Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1885-02-19
Graphing a Grizzly.
Desperate Fight Of Five Men
with q Bear.
OneHMan Holds Bruin by the Tail
while His Companions Shoot.

A recent number Of the Denver Col.
Ne,rs says Sheriff Joe Smith, ol
Conejos county, claims to be one OF The
greatest hunters in the country, and 10
sustain this tells remarkable story OF
the killing of a grizzly bear on Prospect
Peak, in Conejos county, one day last
week, assisted by Gerard Austin, coun.
ty treasurer OF Conej,s county, DIR.
Limburg, Billy Seed, of Hinkle & Co. /,
and c. Lee. Chama, formerly a sheriff
of one of the counties of California.
ave were out hunting deer" said
Joe, "and had camped the night before
In a valley by the side of stream. Up
on turning out in the morning we dis
covered that there had been light fall
of snow during the night, and also that
there were large number of bear
tracks around the camp. Packing up
our duds we started to follow the
tracks which led directly up the noun
tain on the regular trail which wound
around it clear to the summit and then
oyer the range. When we had gone
some miles and had reached point a.
bout half way up, the tracks suddenly
diverged into some aspen timber. Fol-
lowing for a short distance with some
difficulty, we came to place that was
very much broken, huge powders max
further progress almost impossible.
While deliberatiug what to do we sud
denly heard the grunt of bear evil
IDENTIFY near by. With rifles in hand,
we looked around cautiously, and disccv-
cred an opening between two OF the
largest rocks and marks showing the
presence of bruin. He was In sort of
opeuing or short cave. formed by the
rocks but how to get at him was the
question. No one cared to follow him,
as we were sure he was pretty tough
customer to deal with, being evidently
quite large and full gro own, judging from
the tracks. At length an idea struck
me, and, telling the other boys to stay
in front, went cautiously around to
the back of the rocks and there saw a
small opening through which the tail of
the bear protruded As l am pretty
musulaI and have good gripl dropped
my rife and grasped the BEARS tail
with both hands, at the same time
shouting with all my might to the boys
on the other side to 60 in and shoot
him. Talk about pulling. That pnlled
worse than ten mules, and l thought
several times my arms would leave
their sockets, but braced myself with
my feet against the rocks and held on,
the bear making fearful noise all the
time. Suddenly heard several shots
and the strain on my arms lessened, and
knew he was goner. Going around
to the front I found the boys had gone
in, and Joined them. The bear was
rolling in death agonies, swapping at
and trying to get near Us. Finally we
closed on him, when with last effort
he rose Suddenly and clasped Austin in
a terrible hug, bruising and scratching
him awfully. At this moment Lee
plunged his huge knife into bis heart,
and he fell dead. They all awarded the
credit of the final shot, however, to
Billy Seed. The bear, which was full
grown grizzly, and must have weighed
oyer five hundred pounds, we dragged
outside with some difficulty and skin.
neG, it being impossible to take the car
cass the long distance to town. The
skin is at the Hotel Brunswick, and
you can judge whether he was not
tough customer to hold"
All of the party were considerably
scratched and bruised, and showed