The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1888-01-19
INFESTED WITH BEARS.
Tho Inhabitants of Central PENNSYLVANIA
Alarmed.
OIarrisDurg Special to Chicago Ucroldl

placK bears were mover SO humorous nnt
bold in Central Pennsylvania as the,
arc this fall. In Center county the,
hive walked boldly into villages, apt
ono was killed tho other day on farm
within eight miles Of BelIofontc, the
county seat and homo Of Governor Cur
TN. in Franklin county, in the Nortl
h9unta1n region, bears invaded tho corr
nolds In such numbers during the husll
ing season just ended that great loss WA,
sustained by the farnlors in corn de
vourcd and carried away by the anituals
Over tho line, III Fulton county, especial
ly III Tod township, moro than one farm
er has been robbed of his winters porl
ny maraudmg bears. In Cumbcrlau,
county, near the Perry couuty line
many bears have been seen this month
and thrco killed.
Tho other day an immense bear wa
seen entering tho village of Nlilesbnrg
| Center county, having como down from
the woods near by. He coolIy crosse,
the iron bridge over Bntd Eaglo creek
and Walked up the middle Of the mai,
street. People who were in tic stree
got quickly out OF it. Horses snort,
and tugged at their tie-straps, but tbt
bear kept on its way. Before it had
gone far number Of dogs got wind OF
1t, and appeared upon the scene. Thc
bear turned and dashed through \. II,
Bogg's front picket fence, smashing if
down rs if it were Of glass, and took
short cut out of town for the woods.
There w0S no one in Alilesburg anxious
to go bear hunting, and the bear led the
dogs long chase, and returned TO the
mountains
Two other bears that tried the brave
aId lmpudcnt act at William farmers,
near the Loop, i'll Center county, on
iuestimy night did not fore ps we'll ns
the lono visitor at Miiesburg. Farmer
and bis wife were returning home from
neighbora, about o'clock, when they
saw bear walk out Of their front yard,
shuttle across the yard ahead of them,
and stop under tree in field a few
yards away. AS they stood looking at
the lmpudcnt bear another one came
sliding down out of the tree and joined
the one ut the foot Of the tree Then
the first bear climbed TIC tree. and
after reaching the branches, slid back
down, as his mate hud done, and then
the latter repeated the performance.
While the two bears were having this
checks sport between themselves, DRY
ing 10 attention to the SPECTATORS,
Farmer told his wife to go into the house
and get bis gun, his revolver and his uX.
By the time she returned prayer meet
ing was over in the village, and the pco-
pic were returning home. They ali
stopped to see the eXtraordir ary sight CT
two genuine wild bears having circus
undor tho noses OF twenty spectators.
The bears paid not the slightest alton
ton to the people, but took turns in
climbing and sliding down the tree.
Farmer sent load of buckshot into one
Of the bears as it stood on tho ground
waiting for its turn to climb, and it
hmped hurriedly OFF toward the woods,
hOWling fcarfully. The other bear did
not slide down the tree that trip, but II
manned among the branches. Farmer
went closer, and bOmbarded the bear us
II pcrchcd i'll the tree, but he shot it
four times, literally riddIing it with
buckshot before it fell to the ground. 1t
was ut once set upon with poles, clubs
and axes by the crowd, and the little
life LETT i'll it was beaten out
The GontZell farm is two miles south
OF Bellofonte, at the loot Of Bald Eaele
Mountain. y few days ago john Gent
Hcll, who owns the farm, was told by u
neighbor that a big bear was in his corn
field stripping the shocks and playing
havoc generally. Farmer Gcntzull IS no
hunter, but keeps gun, and, taking it
with him, he went to his corn field,
which was i'll sight Of his barn, to sec if
there really was a bear there huelLinE his
crop. Sure enough an enormous black
fellow stood ut one end Of the shocks,
scattering the stalks about and stripping
on the ears. GcntzGlI gave Bruin one
charge from his nile. The bear jumped
into the air and fell back fiat Oh tie
ground. The farmer supposed he had
killed his game, but, while he was load
ing his gun, the bear jumped up and
sl0uchcdaway and diSappCarcdin 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 fictd
working away at another shock Of corn
rs if nothing had hnppcncd.
GcntHCll then shouted to his brother
Henry, who was at work in another
field, and whiio Horny was On his way
to JOIN him john put two moro balls
into the bcar Bruin then made for thc
mountains, limping along on three legs.
The brothers followed him, and fourth
shot was fired into him. This did not
finish the tough old customer, and, now
thoroughly aroused, he turned on his
pursucrs, and rushed upon Henry Guut-
Holl in such Il furious charge that the
farmer was PROSTATE on the ground with
the bear paving and chewing at lis leg,
before he knew what had happened. II
was lucky for GCntZcll that lis brother
was there, for the bear would havo torn
him to pieces in minute more. The
brother sprang forward, and, with one
blow Of the heavy riiic, broke the bear 's
back, and tho fierce brute fell over and
died Tho flesh was torn from Henry
Gcntzclls 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 were hunting rabbits on
Tuesday near Cowan's Gap, in Franklin,
county. They started rabbit, and ii
ran into corn shock. One Of the boys
went to the shock to kick it and scnrc
the rabbit out, while tho two others
stood ready to shoot it. The rabbit
jumped out Of one side, but neither boy
shot it, for on the other side bear
tumbled ont and surveyed the youthful
hunters i'll 0stonishmcnt. The rabbit
got away, and so did tho boys. The
bear was afterwards killed in the same
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