The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-23

Dragged Forty-POund Weight
Through Two Counties.

Philadelphia Record.
Somewhere in the forest region that ex-
tends from Cogan House township, Lycom-
ing count to the Black Forest, in the
southeastern part of Potter county, there
is roaming these days a big black bear
with forty-pound steel trap and a ten
foot chain attached to his leg.
This bear broke away with one of Joseph
Hopkins's traps, near Brookside, about a
week ago, and the last heard of the shack
led beast was up in the Slate run region,
over thirty miles from Brookside. For
two days a party of four hunters chased
the fugitive bear, and once one of the men
saw bruin stumbling along and out of rifle
range. Though handicapped by the weight
of the trap and the long dangling chain
the bear was evidently able to travel faster
than were the men, for the fact that he
was seen in the upper Slate run district
three days after his escape shows that he
was yet able to get over territory lively.
This bear is said to be as large as year
ling heifer 1t had been preying on
Farmer Hopkinss sheep and pigs for a
month before 1t allowed itself to be in
weighed into the trap; and Ii was probably
suited in his downfall, Hopkins hung a
calf's head eight feet above the ground,
beneath which the largest of his jaw-tooth
traps was hidden.
Next morning the ealfs head was there,
but the trap was gone. The captive bear
must have set himself free, for the chain
had been unfastened from Its circle around
a log.
1t was the morning of the first day
that Luke Griswold, one of the pursuers,
saw the bear. The trap was fast to one of
bear and all his sheep and shoats. Mr.. Hop
kins is also minus his $40 bear trap.
old hunters are eagerly discussing the
probable fate of the shackled bear. Most of
them think that he will keep on going and
going, toting his heavy load with him un-
til he worries and starves himself to death,
unless somebody chances to shoot him. and
even then the meat would be inferior for
a bear soon loses his plumpness and the
flesh becomes dry and tasteless in captivity.
Other backwoodsmen who know something
or the habits OF bears say that this bear
will return TO the quarters that. he oc-
cupied last winter and will there await the
natural process of modification of the
imprisoned foot to be freed from the trap
that the leg will then heal up and three
footed bear will be seen next season. Grip
pied in that manner the bear could get
around lively enough and over a small ter
ritory, but he could never again join the
hiking forays of his companions.
When seen in the Slate run region the
bear was stumbling along old log road,
going In the direction of the heart of the
Black Forest-that Eden of black bears
and catamounts. Two unarmed woodsmen
saw him. They were first attracted to
him by the rafting of the chain as it
dragged along over the rocks, and hiding
in the thicket along the roadside they
were within ten yards of the bear when
1t passed and they had good chance to
see him. The men say that he had a most
forlorn look on his face, as though worried.
weary and disheartened. He half jerked.
half dragged the heavy trap along, but
when one OF the men yelled at the top of
his voice the poor beast broke into a logged
run, as though yet determined to escape
any further torment at the hands of man.
Like some derelict on the ocean this
shackled bear will probably wanter aim
lessiy and sadly among the ravines of the
Black Forest, to be seen row and then by
hunters, serving TO add zest to the fireside
stories In camps or affording material for
yarns at the village store