The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-04
JoE COOKS 1rcnr WIN 1 man.
Mr.. Abe Van Hipcr's story Of this Signal
Triumph of Mind over Matter.

GOSHEN, n Y, March 3.-Mr Abe Van
Ripper the famous wild animal trainer. says
that There is no part Of southern New York that
can compare with Sullivan County for hunting
ana hshing. He has made many visits in that
region OF wild beasts. and ono ~ them was un-
usually adventurous and interesting
Ills companion was jon Cook another crack
shot who came within hairs breadth Of mnk-
ing food for a monstrous black bear. The two
hunters wcrc of for n weeks recreation. 1t
was nearly shutdown when they reached the
spot where Nnn Ripper wanted to locate for n
few days and MS the tramp had boon long
aud tedious one and both men had become
greatly ihtgued. the proposition Of Joe Cook to
got shelter for the night WINS agreed to- and they
lodged in the hut oi an Old hunter.
:, Iher experience was related by Abe Van
Rp.r as follows:
We had somerset, to he sure; hut toll YOU
twas htdcous night. There sromod to- he
continual rDur of wild beasts and ! b'licvr |
could hav" stuck my gun out anywhere and NJ
amy tmr brought down gnme. ron u red SPUR
r"i To- boar. / never hoard ANYTHING like II.
Our experience that night WIS novel. hut next
Jay twas aiurnring. I'll never forget IL. Poor
joe Cook. he canlc near ending hls career.
W" lHlt the old hunters bright and early,
ater hr'aSlnstlng on tender piece of venison
anu some burnt corn roti'". both Of US loaded
down with guns and ammunition for the whole
week. nnd not knowing where Wa would fetch
up We had walked over mountains and
through valleys. and climbed over rocks until
We had probably footed ten miles. when Mt
Htou, three o'clock in the afternoon We struck
what W. sposrd was the track Of boar. We
lad a line dog W III uS that belonged to Joe
Cook. and We trnilel along after the bear. II
was alter -FOUR O'Clock when we came upon him.
aud then "" rornrred him in marshy swnle.
Just nurth wns hig rock nearly fifteen feet
hlrh. While poor joe stood close to the Trucks
win The dog, planted mvsclf upon IN" rock.
| had been there but a minute when soon the
liar ok his nose through some undcrhru-h.
To tell the truth took il to he a bison II" WIS
50 large. took MIN and landed n charge into
ms meek. PArently II was poor shot. Tor he
corner. II IT. thought don't suppose I'll been
so quick 10 fire. with jos So near til" b"ur and
me 50 far away; didn't ston to cons der. and
made IN awful job ov IT, THO black monster
wasn't more'n twenty feet away from joe and
when he got out ut the brush he was right on top
~ him. Fore Joe knew II, and spite Of his
Efforts TO nut a charge into the bear. that four
logged brute had his claws fast into Jpe- shout
der. There never was 4 pucikiser hunismnni
irHriuiv with bruin tore | could get down from
the rock and 20 to his assistance. Tho dogs
rod stream Of blood had covered him all over
This hold that the dog had kinder drew the
bears attention from Joe Cook. but net entirely
ns the frO'cious animal had set his worries into
Jne's shoulder AMI arm, tearing II quite badly.
For all this Joe stood it well and kept the b,ast
from making mincempat of him until / could
get range on him for another charge. AZ they
were IN such close quarters Joe couldn't use his
gun. and the only weapon left him WIS hig
dagger thnt ne carried IN ms, hrt Tor lust
such emergencies. With this 10" had made
slu havoc Win the Dear moe. lcttlng uhyllElt
through in about n dozen places. Still the beast
held on with "A d"nth grip. had now got close
10 them. when Joe cried out. For Gods sake
Abe. jam on through his head. or he'll klll me-.
And IL wis no quicker said than done. NV Oh
Reliable carried straight rs railroad rail-
Hnd lodged a full charge in the heHsts brains.
With this he loosened his grip on Joe. ana while
Joe kept at him with his dagger. i pounded him
over the head with the butt OF my rife. IL was
one OF the worst hand-to- hand fights | ever
heard tell on and we did not succeed in max
ing him drop until we had almost leU his body
Ike a coal sieve. II was ridded from the hind
nlnk to the neck with holes from Joe's dagger
while my rife. which / broke over his head. had
filed that part Of his carcass with bullet holes.
lie an Old stager. and had probably seen
service aiore. AS several OF his teeth md been
knocked out IL wns, no doubt because ~ this
that he hal not chawrd up JOS shoulder morn
lie did; hut. rs II was. Joe WAS badly mangled.
AZ soon as We had satisfied ourselves That
the bear was done for. W. set out Tor the nearest
house. 10 have Jou's wounds dressed leaving
the bears carcass on the battle field. We came
across an old hunter who hnd neHtlttle cabin
and all the flNin's for doing ny wounds. IL"
kindly assisted US alter W. had told him Of our
adventure. and. when through. he went after
the carcass at the bear We had Killed. Jo-'s arm
md shoulder were very painful. ard his face
looked rs ii h. had been drawn through n
tnrariiin' machine. We kept on our hunting
aud fishing expedition. and before We got bacN
brought down a deer and lynx