The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1888-01-18

Tho SnhnbItants ot Central PENNSYLVANIA
Alarmed.


UIorIisburi; Special TO Chicago ucraId1
According t. the accounts Of hunters
black bears were never so numerous ant
bold in Central Pennsylvania as the,
are this fall In Centor county they
have walked boldly into villages, nm,
one was killed the other day on a farm
within eight miles of Bellcfontc. tho
county seat and homo of Governor Chr
TIN. In Franklin county, in the NortI
Mountain region, bears invaded the cor,
fields III such numbers during the husk
ing season Just ended that great loss AVA
sustained by the farmers in corn do
Vourcd and carried away by tho animals
Over the liuc, in Fulton county, especial
ly in Tod township, more than one farm
er has been robbed OF his winters porl
10y mnrauding bears. IN Cumberlant
county, near the Perry county line
many bears have been eccu this montl
md three killed.
Tho other day an immense bear wa,
seen entering the village of Milesburg
Center county, having come down from
the woods near by. He coolly crossed
the iron bridge over Bald Eagle crock.
and walked up the middle of the main
street. People who were in the strec1
got quickly out of it. Horses snortcd
and tuggcd ut their tio-strnps, but the
bear kept on its way. Before it had
gone Jar q number of dogs got wind OF
1t, and appeared upon the scene. The
bear turned aud dashed through 4. Z.
Bo9G'5 front picket fenco, smashing il
down rs if it were of glass, and took
short cut out OF town for the woods.
There was no one i'll Alilesburs anxious
to go bear hunting, and the bear led the
dogs long chase, and returned to the
mountains.
Two other bears that tried tho brave
aid lmpudent act at William Farncr's.
near tho Loop, in Center county, on
Tuesday night, did not faro as we'll as
the lone visitor at Nilcsburg Farmer
and his wife were returning homo from
n ncighbor's, about O'clock, when they
saw bear walk out of their front yard,
shuttle across tho yard ahead Of them,
and stop under Il tree in field few
yards away. AS they stood looking ut
the impudent bear another one camc
sliding down out of the tree and Joined
the one at the foot Of the tree. Then
tho first bear climbed tho tree, and,
after reaching the branches, slid back
down: IA his mnto had done, and then
the latter repeated the performance.
While the two bears were having this
cheeks sport between themselves, pay
ing no attention to the spectators,
Farmer told his wife TO go into the house
and get his gun, his revolver and his ax.
IS the time she returned prayer meet
ln5 was over III the village, and the pco-
pie were returning home. They all
stopped to see the extraordinary sight Cf
two genuine wild bears having II circus
under tho noses Of twenty spectators.
The bears paid not the slightest alton
ten to the people, but took turns in
climbing and sliding down tho tree.
Farmer sent Il Load of buckshot into one
OF the bears rs it stood on tho ground
waiting for it's turn to climb, and it
hmped hurricdly or toward the woods.
bowling fearfuiy. The other bear did
not slide down the tree tlut trip, but re-
manned among the branches. Farmer
went closer, and bombarlcd the bear as
1t pcrched in the tree, but he shot it
four times, literally riddling it with
buckshot before it fell 20 the ground. 1t
was at once set upon with poles, clubs
and axes by tho crowd, and tho little
lie left IL it was beaten out.
The Gentzeil farm is two miles south
OF Bellefontc, at the foot of Bald Eagle
Mountain. a few days ago John Gent
zell, who owns the farm, was told by u
neighbor that n big bear WAS in his corn
field stripping tho shocks and playing
havoc generally. Farmer Gcntzeil is no
hunter, but keeps gun, and, taking it
with him, he went to his corn field,
which was in sight of bis barn, to see if
there really was u bear there Lusking his
crop. Suro enough an enormous black
fellow stood at ono end Of the shocks,
scattering the stalks about and stripping
of tho cars. Gentzeil gave Bruin one
charge from his rifle. The bear jumped
into the air and fell back fiat on the
ground. The farmer supposed he had
killed his game, but, while he was load
ing his gun, the bear jumped up and
slouched away and disappeared in the corn
shocks. GcntZcll followed him, expect
ing every moment to come upon his
dead body, but was surprised to dis
cover him at the other end Of the field
working away at another shock of corn
as if nothing had happened.
GcntzUll then shouted to bis brother
Horny, who was at work III another
field, and while Henry was on his way
to join him John put two more balls
into the bear. Bruin then made for tho
mountains, limping along on three legs.
The brothers followed him, and fourth
shot was fired into him. This did not
finish tho tough old customer, and, now
thoroughly aroused, he turned on his
pursucrs, and rushed upon Henry Gent.
zell in such furious charge that the
farmer was PROSTATE on the ground with
the bear paving and chewing at his log,
before he knew what had happened. 1t
was lucky for Gentzell that his brother
was there, for the bear would have torn
him to pieces in q minute moro. The
brother sprang forward, and, with one
blow of the heavy rife, broke the bear Is
back, and the fierce brute fell over and
died. The flesh was torn from Henry
Gentzell's leg from the knee down. The
bear was ono OF the biggest ones ever
killed in the county, weighing between
three hundred and four hundred pounds.
Three boys wero hunting rabbits on
Tuesday near Cowan's Gap, in Franklin,
county. They started a rabbit, and il
ran into q corn shock. One Of the bows