made bold and ferocious by
hunger, did not seem inclined to give up
their prey. Rising upon her launches
the old bear showed fight, and the cubs
crouched behind her enarling fiercely.-
Mr.. Elmaker raised his rifle and fired at
the black monster, thinking that if she
were killed the cubs could easily be de
spatched or driven off, but, owing to the
excitement under which he was labormg.
he missed his aim and only broke the
left fore paw of the animal. With a
fierce growl of rage, caused by the pain
ful wound, the old bear rushed at her
assailants, followed by the cubs. They
stood their ground for a few minutes, Mr..
Elmaker clubbing the bear with his rifle,
whilst his wife cut one of the cubs se.
verely in the shoulder with the axe. The
rage Of the animals became fearful, and
the great danger of facing them at once
became apparent. Retrealing rapidly to
the house, they barred the door and pre-
pared to defend themselves. MIR. Elma-
ker succeeded in reloading his rifle, and,
firing through the window, killed cub.
The old bear now attempted to climb the
log house. but, owing to her broken paw,
was unable to do so. Another shot from
the rife wounded her severely in the
head, when she set up the most hideous
howls Of rage. Failing to get another
shot at them, the parties inside remained
in state of siege. prepared to resist any
further attack. The animals loitered
around until midnight, when they retired
and all became still. On making search
in the morning the old bear was found
dead about six hundred yards from the
house, and the cub laid where it fell in
the early part of the engagement. The
other had disappeared in the forest.
The two dead bears were secured and
dressed. The old one weighed $50 lbs,
and the cub 1913. The Elmakers have a
suficiency of bear meat to last them for
the balance of the season The skins
will be brought to Williamsport soon and
offered for sale. The affair caused mitch
talk in the neighborhood for several days.
1t is seldom that bears are SO bold, but
their bravery on this occasion was caused,
no doubt, by hunger. The calf was badly
lacerated by the teeth and claws of the
animal, but will recover. Mrs. Elmaker
says she is ready for the next raid.