Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-22

Farmer Posts sueremfnI Fish, with His
Valuable beast.

'ainnble Beast
Abram Post, Of this township. writes
an Elderville PA correspondent to the
New York Times, owns a blooded bull
which has long been an object Of terror
to all employed on the farm, owing to
its fierce and aggressive disposition.
The bull had always been under the
control OF its owner, who declared that
so long as any one stood Up boldly
against the animal no fear Of its attack
ing him need be entertained. He urged
this upon his hired help, but he never
could employ any man who would not
put himself in safe place as soon as
the bull assumed belligerent attitude,
and Posts wife frequently appealed to
him to have the animal killed. believing
that sooner or later it would rebel
against the authority of her husband
and attack him. The beast was too
valuable an animal to be sacrificed, and
Post, ridiculing the idea that the bull
could master him, refused to part
with it.
On Thursday evening Post had fin
ished milking a COW in the barnyard,
and was returning to the house when he
noticed that the bull, which was in the
yard, shook its head savagely rs he
passed by it and had an unusually
vicious look in its eyes. Post passed
on, paying no attention to the animal.
He had gone only a short distance
when he heard quick step behind him
and low believing, which he knew
was made by the bull. He turned
quickly and saw the animal bear
ing down upon him. He grasped
the bull with one hand by the
horns, hoping to prevent it from goring
him, and the next instant he was tossed
in the air. He fell on the bulls head
and neck, and was tossed the second
time, this time being thrown to the OPP
posite side of the barnyard fence. He
was badly bruised, and his clothing
was torn by the rough handling he had
received, but, believing that if he al
lowed the bull to remain master Of the
field its usefulness would be gone and
its killing necessity, Post determined
to assume the offensive himself and
use every effort to conquer the
savage animal. lie is a large and
muscular man, and, arming himself
with heavy club, he jumped over the
fence and advanced boldly upon the
bull, which was paving the ground and
believing furiously. The moment it
saw Post in the yard it plunged at him
with horns lowered. Post met the bull
with terrific blow with the club across
the forehead. The heavy wood was
broken to pieces, but the blow had no
effect on the animal except TO in
crease it's fury. The bull pressed
upon the farmer, who jumped
aside and caught it by one horn and
one ear, and endeayored to keep its
head turned away. lie was thrown
from side to side and his hold broken.
The bull caught him on its horns and
once more tossed him in the air, this
time throwing him over the fence into
an adjoining field. The maddened AMI
NAL charged against the fence and en-
deGvored to knock down the barrier
between it and the object Of its rage.
Still the farmer was undismayed,
and, entering his barn. he armed him
self with heavy three tined pitchfork
and returned once more to the barn
yard. The bull rushed again to the
attack. Post stood his ground and
thrust the sharp tines of the fork into
the bulls nose, suppOsing that the
acute pain caused by the stabbing would
force the animal to turn back and make
it more cautious. In this he was mis-
taken. The animal rushed on, and was
forcing him against the fence, where he
would have been crushed to death in a
moment. To prevent this Post threw
himself forward, and, the bulls head
being lowered to the ground, jumped
astride the animals neck. A few
plunges by the bull threw him from
that position, and he fell on the ground
close by. Fortunately he retained his
hold on the fork, and, rising quickly
to his feet, he thrust the tines again
and again into the animals side and
neck. The blood spurted from every
wound made by the fork, and the bull
beloved with pain and redoubled its
efforts to catch the farmer on its horns
but his desperate situation had nerved
him to greater activity, and the beast
failed in all its efforts. Post continued
his assaults with the pitchfork as he
jumped from side to side to avoid the
charges Of the bull until both sides of
the animal were dripping blood from
neck to tanks. The bull continued the
contest for a few minutes, and then
turned and ran to the other side of the
barnyard, believing with pain.
Post did not move away for some
time, and then went to his house. He
was covered with blood, almost naked,
and dripping with perspiration. He
washed himself, rested a moment, and
then, against the earnest protest Of his
wife, went back to the barnyard. He
found the bull standing in one corner
of the yard. Post walked briskly up
to the animal, and it cowed at his APP
proach and stood trembling in fear.
The beast was completely mastered.
and walked sullenly into the barn at
Posts command. On the farmers re-
turn to the house he found that his
own injuries were greater than he had
supposed, and he is now confined to his
bed under doctors care.