Year: 1879

The Montreal Witness says: It is we'll known among 8 certain class that "Joe Beef" has a bear pit under his scanteen on Common street. It extends all along under the house and is reigned over by big black bear weighing over 300 pounds. There are also she bear and two comparatively young cubs, which Joe reckons among his domestic pets. Strangers frequently visit the place and are generally escorted to see tue bears through a trap-door in the floor. One afternoon short time ago, while colored preacher was holding service in the ''singing room," three American strangers came to visit the place and the trap door was thrown open to show the bears. While Joe wentinto the barroom his little boy, six years old, went too near the edge and fell into the den. The old bears were in dark cor her, but one of the cubs at once ran to- wards the child, who had uttered 8 frightened scream. The cook lay down on the floor and reaching down caught the little fellow and raised him up. The she bear had heard the child's cries and with growl rushed toward the trap door and seized the child just as he was being lifted up. The little fellow was in an instant dragged into the den, en- circied by the claws of the old she bear. Joe hearing the noise which the fearful sight caused came to the door and asked what was the matter. Seeing his child, as it were, in the jaws of death, he did not hesitate for moment to think, but leaped from the floor into the pit, light ing on the head of one of the bears. He managed by frantic effort to tear his child from the savage monster and throw him behind. In another instant he handed the little fellow up among the almost paralyzed spectators. The men around seemed so suddenly struck with terror that they could do nothing to help Joe, who had placed himself in such imminent danger. The moment the child was out of the pit the she bear growled fercely and sprang on Joe, who had no arms with which to defend him. self. The savage brute seized him by the right knee, throwing him on his back. Her teeth were driven fully an inch deep into his flesh. He was then completely at the mercy of the animal, whose tameness had disappeared, it being enraged at having the child taken away. The men looking on still seemed powerless to help, though one of the visitors had revolver in his pocket. Joe, however, did not lose his presence of mind, but seized brick which lay near him, and struck the bear on the snout with all his might. The brute let go her hold and Joe quickly got on his feet. The old he bear had not shown fight at all, but when Joe shouted had | slunk back to the dark corner. The she | bear now stood off, showing her teeth, but he continued to shout and she also went back. Joe was then rescued from the pit, his legs being covered with blood. The trousers which he had on were torn to shreds and his stockings were saturated with blood. The child had not been injured at all beyond a slight scratch on the head. Joe says that the she bear was always contrary beast, and that when he trained her first he used to put her in puncheon of water and push her head under with a broom, and when the cub was nearly drowned it would bite the broom. Joe refuses all medical attendance and ap- plies highwines to the bite, which still continues to bleed.