Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-06
ONE-EYED RILEY CAUGHT.
Famous Bears Death Celebrated by
Cav Festivities at the Village Tavern.
From the Mem York Sun

from me GeO IOfk sun.
OAKLAND, N. j., Jan. 3.-eOne-eyed
RiIey's back ag'in!" shouted Jim shaft
ley. the hunter, as he hurried into Stubs
tavern in mis- place on Thursday last. Il
got another shot a MIN, but be got away"
This news was soon spread around the
village, and the excitement was great.
"Ohe.eye Riley" was bear. For eight
years be had helped himself to mutton and
pork in this vicinity, and had de6ed all
efforts to capture hin. Hisright eve was
out. 1t was put out in November, 1873,
BY All Dagger, lumberman. Uaggen
mad wounded the bear, aud they had come
to a pTestle. Dagger fell down in trying
to ges away from the bear. The bear mad
it's paws on the fallen hunters BREAST,
when Dagger jabbed a stick IN bruins
right eve, gouging it out OF the socket.
The bear lett Daggen, and before it could
renew the attack the hunter escaped.
The next September Jim Shaftley
caught one-eyed bear in trap. He
made up bis mind to keep the big animal
alive, and tied him in a log enclosure.
Shaftley gave the bear the name of One
eyed Riley. The very first night after its
capture it escaped. Ever since then it
had at intervals appeared IN the vicinity.
II had been shot at a score of times. Jim
tlhoAttNt anu NO bIbbtlNl AJllA AOAlUNCu AZ
once for 20 miles, and failed to fetch it
back with them.
10 the summer Of 1881 the big one-eyed
bear Joined a number of children in the
huckleberry woods back Of Oakland, and
drove them back to the village in short
order A party Of hunters followed him
to the swamp and watched the swamp on
all sides tor two days, but One-eyed Riley
didn't show mp. The hunt was aban-
uIn4d fHbn baar MO ad
into Bottoms pasture and walked out with
sheep. In August, 1882, jim Shaftley
met the famous and cunning bear along
a trout brook where he was fishing. He
mad no gun, and the bear went leisurely
of into the woods. That was the last
time the one-eyed was seen or heard OF
until Jim Shaftley ran across him last
Thursday.
Jim had just shot small bear on the
edge of the swamp. when mis- dog started
another one in the swamp and brought it
out at the very spot where Jim was stand
ing. The moment the bear appeared the
hunter recognized mis- GINNING old friend.
One-eyed Riley. The bear stopped and
turned quickly back into the swamp, and
the bal that Jim sent after him did not
nit the mars. The bear whipped the dog
on this retreat in the.swamp and drove it
ont. jim hurried back to the village with
the news. On New Years morning
twenty-tbree hunters started out, deter
mined t. run One-eyed Riley down. They
surrounded the SWAMP and sent half a
dozen dogs into it IT, r0ut the big bear out.
The dogs tailed TO ind him, and after the
swamp had been beaten Tor more than
an hour word came that the One-eypd
bear had been seen in Shaftley's mead
Ows. six miles away, since tue party star
ted out. The hunters turned for the
meadow, spreading out through the
woods. They had gone about three miles
when one section OF the party met the
bear sbuffling along back to the swamp.
Three shots were fired at him. The men
VINO had seen him shouted for others to
be or the lookout as he had turned of into
the thicket on the right. Hunters came
running to the spot from all directions.
and the bear met them whichever way ne
turned. He was surrounded at last. A
voiiev OF rife balls was poured into him,
and he died after nineteen bullets had
pierced his yitals.
He was probably the toughest bear that
ever defied = hunter. His immense ear
cass was borne to the village in triumphal
march. The victorious hunters were re-
ceived with cheers. Tie killing of this
cunning old brute was celebrated by n
ball at the tavern New Years night. The
festivities were kent up until daylight,
and the bear furnished the viands for a
rousiEg baekwoOds feast.