The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-28
KNOCKED BRUIN OUT WITH HIS
FIST.
How a Virginian Samson Did upa Bear
in q Few Rounds

How a Virginian Samson Did upa Bear
in Few Rounds
A Charleston CIV. Va.) Letter in the New
York World says: While tho United States
Court was in session here the other day sew
eral old residents of the back counties were
in town in attendance on the court Among
them were two brothers, Samuel and James
Gano, who had come from South Fork,
Pendleton county. They were typical old
school Virginians, and round the hotel fire
at night they fell to reminiscing about the
old days of your youth and the men of
nerve and muscle they had known. Finally
the conversation drifted into discussion of
physical giant named Frank Sutherland,
and of this historic character Samuel Gano
told this story:
''I've seen some pretty powerful men in my
time, began the venerable Virginian, shut
that man Sutherland beat them all. Frank
always said he believed he could whip
bear with his fist, but none of US ever thought
he would have much of show in such a
boxing match, because we all knew the
bears around the mountains were pretty
quick and struck terrible heavy blows with
their hairy fists. But Sutherland got an
opportunity to test his proves in this di-
rection just when he wasn't looking for it.
One afternoon while he was out deer
hunting he shot deer and wounded it, The
deer sprang into the laurel and went crash
ing down the mountain side. Thinking he
had killed the buck, Sutherland started
after the animal without reloading his gun.
HE had gone but few yards when he
entered small opening in the underbrush,
and right in the centre of it, curled up in a
hole at the foot of fallen tree, lay trem-
mendous black bear The bear had been TAX
ing nap, and was rudely awakened by Suth-
erland's shot, for he was Just rising to his
feet when Sutherland came opposite him.
For few seconds Sutherland thought first
of reloading his gun, but that was impossi-
BILE. Then he dubbed his rifle and waited
the bears attack. Before bruin had fully
made up his mind what to do the thought
struck Sutherland that he had often boosted
that he could est a bear with bis fists, and
here was the opportunity. Down went the
gun and off won't Sutherland's hunting
jacket. The bear got upon his hind feet and
came slowly up, with his paws hanging
down in front and his little eyes dancing
with mischief
Switzerland had the longest arms 1 ever
saw, and this length of reach now stood
him in good play. As soon as the bear got
close enough the hunter struck straight out
from the shoulder and hit him terrible rap
on g nose. The nose is the tenderest part
of bears anatomy, and the blow must
have hurt him terribly, for he dropped on
all fours and whined, but he was up and at
it again in few seconds, madden than ever
This time Sutherland got in a good blow on
the bears right ear and landed another on
his left eye. Down went bear again, knocked
fiat this time, but he wasn't whipped by a
long shot He got up and went over in
Sutherland's corner, moving his short fore
arms, with their long claws opening and
closing In vicious manner. Sutherland
waited until he was close enough, when he
struck him in the side with all his force, but
unfortunately the hunters foot slipped, aud
before he could recover the bear gave him a
smashing blow on the shoulder, which
knocked him down. The bear was too
badly wounded by the hunters's last blow to
take advantage of his success before his an
tagonist could get on his feet.
Sutherland was now as mad as the bear,
but he had also learned caution. The two
comhatants slowly approached each other,
when the hunter quickly tented with his
left and, before the bear could recover, let
him have another blow with his right on the
nose.
"This was a sumner, and before bruin
knew it he had received half a dozen blows
over the eyes, in the side and another one on
the throat, which made his teeth chatter
The bear dropped upon all tours, walked off
a few yards and lay down, whining like a
WhppCu WdtJtu a DfO-
ment, and seeing indications of a resump-
ton on the part of the bear, walked up to
the animal and poked with his gun. The
wooly pugilist got slowly upon his feet,
looked doubtfully at his antagonist, and
concluded to try one more round.
This round was the last Suther-
land struck the creature on his tender spot
the nose-with his left, and, putting in all
his force. landed his right on the animals
jaw, completely crushing it. This was
enough for the bear. He dropped upon his
four feet and tried to make off. Suther-
land, having fairly whipped him in square
fight, didn't propose to lose his meat, and
before the animal could get many yards
away, in his weak aud battered condition,
he had reloaded his rifle and shot him
through the head
Sutherland carried that bear, which
weighed about $50 pounds, over half mile
to our house, and threw him down in the
yard.
II helped skin that animal" concluded
Mr.. Gano, land / am free to say that |
never saw as many bruises in my life Why.
the beast was one mass of red spots His
jaw was certainly broken and two of his
ribs caved in. No wonder he didn't want
to fight any more"