The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-14
BEAR AND HORSE FIGHT.
Bloody Battle Between a Stallion and
Grizzly Ends in the Death Of Both.

] IL
Boise CITY Letter Ne,0 York Recorder.
J A tremendous battle between pow
erful stallion and a big grizzly bear
was an exciting event that was wit
messed by the employees OF James
Murfree at the latter's mountain ranch re-
Gently. Old UrSus Horribilis proved him.
self the better fighter, and, although he was
terribly injured by his irou-hoofed antago-
mist, he might have recovered from the
wounds had not Jim Max we'll, a vaqusrO,
sent slug from sharp's rifle through his
! body. Before the grizzly died however he
/ played even with his human foe.
The battle royal between the two beasts
commenced a. about 4:30 o'clock in the
morning and lasted about half an hour
/ The ranch hands saw the melee from its
commencement, but so confident we're they
/ that the stallion would prove victor that
they did not attempt to interfere until il
was too late Time and again Gray Rex, as
the big Norman horse was called had in
short order killed black bears of consider
able size, and the men thought his early
morning antagonist was nothing more than
an unusually big black bear which had
come to the ranch in search OF . juicy shoat
! They observed that the shaggy animals
method of fighting was quite unusual, but
| they were too anxious to enjoy little sport
! TO give the matter a second thought
/ Old Gray Rex mad been sleeping in his
shed the previous night, and when lie heard
the men moving about no pranced out
neighing for his matutinal feast Of grain.
| As he rounded the cowpen the men saw him
eagerly sniff the air. his ears slanted for
ward and his name stiff and bristling Gaz-
! ing over the grassy range, the men saw the
| figure of a bear lelsurely slouohing off to-
ward the heavy copse.
| A moment later, Gray Rex, his eyes dis
tended with rage, sharp snOrts of anger and
| defiance issuing from mis- red nostrlls, started
majestically across the plain to offer battle
TO the retreatiug intruder. The bear heard
the hostile advance of the stallion, aud he
| glanced over his shoulder but he did not
quicken his shufiiing gait. He had evil
| IDENTIFY seen horses before.
| by George. boys, there's going to be
some funln cried Cowboy Jack Spires, and
the men clambered to the roof OF the shed
the better to see the battle.
IL was not long delayed. Gray Rex with
a piercing scream Of rage, with his white
| teeth exposed, dashed at the bear, which,
with low, grumbling growl, jumped to
| one side in time to avoid the onslaught.
| The savage stallion wheeled slowly APP
preached the bear. and then, with n quick
! turn, he landed his hind feet upon the
| grizzly's ribs. The blow was sumner,
aud the men who heard it thought the bear
| was done for.
| 1t was IA surprise to the bear, but it did
not disable him. With shake OF his big
head and IA shifting of his feet ne faced the
stallion, which again rushed at him with
| widely opened mouth. The grizzly was
ready, and old Rex received a slap on the
muzzle that threw him Off his feet, and
caused him to collide with his hard hitting
antagonist. Over went both bear and horse.
Rex was the first to regain his feet With
a fierce scream and with terrific force he
| brought his sharp forefeet down upon the
bears left flank. bringing the blood in u
stream. 1t was fearful wound, and the
bear was. for a moment, badly dazed The
stallion had gained a decided advantage,
| but he had become more wary. He was
accustomed to fighting with bears that rose
| up on their launches, giving him splendid
! opportunities 20 deliver adroit kicks, the
force of which soon proved fatal. The
| tactics pursued by his latest opponent puz-
| zled him, and he hesltated.
! The ranchmen noticed this with surprise,
and jumping from the shed they cautiously
approached the battle field. To their sub
sequent regret they we're too excited to
think OF bringing firearms.
Rex heard the men approaching, and he
speedily regained his waning courage. He
| dashed at the bear, turned nimbly and
kicked him end over end. The bear did not
seem to be very badly injured, but he was
now Thoroughly aroused. Rex was upon
| him in an instant, thinking to again stab
the bear with his forefeet.
| AS the horse reared for the blow the griz-
ely darted forward, and with a tremendous
| blow from one of its armored paws, il
| ripped open the bowels of the beligerent
stallion. The men saw the blood rush forth
and realized that Rex had at length met
his match. Jim Maxwell rushed to the
house for his rifle, and the other men tried
by shouts and sudden sorties to brighten the
bear away.
But it was now too late. The animals
were at it tooth, hoof and claw, engaged in
one final struggle. IL was terrible con
fict Both animals were bathed in blood
poor old Rex's color appearing in irregular
spots. He fought like a demon, striking
kicking and biting. Again and again he
tore patches of hide and flesh from
the body Of the bear. and nearly every
time be tried to land his feet he succeeded
But the bear was as savage as the horse.
He had been crippled fore and aft, but he
was full Of fight, aud great raw patches
upon the stations sides, breast and head
showed where his blows had struck. The
bleeding animals did not pause a moment
They fought like tigers, the horse shrilly
screaming and the grizzly growing sui
lenly.
Presently the bear saw chance to de-
liver blow with one of mis- tremendous
paws. 1t fell with murderous force upon
| the stations shoulder and it knocked him
over and over When he arose he was
dazed. It was evident he could not see the
bear, for he commenced to trot here and
there, apparently in search Of his foe.
Presently his eyes fell upon the boar,
which was savage and expectant. With a
fearful cry of rage, the horse rushed, or q,
rather staggered toward his red-eyed
antagonist, and again he essayed to strike
with his forefeet but he was too weak. He
gave the foe an opening, and a moment
later he sank to the earth dead, with q
broken neck.
Just at this instant Jim Maxwell fired.
The bullet pierced the Grizzlys body. With
a sharp yelp he turned to flee, hut he sud-
denly wheeled. dashed at the men, struck
Maxwell upon his left hip, breaking the
bone, and then folling across the form of
the PROSTATE man, the grizzly died with his
face toward the foe.
| MEDICAL