Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-09-24
a Bear Hunt in Fifth Avenue

| arrived for Barnum's managerie, as stated in
| the World day or two since, were to be trans
| ferred to their cages in Central park yesterday
| morning, the writer arrived there at ten O'Clock
| for the purpose of viewing the operation. AT
| that early hour there were comparatively few
| visitors to the park; but the hustle and activity
| in the yard Of the museum building denoted
| that something unusual was sup"
| The bears were four in number each of them
| safely slowed in a heavy wooden box, at one
| end of which was door sliding upwards, like
| portculis. These were deposited in the base
ment of the building.
| The first bear to be Gagged was the smallest of
the lot. Two large cages, lately occupied by
| prairie wolves, had been prepared for the recep-
| ton OF the newcomers. Presently a gang of
| stalwart men came along from the basement,
| carrying with some difficulty the box contain
| ing the smaller bear, who was emo chicken" as
| to weight. The crowd kept pressing forward
| everybody anxious to have peep at the per-
| Torrance. Then the keepers placed the box
| with its sliding door against the open door of
| the cage, into which Immediately walked the
| young stranger-a splendid halEgrown fellow,
| in fine condition. For a moment he stood still
| cycling the crowd, and evidently not quite un-
| derstanding what it was all about. After a few
| minutes, however, he appeared to understand
the situation, and settled down quietly into that
| restless march and cOuntermarch common to
| Gagged animals
And now the excitement increased, for it was
| whispered that much larger bear was to be
| turned into the next cage, at the entrance to
| which preparations had been made for his re-
| ception. In Il few minutes the box containing
| this animal came trunding across the yard
| impelled by many muscular arms. There was
| throng of people closely packed against the
| chains in front OF the cages. Another little
| crowd, consisting mainly of women and children
| occupied the stairs leading up to theEmuseum
| floors of the building. The box was shunted
| into its place against the open door of the cage.
| The word was given to raise the sliding door
| At this moment, from some mishap which the
| writer is not prepared to account for the box
| became displaced, and the bear, instead of
walking into the cage, walked right out into the
| open air, and was master of the situation in a
| moment. Panic now took possession of all.
| There was a scurry, q scare and a skedaddle
| such as few who have not seen wild beast on
| the loose can realize. People tumbled over each
| other in their wild fright. Other people trampled
| recklessly on the PROSTATE fugitves. Women
| and children shreked, and sought refuge on the
| upper floors of the building. 1t was a general
| helter-skelter on the broad principle of "save
| yourselves who can" And what was Mr.. Bruin
| doing all this time? He was saunterng about
| quietly at the back of the row of cages-a SPLEEN
| did fellow, of huge size, cream-white in color,
| and in magnificent condition both as to flesh aud
fur, Offering the strange and beautiful sight of
| seeing polar bear prowling about amidst YER
| dnre of grass and towering shrubs.
But bruins ambition was not to be bounded
| by park walls. After snuffing about for few
|
| there after the manner of his kind, he showed a
| decided tendency to seek fashionable society,"
| with which view he bent his large steps in a
| very resolute manner towards the open walk
| leading to Fifth avenue from the yard of the
| building. Here he was intercepted by tall
| keeper armed with heavy plank, and who had
| already shown much pluck in heading off the
| bear when il first make its escape. Several
| lunges were made by the tall keeper at the bear
| who presently began to look "ugly" and went
/ STRAIGHT for The who rbnO in
| threw the plank at the enormous brute. Quick
as prize fighter Gbruin raised himself half up
on his hind legs, and Selling the plank with his
| huge fore paws hurled it away from him as
| though it were straw. Then he strolled qui-
city up the slope, stepped angriy out into aris-
tocratic Fifth avenue, and found himself once
| more absolutely master oil the situation.
| There were many people on the avenue
| teamsters, laborers, aud passers-by in general
| and the stampede OF these at the sight of mon
| strOus white bear 'on the loose" was indeed a
| thing to be remembered. But bruin needed
them not Onward he strolled, leisurely, turn
| ing his head hither and thither and shifting at
| everything as he went. Human flesh he eyi.
| IDENTIFY had no hankering for. What his mind
| was bent upon was fish, and his instinct led him
| TO look, therefore, for water. Following up his
| instinct he turned down SXty-second street.
| until he came TO large sunken lot, at the bot
| tom OF which there is pond of stagnant water.
| in which he Immediately began padding with
| evident RELISH On the banks Of this hollow a
large crowd collected waiting to see how the
| affair would end.
Preparations had been made for capturing the
| bear by throwing a moose over his head and
this plan might possibly have been successful
| within the park. Now it was too late however.
| as the animal had shown his teeth already, and
| human life was at stake; ard so the word was
| given that bruin must die. Ridemen, with re-
| peatng rifles, were soon on hand, and there was
| but little danger to the crowd, owing to the
| deepness of the hollow in which the attack was
| made. A tall young man claims that he drew
first blood from the bear, sending three bullets
into him and driving him to bay from the water
| to rough stone wall in the rear of q new stone
| house on SiXty-second street, against which
wall the bear sat on his launches wagging his
his head angrily at his assaantS. Next there
came portly, handsome gentleman, fashiona-
bly, dressed, said TO be a resident of the avenue
and proficient in the use of the rifle. After
toying with the weapon for a while, waiting to
get square chance at the restless head of the
bear, this marksman fired, sending his bullet
into the centre of the animals forehead, and
tumbling him over, to all appearance dead in a
pool of gore. But this was Polar bear, of
which travellers aver that they have more lives
than the nine attributed to the "harmless
necessary cat" Presently poor brun arose and
staggered TO his feet pltiiul object now, his
beautiful cream-coored coat ali bedraggled
with mud and purple gore. But he was deter
mined to die hard. Dragging himself TO the
rough stones of the embankment behind the
house, he strove YEARLY TO Chamber up them,
but in vain. Another rifeman-this time from
the park offices-commenced firing upon him
with repeater, few shots from which ended
the affair; and poor bruin, who, half an hour
before, had "all the world before him, where to
choose" lay dead there in the stony hollow.
crowded upon in death by the very people who
had shown such alacrity in getting out of his
way while in life. And the closing scene was
the body of the poor beast laid upon a hand
barrow and carried back to the park by squad
of men.
This bear, which was the smallest but one of
the four, cost Mr.. Barnum S2500 The remain
ing two are to remain in their boxes until
strong iron cages have been made for them, and
every precaution will be taken to prevent the
possibility of escape while they are being Gagged
The killing of the bear although a matter of
regret, 1.-THE doctor" looked quite inconsolable
about it, was clearly necessary act.
The Ga1ena (llO Gozette cave ttTba Noy. |