Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1891-12-30
Bears and Wildcats.

Araod Enmmell, who lives near the head
waters Of Bluman's creek, In Wyoming
county, has had $40 worth Of sheep killed
lhls fall by bears, says scraoton, Pa, spe.
oia to The New York Sun Two weeks ago
be began to pen his sheep at night, and q
morning or 30 aarr he discovered Tear
iacks near b. fold. TIE bear came around
eysrs o'ber pigbt for ten days. but be didn'.
get sny sheep, because the pen was rooted
sad s,rcrg. Last Thursdsy night Mr..
Hnuuel decided to lie In walt for the bear.
A fsw yards from the sheep fold there is q
reg pen with fat roof and on Thursday
oIght Eir. Hummel placed lot OF straw on
:ha roof, loaded bis old musket with big
bullet aEd hal. dozen buckshot, covered
himself with blankets and lay down In the
st:ew 10 Satct for the coming of the beer.
The moon ser esry. but the strrjght en-
abel BIZ. HuDmell to see the theepfold
plsio y, snd between and 2 O'Clock be saw
a dark otjecJ stesl around the corner ct the
bsrn and climb the barnyard fenoe. l. was
the bear that Mr.. Hummell had get up for,
spd So soou as it was ever the fence 1t struck
e listening attitude, With its ltf brcedsde
toward the hog pen. Mr. Eennell
Immediately rested the mutkei scrcse
his left koee and banged away at the hesr.
There was tremendous charge 10 the old
gun end the vlgilsnt farmer tumbled back
wards eff the roof into pile CT straw, but
The fall didn't hurt him any, ard when be
got to the barDysrd the bear was dead, the
bullet and buckshot having made hole as
big as hens egg In its left eide. l. weigh.
ed nearly 400 pounds.
Bsf;re the irst froet came last month Jar
yis Means, OF Root Hollow, chopped down a
large bssswood tree In fjreBt on bis lands
The upper part OF the tree proved to be hol-
low, and soon otter 1t hed struck the ground
d swarm OF bees began to pour from hole
in the trurk. Mr.. Means was forced to run
for his life, and when 1t was dark he and kia
soma went to the woods to gather the honey.
They found bear In possession Of the tree.
and Il vas 30 determined to 6ll Itself with
honey before 1t went away that 1t growled
and showed fight when the men approach.
ed. It was oawing at the hole, but Il hadn't
got It's paw in yet, and the odor OF the honey
made 1t furious to gohbe some of 1t dos In
short order. While the bear was tearing at
the tree Mr. Means he'd the lantern end
the boys went for 1t with their eZes. The
bears surliness and determination cost him
his life, for the young men speedily crushed
bis skull. The bear weighed little over
500 pounds.
A bulldog. belonging to Elijah Ttsw nth Of the
Mehoopsny creek resi IN, treed a bear in Tho edge
of Spruce swamp few days ago Mr.. Iissw>rlh
heard the dog barking furlously for bali sn hour
in the swsmp and, wondering why the dog stayed
there SO long. he trudged over to the spot to find
cut He ascertained that the bulldog had driven
a bear into spruce treo Of his own accoI and
that he was barking up tho tree and compelling
the bsar to cling to the limbs; The treed animal
was eyeing the dog, but it didn't care to come
down fre it's perch, and Mr.. Titswcrth ttld the
dog to keep it up there. Then he went after his
riff , and when he returned the bulldog was still
barking and the bsar was hanging to the branches
Mr.. Ellsworth blaEed away ard the bear tumbled
from the tree as lad as a rock.
Lstou Stocker Of Coolbaugh township, saw q
wildcat feeding on rabbit in the Tobyhsnna
woods last Tuesday. He fred charge Of fine
ehot at 1t end 1t appeared to be dead, but it re-
vived the moment he picked 1t up and began to
scratch him with its feet. Stccker then drove 3
knife into its breast aid finished 1t. A Wildcat
pitched en- Henry Godirey's spaniel IN the Spring
Brook woods few days ago. hs dog ran into
trash heap and Mr.. Godfrey killed the wildcat
by filing its head IN l Of birdsho:.