Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-12-11
A NASTY FOUR
CORMERED FIGHT
A Man, Dog, Panther and Eagle
in Bloody Scrap.

The editor of the LEADER spent
six weeks in the Rocky Mountains in
the summer of 1886, and during that
time was fortunate in making the ac-
quaintance of "Old Man" Sullivan,
one of the early pioneers who located
on the west side of the main range,
near where years after the Northern
Pacific cut a tunnel through the
mountain under the Mullen pass,
about % miles west of Helena.
Going out from Helena one morn
ing with a companion we rode to the
foot of Mullen pass and walked over
the divide, the horse having all he
could do to pull the empty buggy,
and few travellers crossed over the d.
vide after the Northern Pacific bored
hole mile and a half long through
the mountain, and to walk through
that tunnel was task that no man
up to that time had been able to &C
complish without a lantern and then
he was In danger of meeting a pam
ther as they were numerous in that
wild region. We didn't realize our
danger until reaching the summit Of
the mountain where we suddenly dis
covered bear and panther tracks in
the sand of the old trail. Neither Of
us were armed but we decided to
push down the west side of the noun
tain rapidly picking up stout clubs
for an emergency. We arrived at the
foot of the mountain safely and found
from Minnesota who had charge of
the west end Of the tunnel, whose
duty it was to send track walker
through the tunnel before the passage
of trains, and this man was accom-
panied by large bull deg and carried
a repeating rifle.
We found lodging with the agent Of
the railroad and prepared for visit
with "Old Man. Sullivan whom we
had been informed had fought every
thing from wild cats up to Indians.
Sullivan was noted hunter of the
Daniel Boone stripe, tall, gray haired,
muscular and fearless. He lived close
to the station in solid log house at |
the base of the mountain and had a |
small herd of cattle and raised few
pigs in specially constructed pens to
protect them from panthers and wild
cats. He was great friend of old
Tom Cruise of Helena the owner Of
the famous Drum Lummond Mine,
and brotherinlaw of Governor O'Toole |
of Montana.
After supper that evening Sullivan
came down to the station to get the |
news and enjoy a smoke. Mr.. Snyder |
the agent introduced US and we set |
to work quietly to draw story from
the old man, and it wasn't hard to do |
when we got on the right trail. We
told him of our walk over the divide
and without arms and seeing so many |
animal tracks.
"Well young man you are fortunate
to say the least, but don't try it
again or somebody may have to bury
your remains" remarked the old
hunter as he smoked his cob pipe and
looked at US with benevolent smile.
"There are more panthers up on
the ridge than I have cattle and
they're always hungry. can hardly
raise pig for the nasty critters are
always sneaking around my pen
nights, and If it wasn't for old Ben,
my faithful bull dog, and my rifle I'd
have to go over to Helena and starve
or do chores for the railroad. A PAN
ther is the meanest, sneakingest
brute on earth and always hungry.
About the only thing they're afraid
of is bear and have known them to
take chances in that line.
Zone afternoon last fall I was Sit
ting In front of my hut watching the
cowboys rope cattle when Ben growl-
ed warnin'. picked up my rifle
quick for Ben never makes a mis-
take. 1 followed him around the pig
pen towards clump of pine timber,
but I could see nothing but big
eagle perched on a dead limb, and 1
never liked to kill the national en-
blem unless he gets too familiar with
my pigs. Ben wasn't paying any at
tention to the bird, he had his mind
fixed on something else, and as pan
theirs seldom bothered only in the
early morning or at dusk began to
think a bar was sneaking around full
of hunger. I walked along cautious
and Ben stopped near clump of
small pines and growled and it came
mighty near being his last. Out OF
that clump full grown panther
leaped for the dog missing him short
by ten feet, and there he stood teeth
bare and tail lashing the leaves. Ben
held his ground knowing I was near
and Ben was no greenhorn for such
mixup. 1t was up to me to do some
thing quick for panthers are full of
business when dead hungry. fired
about 200 feet away over Ben s head
and the big fellow jumped three feet
in the air and then started to run
away, but could see he was in trou-
BILE, going on three legs, one of his
fighting fore legs was done for. Ben,
like fool, was after him full tilt and
knew there was going to be trouble.
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