Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1873-05-23
A Young Man Kills Three Bears with a
Nail Hatchet.

THE particulars of terrific struggle
with bears in the town of Boylston, in this
county, have Just reached us, and are OF a
most thrilling character.
1t appears that on Monday last, one
week ago to-day, young man named
John Bidwell, aged 10 years, with his
father, one-armed man, and his brother,
a mere lad, went into the woods about
four miles east of Smart's mills, in Boyls-
ton, to gather spruce gum. They carried
no weapons, and their only tools were
common nail hatchet and dirk knife for
the purpose of cutting the gum from the
trees. and chisel fastened to long pole
The latter was carried by the father. The
hatchet had handle about four feet long
and made of exceedingly tough wood, SO
that it might even be struck against a tree
and bent half double without injuring it.
Thus equipped they were proceeding
through the woods about their work when
John saw bear track, and following it
with his eve saw about two rods ahead Of
him hole in the snow beside big hem
lock log. He went to look into it, but
lust as he reached it slumped in the snow
and fell head foremost into the hole, his
head barely escaping the mouth of huge
| bear that was Just emerging with his jaws
distended.
This was critical time for John, and
had he attempted to run, as most men
would have done in such circumstances,
he would scarcely have escaped alive. But
| John was the man for the emergency and
the thought of running never entered his
head. He had barely time to draw back
and then brought the bear blow on the
| nose with his hatchet which dropped her
| Tn a second. however, the bear had sprung
up again only maddened by the blow, bu1
| John was in time for her and dealt her
| terrible blow between the eyes with the
| edge of his hatchet, cutting, as afterWaro
| proved, clear to the brain. The bear came
| for John third time, but was met by
another powerful blow from the hatchet
which finished her, and the bear died IL
the mouth Of the hole. :, =,
It required a strong effort to pull the
bear out, and John had scarcely accom-
nIished It when a cub, nearly full grown
anpeared. Nothing daunted, John wen
at him, and after brief struggle served
him as he had served the dam, but hat
scarcely done with him when bear mum
ber three appeared, which proved TO d
| the other cub. John struck at HIM VIII
the hatchet, but missed him. The bea
sprang upon him, and the hatchet coult
| no longer be uSeQ. buG Will COoiAcoo an'
pluck that never deserted him, Joh1
proved himself match for bruin in an
Shape. He drew the dirk knife and drov'
it to the heart of his savagef foe, which i'm
mediately released its hold and expired.
Of course John fully realized before thi
time what he had struck, and now pre-
pared himself for the other old bear, bu
after waiting awhile, and this member
the family not appearing, he gave him up
During the entire fight the father stoo'
near by, but having no weapon, and bu
one arm, he was unable to lend his sol
any aid, and feared that by interfering h
might injure him. The younger brother
not liking the looks of things, had take
to a tree and watched the savage encour
Tor with not little alarm.
When the old bear was measured he
length was found to be six feet from tn
nose to the stern. All three Of them wer
skinned, and the skins sold for twent
t dollars.-OsOego (N. y Times, May s.
/; The highest rate If interest that on
o1,or ,,ovc is for borrowed trOuh1p