The Forrest City times., 1893-05-12
THAT FEAR" HUNT.
Excited Citizens Pursue Chimsricai
 Beast-A Lively But fruitless Chase.

Beast-A Lively But fruitless Chase
 On Friday last our little city was the scene of considerable excitement. Abont noon negro. with dlstended eyes and shortened breath, came pest haste along the Grow creek road lead ing into town. shreking ln tai. setto-tenor voice, "A bar !"" A bar v As soon as the eager crowd that quick ly surrounded the darkey could soothe and control the excited man, he began to relate his tale of wee. lie claimed to have met bear near the pasture or Dr. Stone, about a mile east or town Being armed he vowed he had shot t the animal. but in this he IS not suS- tained by the testimony of an old ne- gro woman who was near the spot ana SAYS she heard no report oi gun and saw no bar n But when the darkey exhibited handful of "ha'r' which he said the '.b'arn left III d wire fence, the excitement of the fast-gathering crowd became intense After an pXamln1- ton, in which some experts said they knew COW hair from bear nair. the question was settled ny Jack Casteel, the veteran "b'ar" hunter, who pro- nuunced it unmistakeably "b'ar' hair. The shout that went up awoke the echoes along Crowley s ridge, aud the crowd dispersed in every direction to arm for the fray. Religious and poIiti- cal differences, the standing in the so- cial scale, the silver question, the an nexation of Hawaii, the warning Mem phis editors-all were forgotten Tn the 6agerness to possess the scalp of that ebar" The mounted hunters took the two separate roads leading to the hills, while the footInan thronged the rall- road cut. The collection If arms would have done credit to au exhibit at the worlds fair. Rifles and shotgups- breech. chamber and mnzZle leaders; old swords. cfowbars, clubs, reyolyeis of every style. dating back to the old Allen pepperbox--in fact, every con ceivable implement of warfare, from the First up to the Nineteenth centu- ries. was brought to the front. Tom Folhre had d Winchester rife, two six shooters and bowie knife; Nick Jack son was armed with blnnderbuss, a horse pistol. he raised from "colt,' a stovepipe hat and half-acre smile; one or two of the boys only carried q jag But all meant business.
 The horsemen took to the hills and were soon lost to view. and as to their exploits this deponent knoweth naught, as they have kept very mum" about that "o'ar" hunt since their return.
 The crowd that congregated in the railroad cut seem 10 have been the ex- perts, IS the leadership was delegated to Bud Boyle and his famous "b'ar" dog. Bismarck. With yell of conf dence the party advanced, all being on the alert When about quarter of a mile down the road a couple of shots were heard ln their rear, and word was soon brought that the "b'arn had been seer and shot at in the cemetery. The trailing of Bismarck. however, con vinced the hunters that they were on the right track Passing through the cut, the creek bottom was reached and the hunters deployed right and left Soon shout from the right that they had found tracks" brought the party to halt, and a hasty conference ended by a decision that the tracks were made Dy COW. X hot trail was all nounced by Bismarck's deep mouthed baying' aud when tine crowd reached the spot the game was located in a dense thicket. With trembling hands the hunters brought their weapons to a ready" and the "beaters in" moved cautiously forward. Soon a crashing Of underbrush was heard and out rush. ed the monster form of big black hog
 Night coming on, the hunters turned their faces homeward, tired, thirsty, hungry and disgusted. and "cussing" Uncle Jack for his lack of knowledge of bar ha'r,' and threatening with cremation the old darkey who first told the story,
 Dr. Stone hired out all his idle horses and Gus EZell sold every cartridge he had. and there is growing suspicion that these enterprlsing gentlemen put up the entire job as the means of caus- ing break in the dull times and there by replenishing their store of lucre.