The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-10-29
DEADLY BEAR DUEL
Caught In Same Trap Animals
Fight to Finish.

SHREWSBURY, Va, Oct. 2S-Hank
WHITE hunts bears when he isn't shoot
ing small game or fishing.
Bud Hawkins, who lives up Jockey
Cap mountain way, reported that he
had seen big black bear between the
Cap and Shrewsbury Peak. Hank
promptly set out with q trap and the
carcass of horse to look for the bear
He found the tracks by Shelter Spring.
and followed them UP the mountain,
using his old mare to snake his bait.
At convenient point he set the trap,
threw the dead horse In pit just be-
yond and went home.
The next morning he got Bud to
take his gun and go up to the trap with
him. The men had reached a point
within sight of the trap when Hank
stopped and motioned to'Bud to remain
silent.
Holy smoke" he whispered, hoarse-
Iy, this two bar in tn trap, an they
be a-fghtin' like all possessed"
Bud poked' the bushes apart with his
gun and fairly gasped. There, within
twenty rods of him. were two full
grown bears clawing and biting at
each other and screeching as though
Satan had got into them. Each was
caught by hind leg, and with the
other three they were clawing away
for dear life The ground all about
was covered with blood and hair. and
from appearances the aconbatants had
been battling for nearly an hour. The
ANIMALS were about of a size, and up
to the time the hunters arrived hon.
ors were even.a5tsl liuOy ttfsyslA
(Which one f 'em will 1 sock fust?"
inquired Bud. as soon as he recovered
from his surprise. e
Don't sock nuther f 'em" COM
manded Hank, after a moments medi-
tation. I've allus been fer fair play,
an 'twouldn't be fair. Let 'em fight it
out an tn best bar VIM
WAL We be fool, Hank" e1acu-
lated Bud disgustedly. Likes not both
f 'em II git away"
But Hank insisted It was appar
ent to both men that each bear
thought the other had got him into the
scrape, and each was desperately try
ing to wreak vengeance on the other.
The carcass of the horse had not h-NV
touched. and this it was plain that they
had arrived together and been caught
simultaneously.
The animals were too much occupied
to notice the. hunters and kept at the
fight undisturbed. The battle was fast
between rounds. At times the animals
stood up and boxed, each waiting for
chance to catch the other in a death
embrace; at other times they crouched
like cats and sprang with the fury of
lions. All the time they roared and
screeched in rage. Now and then one
rip off a patch of hair as large as
mans hand.
The battle continued for nearly an
hour before there was any sign of let
which appeared to have broken a small
bone in the ankle held in the trap.
strained out Of his opponents reach
and licked. such of his wounds as he
could reach. This gave the other an
opportunity to rest, and he too lay down
and cared for himself; After an in
ztv1xYA
again with louder roars and renewed
fury, tearing and biting and getting in
hug now and then that would have
crushed the life out of yearling bull.
But the bears ribs seemed to be made
of rubber, and the moment one could
shake off his antagonist he was after
him as though the fearful hug had been
an affectionate embrace.
Such an encounter could not keep up
indefinitely, and after what seemed to
the hunters half the afternoon the bear
and in an unwary moment the other got
him in a strange hold. The squeezed
bear stood it for few moments, then
truded, and he began to wayer. AS soon
as the SqueeZer saw the advantage he
had gained. he redoubled his efforts, and
the squeezed gradually sank to the
ground and finally breathed his last
The victorious bear had hardly
strength enough to sit on the body Of
b fee w Uead go down and lberate eo hm
He had, he said, earned his freedom,
and he would give it to him If it was
the last good deed of his life. Bill ex-
postulated, but to no purpose, and the
two men advanced. The bear regarded
them suspiciously, but was too weak to
take much account of their presence,
and ne allowed them to get within a
few feet before he staggered to his feet
and growled
Hank got a stick and managed to get
it in the jaws Of the trap. Then he
T1ried the teeth slowly apart The bear
felt his numb foot free and he pulled
it out Then, like any other well-bred
| bear, he lunged after his liberator. Hank
! and Bud went up tree, dropping the
gun and the bear attempted to follow.
His leg was too numb, so he sat at the
| bottom and growled. But gradually his
! head sank on his chest and he went the
way Of his mate.