The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-02-05
SAVED BY a PET BEAR.
Jacob Berser's Remarkable Experiences p
the Mountains.

Jacob Berser's Remarkable Experience b
the Mountains.
Jacob Berger is mountaineer wht
Is known to almost every man, woman.
and child in Sullivan and Columbia
Counties, Pa. For fifteen years he has
vacillated between Bloomsburg, the
county seat of Columbia, and Laporte
in Sullivan County, and by his peculiar
dress and mountain habits has become
familiar figure in the different towns
and villages. he was known to have
a family living somewhere near HELPS
Kitchen, but little was heard of Mrs
Berger or the younger Bergers until {.
discovery made few days ago by as
engineering party.
The surveying corps was IN charge
Of Charles Baker of the place and was
locating line for railroad across the
mountain. This brought the party
near Hell's Kitchen. Here one of the
engineers strayed away from his com
rades. While picking his way through
the brush he made discovery which
made his hair stand on end. a short
distance from him, on the bank Of
small stream, he saw large black
bear, smeared with blood and chewing
at something, while beside the brute
he could distinguish the body OF MAJ
% all appearance lifeless.
The engineer was unarmed and for $
a moment he was at a loss how to act
He could not cope with the bear single
handed, and so he ran back to wher
his companions were at work. Whel
he reached them he was almost breath
less from excitement, but managed t
inform the party Of what he had found
All the guns, axes, and other weaponi
avail able were secured and the survey
ors started of in haste to kill the bear
After a run up the mountain side the
bank Of the stream was again reached
and the party approached cautiously
To their surprise the man was sitting
partly erect and endeavoring to sup
porth himself with one hand, while the
bear, close beside him, was still busy
tearing what seemed to be human flesh
The surveyors stood spellbound
They could not grasp the situation
The bear, to al appearances, was as saw
age as any in the mountains and was
covered with blood. One Of the party
finally broke the ice by shouting at ths
top Of his voice and attracted the at
tention Of both the man and bear. Tht
man signaled to the surveyors to come
to him. The party crossed the stream
and found that the man was jacob
Berger, and that he was severely
wounded about the head and body
} One arm was broken and his back wa:
badly sprained. He could not rise
The bear in the meantime watched thu
strangers closely, but offered no objec'
tion to their advances after being eau:
toned by Berger. After the surveyors
had taken Berger to his home, to which
they were followed by the bear, he tols
his story:
Berger first explained that Davy, th.
,ear, was perfectly domesticated ana
was his wGe's particular pet. She had
a peculiar fondness for mountain snE
mails, and in stockade near the cabin
she has sort OF domestic menagerie.
Davy has long been her favorite, and
also that of her daughters. This is &C,
counted for by the fact that the bea7
has acted as sentinel at the house and
stood guard in the absence OF the
woodsman. he had never been very
familiar with Berger himself, and how
he happened to accompany him that
morning could not be explained. Ber-
ger left home that morning to inspect
some timber land. He had gone some
distance into the woods when he noticed
that the bear was following him. The
bear kept respectful distance in the
rear and e7inced no desire to cultivate
terms Of intimacy. In this way the
pair pushed through the woods until
the bank Of the creek was reached.
! Berger stopped here for a moment,
parity to find a safe place to ford the
stream and partly to view the timber.
he was Sc engrossed that be did not
hear or notice a large catamount creep
ing along the inb Of a tree above his
head. BE was about to move away
when suddenly the catamount leapee
upon him The animal struck Berger
SQUARE Between the shoulders and
knocked him violently to the ground.
The teeth and claws Of the catsmount
tore his flesh, his arm Was broken BY
the fall, and be was unable to offer re-
sistance, just when he had made up
his mind that he was done for ne head
q loud grunt, the brush was swept
aside, and old Davy came upon the
catamount, and a terrible battle be
tween the two beasts followed.
The cat was a large one, fought
viciopsly, and tore bruin badly IA his
efforts to release himself. Is was with.
out avail, however, payy had suffered
several severe scratches, and be was
greatly aroused. He tore the cat into
pieces, and chewed the carcass into
fragments, He was still engaged tear,
ing at the remains Of the catamouV
.,Lo,, 4ho c,,r,o0ore -oanoo a1nnc