The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-12
CRABS SUBDUE A BLACK BEAR
1T WAS HUGGTNG JOHN SHREVE
UNDER THE ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

At Least, That Is what Shreve, Who Had
Been Grabbing, Says-fiis Hands were
Free, He Had Coed Catch and He
Sicked Elm ON the Bear, which Fled.
LORRAINE. N. j., Aug. ll.--Almost every
body in Lorraine has been hunting to-day
the bear that attacked John Shreve last
night right on Westfeld avenue, In the
glare q the electric lights. Front gates
are kept locked, and all the children are
Under strict orders not to 60 out Of the
yards until the bear has been caught. To-
nights meeting Of the sewing circle was
postponed because it was to be held this
week at the home Of Sister Jones, who
lives off the road, and the members didn't
want to walk oross-lots with their sewing
on account Of the bear.
The men folks are out in force, following
the trail of the bear and Of the soft-shell
crabs that saved John Shreve's life.
Shreve had been grabbing in the Railway,
and was coming home with netful late
}ast night, when the bear caught him within
a hundred feet Of his home in Westfeld
avenue.
Il had just passed an electric light, said
Shreve to-day, when heard rustling in
the corn field on the side OF the road.
supposed at first that it was just gang OF
Jersey post Office thieves on their way to
work and didn't think anything more about
1t till half minute later, when the rustling
stopped and big black bear loped out Of
the corn field and stood right before me
on the sidewalk.
II lodged round him and started to run
H. ,fsa FULL
A bear looks slow when he's In a cage, but
he isn't knew the bear was gaining on
me at every jump. Pretty soon l could
hear y i'm breathe. Then / felt him breathe.
1t was like one OF those southwest winds In
dog days.
l knew I was done for unless l turned
around and made a fight. The minute l
turned the bear went up on his hind legs
and grabbed me around the waist.
az didn't have any weapon, but my arms
were free, and. in a lucky instant, Thought
of the crabs in my net bag oysr my shoulder:
They were all alive. l pulled out one and
put IL round on the bears back, but it didn't
get a good hold. | heard the shell click
when II fell on the sidewalk. In sort OF
wrestling round to get firmer grip on
me the bear stepped on the crab and
squashed it.
'"But those crabs were my only hope,
SO took out another, ana TeaChnE around
the bears body l found place where the
hair was kind Of thin, and planted the crab
right there 1t got a good nip and hung on.
AThe bear growled A nipping in just
| one spot wouldn't make him let go OF me
and he kept squeezing tighter had my
| presence OF mind with me ard calculated
that could stand the hugging for about
five minutes more.
Il knew had only a dozen crabs left /,
30 I worked carefully and took out one crab
at time 80 as not to drop any. distributed
en- all over the bears back and held on to
each one till felt sure he had nipped.
"Out of the dozen guess ton got bite
into that crittur's hide and hung on and
kept nipping together. About the time
l got the sixth crab located the bear began
to weaken his strangle hold on me and to
waste his breath bowling. hardly had time
to plant the last crab before the bear quit 4,
dropped down on all fours and streaked
for the cornhelo again. l guess the crabs
stayed with him, for heard him growl
all the way across the cornfield and into
the woods.
aIf l had those crabs back I'd let EN-
go alive into the Railway again, feel 30
grateful"
John Shreve is one of the well-known
citizens of Lorraine, and there isn't a soul
here who doesn't believe the bear story
or who would dare hint that Shreve In
vented it just as an excuse for coming home
without any crabs.