The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-01
CHAMPION BEAR HUNTER.
Is Elected Judge in Vermont After
 Killing Fifty Bruins.

Montpelier (Vtl Cor. New York World
 Frank M. Plumley of sherbourne, who at the recent state election was made side
 judge of the county court at Rutland, was
 for many years champion bear hunter cf
 Vermont. and would probably hold the ti-
 tie yet we're he still making the killing of
 the ''varmints'' a speciality
 MT. Plumley is today one of the sub
 stantlal men of Rutland county, keen, shrewd and level-headed and if he takes hold of his new duties 1ith the same vim that he took after bears in the fasinesses
 of the Green mountain range he will
 make successful judge. The folks who elected him think that he will and have gl cat confidence in both his ability and
 his fairness. It was because of his known
 impartlality. sound judgment and atten-
 tion to business that the coveted office
 was rendered to him. There were others
 who had stronger pulls" but in Vermont
 the citizens want justices to possess abil- ity and brains.
 The title of champion bear hunter went to MT. Plumley while he was conducting a logging camp on Plco mountain, 10 miles east of the city of Rutland. and about a
 mile from Pico pond. which now forms l the center of United States Senator Proc
 tors shooting and fishing lodge. The woods about the mills were the widest
 in the state and full Of game. and while M". Plumley never neglected business for pleasure, he found plenty of time to SCOUT
 the mountains for bears many of which fell to rifle and trap.
 In those days bears were worth killing. for the state paid a bounty of $15 on eV;- dence of death, and the hide and carcass
 were worth as much more. So it was that the hunter luniberman turned a prs' ty penny to be banked against the day of need. Some of the cash was invested
 In more traps. and these skilfully set and baited, nett cd more bears, until Mir. Plum l ley got an even 50.
 Al one time MT. Pumley owned a dog
 named Tige, which was sefd to be tne
 best beFr dog in Vermont. He was q 1 cross between a hound and a bull. and l possessed the nose of one and the tepaci- 1 ty of the other. Tige was still a puppy
 when the mill hands one day reported | that an exceptionally large bear had been
 caught in a trap a mile back of the camp. | MT. Plumley announced that this was a
 good opportunity to test Tlge's nerve, and
 as there was great interest among the | choppers as to whether he would tackle
 the bear, the mill was shut down for an
 hour, and all hands adjourned to the for l est.
 l The bear caught by a leg, had been in 1 the trap all night and was ugly, savage
 and desperate. So ferocious was he that | the pups stock went down a point but
 his owner had faith in him, and walking
 boldly up to the trap he sprung back the l jaws with a stick and liberated Tige. h. stantly the dog flew at the bear and
 caught him by the throat. The next in l stant bruin had him held fast in his fore
 arms and was disemboweling him with
 his sharp hind claws.
 | Every one present thought Tige had
 passed in his checks when four balls from | MT. Plumley's carbine sped into bruins | brain. There was chance of saving the l puppy, and Juggling him back to the camp the men sewed him up with linen 1 thread It was a crude, bunging opera 1 ton, but, strangely enough, Tige refused 1 to die. He mended slowly, to the joy of | the loggers. and when he was well there was much betting as to whether he would | tackle another bear. On being tried out l Tige showed that he had lost none of hi, | grit but that he had become exceedingly wise, and until the day he died an honor | able and peaceful death he scored many
 victories over his masters arch enemies 1 But if Tige had a lot of nerve, Mr l Plumley had more No bear was toe l fierce for him to tackle, and on more thar
 one occasion he narrowly escaped injury | Not so many years ago he erawled into
 a cave, pulled a bear out by the hind legs threw it down. picked up hls rifle an6 l shot it. The hun -er didn tell the story 1 but persons with him did. They failed tt | smoke out the animal. SO MT. Plumley de
 cided forthwith to go in after him. Pretty l soon there was scratching, rowling ant
 snarling, and out wormed the hunter | dragging the unwilling and belliseren | bear. His der1ise immediately followed.