Rensselaer Republican, Volume 24, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 August 1892 — DEVOURED BY BEARS. [ARTICLE]

DEVOURED BY BEARS.

The Horrible Fate of a Western Ranchman. Torn Into Pieces By the Beasts In Sight ol His Wife, Who Was Unable to Help Him—An Awful Experience. ■ - C - £<i A Boise City dispatch of the 12th, says. William Easton, aged sixty-eight, years, who came to Idaho in 1885, from Cairo, 111., was, whjle alive, devoured by two cinnamon boars on August 5. His wife, who is an invalid, witnessed the dreadful tragedy, but she was powerless to assist her fated husband. The scene of the hor-! rifying occurrence was Easton’s ranch, I eight miles west of Elk City, in Idaho county, Idaho. ’The unfortunate rancher and his wife were eating their breakfast, when they heard a great commotion in I the calf pen. Thinking the hogs had brokefi into the pen to rob the calves pl! their food. Eaton picked up an ordinary carriage whip and went forth to straighten matters out. He climbed into the pen and seeing a black snout inserted 1 between two fence rails, struck him a sharp blow with the whip. A sudden I snarl apprised him that he had encountered a bear Instead of a hog, and he start-1 ed to leave the pen to get a rifle. Before he had succeeded in getting over tho I fence a male bear ran around tho pen and seized him by his right leg. He screamed I with paid, and the animal released him.! As quickly , as . bjS.. .w.ound and his age | would permit, Easton hobbled to a smokehouse and tried to <frawl through a window. The bear pursued him, and, seizing his hip, commenced to ravenously tear the | flesh; Agonizing screams issued from the old man's lips. His invalid wife wheeled herself to a window, and when she saw what was taking place'- she, too, commenced to shriek. Her husband, already terribly wounded, cried out: “Do not make a noise or you will be killed.” | A moment later befell to tho ground, and another beir, a half grown cub. joincdl the first animal in tearing at the prostrate man. Mrs. Easton, almost transfixed with horror, could do nothing to assist her husband. She heard him moan: “O Lord, help me to bear this death! O God, protect my helpless wife!” At this point she became unconscious, and when she revived she could see only fragments of her husband's body and clothing, while the bears were frolicking in the orchard. Four hours later Easton’s hired man came in from a hunt. He heard the wife's horrible story, and after a little search he found Mr. Easton’s head, spfne and thigh bones, but no other portions of the body. The poor man’s face was not badly scarred, but his ears had been bitten off. The bears were speedily killed. Mrs. Eaton is rapidly sinking beneath the shoc£, and her death Is momentarily expected. The ranchers of that locality will have a bear drive next Sunday, in order to avenigeTlaston'S flbftth. 4 The Democracy of the sixth congressional district' has unanimously selected the Hon. Luther M. Mering, of Richmond, as the nominee for Congress. Resolutions were passed by the convention approving the new tax law and condemning the action of county commissioners seeking to manipulate, it for political effect. The school book law, the Australian ballot system and the law prohibiting the importation of Pinkertons into the State were Also cordially indorsed.