The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-08-17
A BEAR THIEF.
Bruin Ran Or Promiscuously With Corn
and Hogs.


able will be the next thing. Ihave not
been much of a bearist, either in the
mountains or on Wall street, but lit
tie truthful yarn concerning the pecu-
liar capers of North Carolina bear
will be of general interest.
Col Joe King is well known char
acter in the Tar Heel state, and he this
day owns the bear which, according to
the custom of story writer's, must be-
come the hero of this narrative. Col.
King had large field OF corn, and he
noticed that some one would 60 through
it every night and about a bushel of
corn would be transferred to some
other place. He looked for tracks and
found none. He had a notice posted to
the effect that he knew who the party
was that was stealing his crop, and
limited in the old style that word to
the wise should be sufficient. However,
with charming regularity, the field
would be entered and the corn would
disappear. So one moonlight night
when Col King was lying in wait in
some bushes close at hand, with rifle
to ELL the hide of the trespasser with
bullets, he fell asleep His rifle rolled
in the bushes and the moon had gone
to rest, leaving the sky as black as ink.
King was awakened by scratch on
the face, and he felt the hot breath of
whatever it might be. He was fright
ened out of his boots, as the saying
goes, and not finding his rife, ALLOWED
that the devil had him sure" and start
ed to run. A little distance from where
he had slept he stopped and saw very
large armfull of corn, nicely gathered
and evidently laid down with care.
Was it a man that left the corn and
was he bent upon murder? Ali these
things were the principal thoughts of
King. So he proposed to see. He
walked about ten yards and laid down
behind second clump of bushes
within very unsatisfactory sight of
the corn. Within an hour his curiosity
was gratifed. A large black bear
walked up on all tours He carefully
surveyed the field; listened and looked,
and after apparently satisfying himself
that he was alone, proceeded to pick up
the corn, which was all he could pos
sibly get his two arms around and
leisurely walked away. King was so
shocked at the impudence of the brute
that he broke out in a hearty laugh;
but the bear merely looked back and
continued his journey. King set traps,
but without success About a week af-
terward, after his corn field experience.
King was again surprised TO see the
bear in his barnyard driving razor
back-or prairie-rooter hog. The hog
would weigh about ninety pounds, and
Mr.. Bear was walking behind him,
erect and with much dignity. He
would slap the pig first on one side and
then on the other with his forepaws,
keeping him in the path. The pig
seemed to know that Mr.. Bears claws
were sharp, and quietly submitted TO
his masters suggestions
King thought that the bear was .
trifie too expensive, so he followed be-
hind at safe distance The journey
was about two miles-and there he
found the palatial residence OF Mr..
Bear, the hog and corn thief There
was plenty of evidence 20 convict the
bear of grand larceny or burglary or
anything else.
But King concluded 70 have some fun
at the expense of others, and accord
ingly notified the sheriff that be had
missed certain articles and that he had
finally located the thief He did not
know his name for certain, but had
heard him called Bear. His first name
he could not secure The sheriff said
that no name was necessary-just TO
tell him the location and make an af-
fidavit that 10 the best Of his knowledge
and belief Mr.. - Bear had taken,
etc
This was done, and the sheriff started
on his journey, and upon arriving at
the place described By King, saw King
with large bear securely fastened.
The sheriff has never told this story. but |
King has
The bear was not like the usual black !
bears of this country, nor was il like /
the brown European bear. IL appears 4
larger and il of a variety never seen be- /
fore It's claws are fashioned like those
Of grizzly bear. being ehisel-shzPed- l
King has kept the bear SONS Eve 4
years now, and has him trained % do /
most anything. he drives cows and J
hogs bcttsr than dog and nost equal |
10 man be will climb trees. vresi1s /
with the boys m the neigh borhood- and |
is al honored and respected member Of /
the King bsrnyard he IS named Cor |
hey. and knows lis naEre-a 4. Id /
verlser-