Hungry Horse news. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1948-current, 1955-07-08
The Tall Bear Storu

We've never known quite as startling bear
story as Northwestern Montana produced this week.
Here are few headlines: Bear Snatches Infant
Near Libby" 'Searchers Fail to Find Bear Who Fled
with Girl and next day. missing Girl is Found Safe
and Well" Girl Feared Taken by Bear Found Safe'
and Sheriff Says Recovered Child Not Taken by
Bear"
How horrible it was to read and hear the Monday
accounts: "Libby-A 2-year-Od girl was snatched by
bear and taken into the rugged wilderness 20 miles
south of here Sunday Undersheriff Ole Fagerberg of
Lincoln county said he was informed that other mem
bers of the M. E. Curtis family of Deer Lodge
the bear take the child from the tent in which the
family living-the sheriffs office said trace of
blood had been discovered where the bear took the
childHe said the bear apparently entered the family
tent and grabbed the child
The United Press came forth with more
sensational story: 'An hysterical mother prayed to-
day that searchers may find and rescue her two year.
old daughter who was snatched by bear yesterday
and carried into the woods.
"The mother, Mrs Mortimer E. Curtis of Libby,
watched in horror the bear took her child, Ida Mae
from a tent and oped into heavy timber.
Mrs. Curtis said the bear may have been grizzly.
It held the child with its left front paw and disappear
ed into the thicket running on three legs.
Officials at the logging camp about 10 miles
southwest of Libby where the incident occurred stop
ped Mrs. Curtis from chasing after the BEAR
'They Immediately organized search party of
300 men who famed over surrounding area
Notice how positive and detailed This report is.
The story continues: "A spokesman said two older
Curtis children the bear enter the tent where the
family staying an outing about p m They
ran down the road to tell their mother. Their father
working in the woods short distance from the
scene"
The Tuesday stories of the successful search near
Libby made equally top of the page news headlines.
One account reads: Libby-A 2year-old girl missing
overnight and feared the victim of marauding bear
was reported found safe Monday and searchers said it
appeared she had merely wandered away from camp.
The child, Ida Mae Curtis, apparently was in good
condition and there indication that bear had
played part in her disappearance Sunday night
1t certain the child just wandered away and then
everybody got excited because bears had been seen
around here -
Other parts Of the story include: ida Mae had
been sleeping in the tent and left to 60 to outside
toilet She wasn't again. thought at first she
with the other children They thought she with me-
When went out to look for her saw grizzly bear
in camp. chased and it disappeared down the road
I saw it later and chased it again.
Our thoughts are that fallacies of the report of
course easy to discern Hndsight always functions
better than foresight.
First accounts of the Libby story came over the
telephone to newspapers, and this apparently didn't
permit any particular questioning of facts Next news
stories seem to try to Guido the first in the gruesome
details There is little indication of good newspaper
reporter actually being the scene, and evil
dence of embroiderng the story with quotations. and
little effort to the child actually taken by
Dear news lOCdLy Was lSOldteQ ana IL was
holiday weekend. We believe that good reporter
the spot would have avoided being quite definite
about the bear.
We don't know of more horrible story than bear
making off with child for his dinner. 1t is barely
possible, but to be kept in mind is that the most dan
gerous bears those fed along roadsdes. bear in
the wild gets away at the scent of humans. Many
bears seen along Glaciers Sun highway than by
packers who spend their time trails.
Law officers and other search party leaders at
yY,ct have had thp helm TAX
en- by bear, but had little choice.
The first stories seem ridiculous with bear hop
ping off carrying the youngster in its left paw. Their
of course it grizzly that chased. Truth is
that grizzlies almost get camp, and when
they do isn't apt to chase them Black bears seek
ing food at logging camp are not unusual
We hope that such magazines as Time when they
obtained the first sensational account also had time