Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-01-04
Na'lll s'fnn.Mt aournal.
TUESDAY e FIGHT WITH A BEAR.

Nails DELHI, \. Y,
Wednesday, Dec. %, 1875.
ae head-waters of the Delaware river
Eabout thirty miles northwest Of here,
"a q wild and unfrequented portion OF the
Catskill Mountains. in Schoharie county
There are very few settlements in the re-
gion, but about year ago man named
Jonas Butler put up cabin on one OF the
mountain tributaries of the stream, hav.
ing o contract with parties in Green coun-
~ to peel bark and cut railroad ties. His
wife and two children, one girl about
sixteen and the other an infant, occupy
the cabin with him. Butler goes into the
woods sometimes several miles from his
home, and often docs not return for two
or three days. On Sunday last he went
out to his work. leaving his family in their
cabin. The section Is noted for its wild
game, deer and bear being plentiful. but
the present season bears have been I'M
usually numerous and bold, and the pig
pen of the Buffers has twice been depopu-
lated About five o'clock Sunday alter
noon Mrs. Butler and her daughter were
preparing to feed the pigs, when an i'm
mense black bear was discovered trying
to get out of the Enclosure with fine, tat
sbote in its embrace. Mrs. Butler seized
a heavy wooden mallet, used in driving
wedges, and her daughter took up an ak.
They ran and jumped into the pen. fol-
lowed by the dog, and commenced an at
tack on the bear. 1t held on to the pig,
however, until the blows of the women
and the bites of the dog became too much
for him, when it turned on his assailants.
It seized the dog and crushed it to death.
The girl rained in blows with the ak on
the head of the bear, when suddenly bruin
made for her. With one sweep Of his
great paw be sent her ak flying out Of the
Enclosure, and pressed her into one cor
ner. The mother, seeing her daughters
danger, increased the fury of her assault
with the mallet. and although the bear got
the girl in his embrace, 1t dropped her be-
fore doing her material injury to ward of
the attacks of the mother. The floor OF
the pen was now slippery with blood that
was flowing from the wounds of the bear.
for the girl had struck with the edge OF
the az and buried it somewhere in the an
imal every time. When the bear turned
on the mother she shouted to her daughter
TO run to the house and get the rifle.
While Jennie was gone her mother sue
ceeded in keeping the bear from getting
TOO close to her. but when the daughter
with the rifle she was about ex.
and was fighting from corner
into which the bear was pressing her
closely, having disarmed her. Jennie put
the barrel of the gun through chink in
the logs and fired. The ball entered be-
hind the bears fore shoulder, and he fell
to the floor and died in a short time. 1t
was long time before Mrs. Butler could
strength enough to climb out of
the Enclosure, and as soon as the excite
ment that had sustained the daughter was
over the latter fell fainting to the ground,
aud 1t was two hours before she could get
about again. Her clothing was nearly all
torn from her by the claws of the bear.
but neither Of the women sustained any
serious injury. Monday Jennie walked
out to where her father was at work and
told him of the adventure, when he re-
turned home with her and skinned and
dressed the bear. 1t weighed over three
hundred pounds.