Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-17
FIGHT WITH A BEAR.
An Exciting Adventure of O Crack
Army Shot.

N AS1SAeAno adventure "a - oGNSA
Army Shot.
wingate (Arlzona) Letter to the Boston Traveller.
There is a soldier In troop G of the sec
end cavalry. Mt Fort Wingate. who bears
the distinction of being the best shot in the
United States army. He is Sergt. Henry
Henser, and, not only is he thorough
cavalryman in every sense Of the word, a
perfect carbine and pistol shot, but he has
had some adventures that few men would
have lived through. I saw the sergeant
the other day in his comfortable quarters
and obtained a record of his wonderful
shooting. as well as the story Of des-
perate battle he had for his life in Ari-
IONA In 1890. near Fort Huachuca.
While stationed at Fort Huachuca, Ari-
IONA. In 1890. Sergt. Henser met with an
adventure which came near costing him his
life. A man named Montgomery had been
attacked by a gigantic bear in the hills.
and the report Of it had just reached the
post. Henser heard Of 1t, and, being an
ardent sportsman, he remarked: I'D like
to give that silver tip a chance to chew me
rp," meaning that were the bear to meet
him there would very likely be a dead bear.
The very next day, the 1st Of December, he
took his carbine and went toward the hill
to look for game. He had started some
deer, and was thinking only Of them, when
official report Of DR.. J. M. Bannister, as
sistant surgeon, who treated. him:
while creeping through the underbrush
Henser heard a twfg crack at his side. and.
turning his head, caught sight of an inn
mense bear. just as the brute sprang upon
him and fastened his teeth in the back of
Ia thigh The force of the attack threw
the sergeant against strong bush. with
the bush. with the bears fangs fast In his
flesh, the man turned as well as he could.
placed the muzzle Of the carbine against
the bears left flank. and fired. whereupon
the bear with one blow Of his paw,
knocked the carbine out of his hand. send
ing the weapon several yards down the
I'LL. upon the side of which the desperate
cerfsct was going on.
combatants rolled down the hillside to-
gether. bear landing on top. The brute
took advantage of his position by attacking
the sergeants left shoulder, which he
srasped the bears nose in as powerful a
grip as he could and tried to hold him off.
He was bitten entirely through the hand,
which was rendered useless, and then the
tearing and decorating the flesh, when the
soldier, with wonderful presence of mind.
ran his hand down the bears throat,
greatly to the establishment and discomfort
of the latter.
1.-The scar made frantic efforts to bite
through the forearm. but, being choked
and demoralized by the unusual obstruc-
ton in his throat, could not fnjure the
limb very seriously. though he succeeded
in decorating the flesh in several places be-
tween the wrist and the elbow. Meanwhile
Henser was making frantic efforts to get at
his knife, still keeping his hand and fore
arm in the bears throat. whore he had
firm hold. The brute was becoming weak
from loss of blood from the gunshot wound,
end was slowly strangling. He struggled
with awful force to get free from that
grasp in his throat and finally succeeded.
He staggered off into the bushes, leaving
the almost Efeless body of the sergeant
where the struggle had taken place.
"Henser struggled to master his weak
ness, and tried to find his carbine, but was
so weak from loss of blood that he was
forced to lie down. Luckily, his hunting
companions heard his weak cry for help
and came to his assistance. He was car
ried to the post and admitted to the hos
pita1, where he was under treatment for
twenty-seven days..
Sergt Henser hasn't lost any bears since.
He doesn't care to give another silver tip
the chance to Chew him up The wounds
he sustained in his face badly affected his
eyes, and he has to wear glasses continu-
ously But. notwithstanding this handicap.
he Is still the peer Of all marksmen in the
United States army, and he is perfectly
satisfied so long as he can retain that high
honor.