Evening star., 1928-05-23
MARINE AND BEAR
BATTLE ON DOCK
Pvt. Prince Fights Animal in
Dark. Not Knowing
What 1t Was.

A ;empeStuous hand-to-claw struggle
early Yesterday morning on the Navy
Yard dock between surprised Marine
and "green-eyed monster" covered
with hair was disclosed today, with the
result that the Marine has his right
arm bandaee6. is wearing new uni
form in place of one torn partly to
pieces. and the monster" is safely
Gagged at the Zoo.
II all happened on the floor of the
dock. where the two creatures, equally
surprised at meeting up with one an
other Unexpectedly at / o'clock in the
morning. went through a wild struggle,
without serious effects, but with tre-
mendouS excitement on both sides. The
fight has been declared draw. In
fact il was rival TO the most imag-
inative fiction,
Animal Was Obje.
The animal all unbeknown to The
Marine. Pvt Rudolph A. Prince. who
was walking his post on the dock. was
the United States Coast Guard black
bear, Ohie. grown so big and obstreper-
ous that she was on her way to the
Zoo here anyway.
Obje was brought 10 Washington by
the Coast Guard cutter Seneca, which
is here for The unveiling today of the
Coast Guard World War Memorial at
Arlington National Cemetery. The bear
was given Ia the Coast Guard Academy
by the TAMPA Post. American Legion,
Of New York. so that this branch OF
the service might have a mascot to
match the noted Army mule, Navy goat
and Marine bulldog.
But Obje had been growing up en-
tireiy too ferociouS TO be pet much
longer. Obje had been taken from on
1fnt1 Nd
tied up on the dock near couple OF
buildings. According to the Marines.
no Official notice had been given that
an animal was on the post. and so the
unsuSDecting Pvt. Prince was walking
peacefully enough along the boards of
the dock at the still hour of / O'Clock.
with wild animals the furthest from
his mind.
Sleeping in Shadows.
In a dark shadow between the two
buildings Chie was asleep. equally un-
conscious of the pacing Marine with
heavy shoes. who was headed, un-
knowingly. in her direction.
Suddenly Prince stumbled over some
thing. Surprised beyond measure at
the curious soft feel of the thing he
had tripped over. he looked up IN time
TO receive a ferocious swat Obje. II
seems. had been taught to box at tie
Coast Guard Academy.
What the thing was, Prince didn't
know in the dark,
-All : could see was couple of big
green eyes and a lot of hair" he re-
lated And then we went to 1t there
on the floor The thing might have
been an inhabitant OF Mars, for all
could tell there in the dark. the way
il boxed and scuffled."
The fight must have lasted for some
time. with groans and gruntS from the
bear. but unfortunately no eye-witnesses
we're there TO enjoy it.
Finally. Prince says. after he had
paSsed some terrific blows with his flSt
a. the thing in the dark. they both
seemed TO come to the end of the i'm
promptu round. Prince wound up sit
ting on the floor looking at the bear,
while the animal also was sitting on its
hauncles looking at the Marine in the
weird light of the early mcrning-all
asone-one man. one bear.
Doesn't Blame Bear.
ssYou couldn't much blame the bear"
said the Marine later on. i suppose |
would have been mad too If some ore
had stumbled along and kicked me in
tl7e ribs like kicked that bear. prob
ably would have put up fight too. IN
the dark
Evidence. In the form of Princes torn
clothes. atteSted to the bears energy
with teeth and claws. On the other
hand, Prince swears that he han6ed
that bear good old-fashioned DlacH
eye.
.'whv didn't you siloot?" some one
asked Prince
How did I know what the thing
vag?" responded the Marine. 1t might
hare been man from Mars. or some
where. Anynow ] didn't get licked did
II"
The next morning there we're sensi-
tive relations between the Marines and
the Coast Guard at the Navy Yard.
But when the story got around IN It's
real light, everyone had 8 big laugh,
the cadets bought Prince part Of new
sstssFnysn znH cent 0kle Ia Inf Zoo