Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-06
HUNTER BEENIEGs ENCOUNTER WITH
A BEAR.
An Adventure in the Woods Whicn
Ended in the Death OF
Bruin.

70 hunt Tor 1oXeS ana large Baue' n
week ago he finished up his farm-work,
and in company with his brother Philip,
aged fifteen wears, started for his hunt
in ground in the North Woods.
Nothing was heard from the brothers
until last Saturday morning, when Old
Deacon Samuel Benning, the father OF
the brothers, received telegram stating
that Amos had been seriously and per
haps fatally injured in the woods, and
asking him to come quickly to Malone,
Franklin comfy, where he would be met
bv wagon to convey him to his sons
side. Tie old gentleman took the cars
for Malone at once, and returned to
Pulaski yesterday morning, accom-
panied by his two sons. Amos'sphysical
condition is alarming. He was helped
from the cars and taken in a carriage TO
his farm home, where he has had medl-
cal attendance for hours to-day. his
arms and hands have been terribly
scratched and torn by the claws OF a
bear. and his right shoulder. is severely
cnt and mangled by the animals teeth.
His cheeks are torn so that he will bear
the marks to his grave, and his groin
and hip arc lacerated and cut. in some
places over an inch and one half deep,
bv the claws and teeth of the beast Mr..
Behring's right eye is also swollen from
an injury to it from one of the bears
claws. Tho physician fears blood-poi-
soning may set in from the many wounds
upon Amos's body.
= 49,, Arc elxnrn1xr lint nv
no means helpless. His adventure isthe
talk of Pulaski, where he is known by
every one. This afternoon Amos felt
better. and told the story of his tussle
with the bear. You see, said he,
"my little brother Philip and ] boarded
mt the home OF farmer away up there
in the extreme southeastern part Of
Franklin county. Every day | walked
over ten and sometimes fifteen miles
hunting for game. | was always pre-
pared to shoot any kind Of an animal
Last Thursday my brother and went
out as usual. He shot n fox early in the
afternoon. and started back to the farm
house with 1t. while | went into the
woods alone for an afternoons hunt
tramped for several miles through
the great forest without getting a
shot at any game except some rab-
bits. When it began to get dusk ]
started forthe farmhouse, not wishing TO
get lost as l surely would in that forest
IN the night. In an hour more | reached
the outskirts OF the woods. There /
heard a peculiar sound in the hollow OF
one of the thousands of great burned
pine stumps in that locality. ! cooked
nv rifle ald approached the stump
cautiously and found at the bottom three
large bear cubs. They were all wide
awake and were looking up at me. AT
first l thought would take one of the
Cubs back to the farm house with me and
then home to Pulaski for a pet !
reached down into the hollow pine
stump over four feet and attempted TO
get cub with my hands, but they were
so savage that had TO give it up. All
three OF the cubs set up peculiar kind
of screening as ] tried to pull one OF
them mp out Of the old stump.
- nave hunted and killed about
dozen bears in my time, and l never
heard such a squalling as those little
bears set up. You know cubs are almost
always good-natured, and these must
/ have been rare exceptions. | made up
nv mind to have one or two of the cubs
ANYHOW, dead or alive, and accordingly
| shot one. laid my gun down for mo-
meut and, bending over, reached down
to the bottom of the stump for the dead
cub. 1t was then quite dark. | had the
/ carcass of the cub iii my hands, and was
lust raising my head and shoulders out
OF the hollow of the stump when |
/ heard q tremendous crashing and
| humping in the thick underbush OF the
woods. The old she bear was coming
for me pcll-mell. and | knew 1t. She
had heard her cubs squalling and the re-
port OF the gun. | had Just time to
/ throw the dead cub down upon the
ground and snatch up my rifle when the
/ beast was almost upon me. In reaching
down into the stump my cartridge box
! had been pushed around to my back,
and 1 lost several precious moments IN
reaching back there for more ammuni-
ton. Then, too, must confess never
was so nervous in all my life. The In
creasing darkness about me added much
TO my fear. had Just time to raise and
fire at the old bears head. ! had tc
aim for the ewes, and ! missed my aim.
Nv hand, | know, must have trembled
somewhat. although ! have been q
hunter up that way for several seasons,
The ball broke one Of Bruins fore-paws.
The next | knew she had pOunced upon
me in ferocious anger. stumbled over
the roots of the hollow stump where
was standing and fell upon the ground
with my gun beneath me. | felt IN
stantlv that my time had come, and In
voluntarily yelled Help Help two OF
three times. The beast was upon me II
a second more, and rubbed her snout
about my face. l kicked her dozen times
in the belly and vainly tried to push hel
from me. II was the most horrible mo
ment for me You can imagine.
"The beast had claws as sharp a
needles and as long as my fingers, anc
with them she scratched away my Goa
sleeves and hunting Jacket in short or
der. thought my ribs would be scrapeC
of all their flesh. | tried to turn owe
and was attacked in the face. My cheek
and eye, as you see, were torn by The
beasts claws, and the pain was excru
ciating. but that was nothing to the nor
ror of my situation. You can believe
never expected TO be here at home again
Nv tough buckskin hunting jacket anC
brooches protected me somewhat-fron
the bears claws, and l bellev'
nv bowels would have been quick
" torn open if it had no
been for my thick and heavy hunting
belt about my waist. AS it is, you see
am fearfully torn and gashed, and the doc
tor says those are my worst wounds
Well, l turned upon my side, and half
pushing the beast, who [ was afraid eacl
second would hug me to death, from
me. managed to get hold OF my rifle t.
beat her brains out if | could. But
could not rise, and in another instant To-
beast was upon me with her full weight
1t seemed as If | should be crushed. =.
could feel the bears teeth in my flesh
but was so filed with thoughts OF dealt
at the hands of the brute that J did no
feel any pain. l struggled and tough
with my bare hands like demon. ~,