The morning call., 1891-01-05
JESSE BELLS NERVE.
His Desperate Encounter With a
Silver.Tip Bear.

III it is true as 1 read it in the newspa-
pers that Jesse Bell of Wind River is dead"
said G. P. Lormer. of the Helen No Min
ing Company, Then the nerviest man that
ever prospected, killed bears, and hunted
Indians in the wilds of Wyoming or any
other wilds is dead. The first time ever
saw Jesse Bell he had just completed Jour-
ney of 120 miles with his upper jaw and
part of his nose and cheek gone half of
his scalp torn off, one foot crushed and
mangled, his right arm badly lacerated and
three ribs broken. The journey had taken
two days and half and two nights and a
half. 1t began at the mouth of Horse Greek,
on the Green River, and ended at Fort
Bridger l was at the fort when Jesse was
brought in by his partner, Arkansas Bill
and another man, a stranger. never saw
such sight as he was. No explanations
were asked Tor or given until Jesse was
placed safely in the hospital. Then the
commandant said TO Arkansas Bill:
"'lndiaus?'
NO replied Bill; bears
And then bill told the story of one of the
most terrific bear tights that any man in that
region Of big and fierce bears and intrepid
bear-hunterS had ever heard of. One day
they SAW herd OF antelope and started out
TO lag one or two of the shy little deer. The
antelope led them toward a high bluff, and
they followed the game for eight miles with
out being able to get shot. The antelope
finally passed around one edge of tile bluff,
aud the two hunters began crawling along
the bluff, out Of sight OF the antelope, with
the hope Of getting within range. jesse
Bell was in the lead and as he turned a
sharp corner of rock he came face TO face
with a big she si,ver-tip bear, yearliug
cub, and two spring cubs. They were not
ten feet away and they saw Jesse as
soon as he saw them. They were in
little hollow, and the position and place
Jesse was in made 1t dangerous spot either
Tor an attack on the bears or for defense
against them. Arkansas Bill had crept to
Jesse's side before the latter could tell him
what was ahead. lie took i'll the situation
at once and jumped back. Before Jesse
could follow hun the old bear, her blood
being up, made a rush for him. Jesse fired
and broke the bears shoulder Then he
jumped aside, but the bear was too close to
MIN, and she caught him in the side. Both
went down III heap, the bear falling on
top, at Arkansas Bins feet. The bear
closed her great Jaws on Jesse's side. Her
upper teeth were buried in the flesh, crack
ing three ribs like pipestems. Fortunately
her under teeth struck heavy leather bull
let pouch that jesse carried slung over his
shoulder by Il strap. That prevented the
enormous jaws from closing together in
JesSe's side, and tearing a large portion of
it away. All that Jesse could do was to
give the bear a tremendous kick in the
stomach. AT the same instant Arkansas
Bill fired at the bear. The bail entered
back OF her shoulder
The bear evidently thought the pain
| from the bullet was The result of JeSSeS
! kick, for she turned and caught his foot just
| below the ankle and crushed it with one
| savage bite. Not satisfied with that, she bit
| and clawed at the foot and leg, and tore
! away the flesh at every bite, while Jess
| was struggling To get his revolver out OF his
belt. All this time Arkansas Bill was load
| ing his rifle, breech leaders not yet having
come in use out Ill that country. Jesse's
struggles to turn and get his revolver
| caused the bear to wheel about again. She
made grab for Jesse's head. Bill had his
| gun loaded by this time, and sent another
| bullet in the tough old bear. This toppled
| her over, and Jesse raised partially TO his
| ieet and got his revolver in lis lett hand.
The pedr recovered herself aud struck Jesse
blow with her paw on the head and face
| that knocked him down again. He held on
| TO his revolver and put ball into the bear'5
easd hs arm ne hT ain teeIs
crunched it clear through the bone. Jesse
now lay SO that Bill could not lire without
endan gering his life. Bill shouted to him
TO move his head. Jesse did so, but
the instant he moved 1t the bear
snapped at it quickly. as Jesse lay half
face upward. aud closed down on his head
clear TO the upper jaw. Jesse, in describ-
ing this situation afterward, said that he
could look right down the bears throat. But
| Arkansas Bill Was equal to the occasion,
and, placing the muzZle OF his rife at the
| bears ear, fined. The bear sprang back.
She did not take the trouble, though, to
| loosen her hold on Jesse's head and face, and
tore away the upper jaw, part Of tho nose,
one cheek and piece OF the scalp nine
| inches long and five wide The bear Tell over
against Arkansas Bill dead. Her great body
carried him down with her and pinned him
fast by both legs. He eXtIicated himself
with difficulty and limped TO tue aid Of his
companion. Jesse was sitting up, CHASTITY
spectacle. His jaw was hanging by a strip
OF desh to his cheek. Bill cut it loose.
While he was dressing Jesse's torn scalp the
yearling bear, which, with the two cubs,
had been silent spectators OF the tight con-
Guided to take IL ap where the old bear had
been forced TO leave 1t of, and made a saw
age rush upon the TWO hunters. Arkansas
Bill had a lively russell with the young sill
ver-tip before he managed to Kill II with his
siX-ShoOter, every chamber being emptied
before the bear gave up.
Jesse waited without groan or a word
until Bill had finished the young bear and
returned to the dressing of his wounds.
Having fixed them up the best he could with
the means at hand, Bill took Jesse on his
back and started Tor camp. 1t was late in
afternoon, and IL was lmpol tant that camp
shouli be reached before dark, for black
wolves were numerous III the hills, and both
Jesse and Bill knew they would follow their
trail If darkness overlook them. Some idea
of Arkansas BilPS capacity may lie had
when it is known that Jesse Bell was a man
Ieet 4 IN his stocking feet, and made in
proportion. The camp was eight miles
away, and the way WAS extremely rough.
On all that memorable journey Jesse Bell
never once complained of suffering either
tom pain or hardship. lie was placed in
the hospital, and the surgeon told Arkansas
Bill that he could never survive his injuries.
But he did. and was out in month. saulV