Los Angeles herald., 1905-03-06
DEPUTY EXPLORES
DEN OF HERMIT
ENCOUNTERS A BIG GRIZZLY,
BUT BESTS HIM
Weird Experience of "Joe" Peter
michel Absorbing Topic of Dis
cussion Among County
Officials

Ine aDSOrDlng topic of the day which
now serves to perplex the minds of
county officials before and after tea
is the discussion of Deputy Public Ad-
ministrator Petermichels thrilling
experience with Rocky mountain
bear in small adobe hut near the
old San Gabriel mission.
Senor Don Jose Alvarado Machardo.
an aged and eccentric Spaniard who
was said to have existed as a hermit
near the old mission for the past forty
years, died suddenly on March | with
out leaving behind him the least trace
of his antecedents.
Heirs unknown" was the entry
made opposite the name of the de-
ceased on the books of the public ad-
ministrator, and Deputy Petermichel
was detailed to marshal the assets of
the estate.
No living man, it is said, has ever
crossed the threshold of the old her
mit's adobe at San Gabriel and when
Deputy Joe" Petermichel approached
the mysterious adobe of the scion of
old Spain, weird creatures of imagina-
tion loomed up in the distance before
the eyes of the intrepid official.
To think of sheep jumping in undul-
atory procession over a stone wall is
to invite slumber.
The official evidently pictured to
himself the jumping sheep, for as he
approached the door of the hermit's
cabin, he quickly rubbed from his eyes
the dream phantoms which foretold of
dire distress.
There was no time to falter, ut was
to do or die" (figuratively speaking),
and the official leaped for the door.
But alas, Dame Fate ruled against
the guardian of the law. for the only
entrance to the hermit's cottage was
securely barred against all intruders.
Undaunted by the obstacles which
seemed to present themselves, as If in
communion with the spirit of the dead
Machardo, the efficient officer refused
to be outdone by the spirits, phantoms
or other weird creatures and, with one
bound. he leaped to the roof Of the
hermit's hovel.
The chimney, constructed of adobe
clay, was the only entrance accessible
and without fear Deputy Petermichel
dropped into the unknown depths" of
Machardo's seclusion, in the perfor-
nance of his duty as the custodian of
the estates of deceased persons without
known heirs.
Great, however, was the intrepid Of
ficia's surprise, when he saw before
him the cleaning eyes of a grizzly
bear.
The savage beast crouched for the
final spring-alas, the death hug of
the great brown bear was but a few
seconds away, but "Joe" Petermichel
has not forgotten his days at the uni
versity, when at the position of left
tackle on the varsity football team he
led his padded warriors to victory on
many an eastern gridiron.
Quick as a flash, the officer tackled
his adversary low, and in such superb
execute the play he would
have doubtless said "well done"
The animal was at his mercy, and
with one magnificent play of strength
(Terrible Turk style), Deputy Peter
michel hurled the grizzly through the
heavy door and bounding into free
dom with a cry of pain, bruno" was
soon lost to sight.
1t was discovered that the only earth
ly treasures left behind by Machardo
were a few small trinkets and $12 in
cash, but the memory of "Joe" Peter
novel experience will be per-
petuated and handed down to his sue
cessor In office.
When Deputy .Petermichel returned
to Los Angeles on Saturday last and
related his weird encounter with the
bear to a number OF lawyers. judges
and newspaper men, a scouting party
was gotten together and the posse
is now on "bruno's" trail.