The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-25
DEATH TO BRUM.
ULSTER COUNTY INVADED BY BEARS.
Hunting Parties on tho shandaksn Mountains
Terrible Conflicts and Wounded Men, but
Plenty Of "Bar's' Meat-Excitement
in tho Little villages Of Chiches-
terville and Ph@nioia.
From the Poughkeepsie Eacle.l


the bears been 80 numerous as now. The reports
from the mountains OF the Shandaken range are OF
the most exciting character. Within sixty days
fifteen black bears Of formidable proportions have
been killed In the vicinity Of Chchestervllle and
Phmnicia alone. Parents OF children do not allow
their little ones to visit neghbors after dark fearing
they win be overtaken along the road by the "var.
mints" and fatally embraced. Locomotive en-
glneers on the Rondout and OswegO Railroad fire.
Quenty see bears crossing the road ahead OF their
engines. The animals steal poultry, attack hogs
and follow cattle. Tho mountains swarm with
hunting parties. ana fierce encounters and deadly
grips are reported almost daily. Early last week
one of the hunters about Cnichestervtlle trailed
bear up what Is known az the "H0llOw Tree
Branch" to spot within quarter Of mile Of
John Avery's cabin, where fierce fight took place.
and the hunter came near being killed. Twice did
the bear have him
IN A DEADLY GRIP.
ana twice the hunter got away with the nesh on his
hands, arms and face badly lacerated. The third
time they got into close quarters he whipped out
his knife and sunk It into bruins vitals. AZ the
animal loosened his hold the hot blood spurted In
his face, and the bear fell back, when the hunter
having used all his ammunition, finished the bust
then dragged to John Avery's cabin, where the
hunters wounds were dressed. The bear weighed
Last FRIDAY Matthew woodwork. H. De Wall, an
old hunter and German known as "Dutch Fred, >"
started on bear hunt from Cnlchcs hester they
struck the trail Of three bears, wnen immediate
preparations were made to hunt the game down.
sides or sIreams, till at last they holed
mile from Phenicla, on the Rondont and oswego
Railroad, hamlet containing six or eight buildings.
NANNY pace wSe T.
known, exclaimed. "Wall, I guess we've got TO
sa1 and nder pox wa
impressed into service. Ina few moments dense
volumes OF smoke were rolling about The hole and
crouched ABOUT the entrance and awaited the result
Suddenly '.Dut CHI Fred" exclaimed, "Gone avail
Gone avayl Dere cOmbds Won 0Of de Dabes Ouvlt.m
All eyes were at once conferred upon the mouth OF
the hole, and sure enough the black nose OF cub
made its appearance, quickly followed by another.
thoroughly uneducated IN the escape business"
Was sua a once SG
serted by his offspring. would not be smoked out.
council OF war was held, when It was decided that
rope around him, so that ne could be dragged out.
1T WAS RISKY WORK,
to the task. He procured rope. and getting down
his stomach, crawled in. leaving nothing outside
of the hole but his feet and Kick from him was 10
be the signal Tor dragging him out. lie hadn't
been gone more than half minute before his feet
aoa aa
"H. On gave MIN terrible ''yank." and brouGht
MN out as ~ D saa hH ana has has
were badly torn, but he held one end OF the rope In
his hand, having successfully and securely fastened
| russell ne got badly ''chawed." With hard pull
and str0ng pull and pull all together they brought
| his Dearshlp to daylight ana though he made 9
| desperate resistance they finally dubbed him to
death. when dressed he weighed nearly four hun
dred pounds. ''Dutch Fred" IS having an overcoa
made OF his skin which is black and glossy.
few days previous another party started from
Chicnestervllle on similar hunt They walked uI
| he
lnn ana came upon bear trails almost immediately
For three days they followed the tran sleeping by
| night around rude camp nres until at last ON the
afternoon Of the third day. they brought up within
two hundred yards OF their starting place, with am
munltiOn all gone, but they had run the bears three
| OF Them into tree directly before them. A mes
| senger was at once despatched Tor help, and the
hamlet OF thirty or forty houses like wdnre. Little
| children who had for the last TWO months heard
Cerated adventures, turned pale and ran In doors
1 CLINGING TO THEIR MOTHERS
dresses, while the mothers themselves forgot fol
| general excitement. When the news was received
at the factory near py, where hundred men and
boys are employed the greatest excitement ensued,
and all sorts OF weapons were seized with which 10
rush to the attack SO rapid did the word spread
that IN fifteen minutes after the tree IN which the
| bears IA mother ana two cuos) were ensconced was
| surrounded by scores OF men and boys with every
with her Young crouched close about her locked an
agonlzing picture OF despair though It times there
was desperate wiidness ABOUT ner eyes wnlch dld
L
cubs trembled in every limb, and when the hum OF
voices was loudest, rugged, possible closer to the
| old one. Some one shouted, .Cut down the tree p
and a roar OF assent went up from dozen throats,
and Immediately blow after blow fell upon the base
OF the bears retreat Suddenly the tree swayed and
| then down 1t came with a crash. The old bear
| made terrific leap, and the crowd parted right and
| left, and with
| GROwL OF RAGE
| she cleared the ring IN safety, and got away. Not
| q soul dared TO obstruct her passage One OF the
cubs endeavored to follow In her Footsteps bur IN
dong so tumbled over o ledge OF rocks, and In a
minute was dubbed to death. The other, closely
| cornered showed fight, and desperate contest en-
| sued. He attacked one OF the men In a ferocions
manner, and alter tearing and scratching the nesh
on his hands and arms was getting ready for hug,
| when Jack Ward advanced and struck him several
times with club, forcing MIN TO loose his hold and
| fall TO the ground, when ne was despatched with
axes. The cubs weighed over two hundred pounds
each Another party Is In full pursuit or the m0tner
In the vicinity bears form the leading subject OF con-
versation Tables groan with bear meat at every
meal. One can nave stewed bear, fried bear, bear
chops fricasseed bear, bear soup and bear hash.
Sides of barns and sheds are Ornamented with pear
skins nailed up to dry, and hunters sport oearskin
| cans bearskin vests and bearskn mlttens. Never
was there such excitement over the bear question
| thereabouts before, and the hunt continues.