The Washington herald., 1909-02-07
SCAIRI
to Dsih Nearly, but not KiIIsd---Hs
TibuI ExpsfiaRts Of WsS Woodruff,
Ligs Green & Bill Hepburn on Saw
ridge Mounting---Bsarly EIeaged
a Bear. EIeitin Particulars Below

Wes Woodruff our expert hunter and
trapper also Lige Green and Bill Hep
burn OUT artistiCk blacksmith had a aw-
ful thrilling experience last Thursday
P. If. which viii probably flurIsh n
their mem-ies Ike green bay tree as
long as they live It's lucky thing tor
these three respeckted citizens that We
amt writing their obituaries Tor them al
this sitting instead OF grahcally recoun-
ting their excape from student death.
Last Thursday morning Wcs Wood
ruff strapped on his snGw shoes and
started out to visit his traps which he
had set alongside Of Sav-ridge Noun
tain for foxes, Skunks. etsetera and
other kritters too noomrus 10 menshlon.
Wes hadent visited his traps for sevral
davs and thort likely he would fnd
something worth while IN them, but he
dident After he had trsmped about seven
miles to where the traps was and had
found them cuvered 10 with snow and
nothing IN, Wes started home II deep
disgust.
As he was polin down along the side
OF old Sawridge on MS way home, Wes
notised a hole leading IN under ledge
and took a look into It 10 see what
might be inside the den If anything
Wes'S surprise can better be imagined
than described when MS eyes fell upon
a big black bear laying IN the cave all
curled up in Z ball and indulgin IN rs
winter sleep. When Wes p0ked his
head into the hole, his face wasent
nlo7en two feet from the bear, which so
surprised him that he fell over back
ward into the snow and got all snarled
up in his snowshoes. Soon as Wes got
Strengthened up, he lit out down the
mountain side and kept right OF moving
until he reached Bingville where he ar
rived about 20 a. m. full of excitement
ard breathless. Wes said al the wep-
ping he had on his person was Jack
knife and he was mighty glad that old
bear dident wake up while he had his
head in the hole
The news that Wes had found bear
! denned up spred ike wildire over Bing-
vile and Wes asked for volunteers 70
accompany him back 10 where the bear
(, was and slay It IN It's trax-
Seth Dewberry. our lion hearted town
constable, said he would be glad 10 act
as 4 volunteer perviding he dide1t have
sich z bad cold and pneuralgia in his
face. Seth said nothing would please
him more than TO reach IN the den. grab
that bear, yank II out into the open and
hte II to death. Volunteers was very
skarce in Bingrillc, but finally Lige
Green ard Bill Hepburn agreed to 60
back with Yves to where the bear was
denned up. Wes TUX his nuzzIe loader
rifle, Bill Hepburn carried d az and
Lie Green a pitchfork; thus armed to
the teeth they left for the bears der
about II o'clock after having et 4 harty
meal
When they arrived at the den Wes
peeped in and whispered that the bear
was still there. Then the kwestion ariz
as to who should wake up the bear and
how. Wes suggested that Lie Green
give him a good sharp jab with the
pitchfork but Lie suggested that Wes
do It WeS said he couldent jab the
bear and shoot him both and asked
Bill if he had any conshienshious skru-
pies agenSt giving the bear q Jab with
the fork. Bill said he'd lab him with
the pitchfork and wake him I'd to all
sense of responsibilities Bill said he
wasent afraid Of any bear he'd ever
seen, being as he'd never seen any, so
he grabs the pitchfork and gives the
/ bear 4 awful lab with Il.
The scene that follered almost beg
gers Geseription-the bear come outen