Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-01-27
GRAPHING A GRIZZLY.
Desperate Fight or FivesMen
with q Bear.
One Man Holds Brmn by the Tai while
His Companions Shoot.

A recent number of the Denver
(COl. } NeaOs says: Sheriff Joe Smith.
Of ConejOs county, claims to beasne of
the greatest hunters in the country.
and to sustain this tells a remarkable
story Of the killing Of grizzly lkar on
Prospect Peak. in Coneios county, one
day last week, assisted by Gerard
Austin, county treasurer of Conejos
county, DIR. Limburg. Billy Sehd, of
Hinkle & Co, and C. Lee, of Chama.
formerly sheriff Of one Of th&:cOun-
ties Of California
I'VE were out hunting deers7' said
Joe, "and had camped the night nefore
in valley by the side Of a sgream.
Upon turning out in the morning we
discovered that there had been & light
fall of snow during the night, aid also
that there were a large num0er Of
bear tracks around the carp. fPack-
ing up our buds we started tosfollow
the tracks which led directly Ep the
mountain On the regular trail (which
wound around it clear to the summit
anc then over the range. Wien we
had gone some miles and had rssached
point about half way up, thestracks
suddenly diverged into some aspen
timber. Following for short distance
with some difficulty, we came to a
place that was very much broket, huge
powders making further pfogress
almost impossible. While celebrating
what to do we suddenly heald the
grunt Of bear evidently near by.
With rifles in hand we looked around
cautiously, and discovered an obening
between two of the largest rocks and
marks showing the presence Of :bruin.
He was in sort Of opening Of short
cave formed by the rocks, but now to
get at him was the question. no one
cared to follow him, as we wese sure
he was pretty tough customersto deal
with, being evidently quite latge and
full grd En, judging from thestracks.
At length an idea struck me, arfd, tell
ing the other boys to stay in 'front.', 1
went cautiously around to the back Of
the rocks and there saw smalt open
ing through which the tail of tie bear
protruded. As / am pretty nsusular
and have good grip / dropped my
rifle and grasped the bears tad with
both hands, at the same time shouting
with all my might to the boysson the
other side to go in and shoot himg Talk
about pulling. That bear pullsa worse
than ten mules, and / thought several
times my arms would leavh their
sockets. but braced myself With my
feet against the rocks and hesdton, the
bear making fearful noise ELI the
time. Suddenly heard severA shots.
and the strain on my arms lkssened,
and knew he was a goner. Going
around to the front ! found the boys
had gone in. and joined theml The
bear was rolling in death agonils. snap
ping at and trying to get gear us.
Finally we closed on him, wheh with 4
last effort he rose suddenlyIands clasped
Austin il terrible hug, bruissng and
scratching him awfully. st this
moment Lee plunged bis huge knife
into his heart. and he fell dead They
al awarded the credit 81 the iltal shot,
however. to Billy Seed. Tie bear.
which was fun grown grizzly. and
must have weighed over Eve hundred
pounds, we dragged outside with some
dilhculty and skinned. Il beina impos-
slble to take the carcass the DnR dis
tance to town. The skin ) az the
Hotel Brunswick. and you ian Judge
whether he Was not tough customer
TO ho;d.
All Of the party were considerably
scratched and bruised, anE showed
signs Of the severe struggle shey had
undergone
Linseea I'll Il used Ii clearsinr mar.