A Woman's Heroism

As a result of an encounter with an immense Himalayan bear William Wenschemann. an animal trainer, was nearly torn to pieces by the fierce brute In New York city a few days ago. That Wenschemann was not killed was due to the heroism of his wife, herself an animal trainer. Wenschemann had gone to the barn where his menagerie was temporarily quartered to superintend the feeding, and washing of Tony, the beast in question, and six other performing bears. After the feeding the trainer set about removing the animal to the ground floor to give him a bath.

The trainer and his treacherous pet had descended by an elevator to the first floor and Assistant Keeper Doyle had rigged a hose and turned a strong spray on Tony when the sight of water seemed to throw the bear into a frenzy. His eyes suddenly seemed to congest with blood and with foam trickling from his mouth the brute turned on Wenschemann with demoniac fury and buried his fangs in the victim's right arm.

Wenschemann had just reached out his right hand with a lump of sugar for the bear.

The swiftness of the attack took the trainer completely by surprise. He wrenched his imprisoned arm loose only to see a piece of his shoulder disappear in the animal's jaws.

This taste of blood rendered the bear desperate. As the trainer leaped back with a scream of terror the beast was upon him in a twinkling.

The bear was mad- foaming at the mouth and snapping with fangs that came together with the sound of pistol shots. With a roar that drowned out the cries of the trainer the great beast reared on his hind legs and advanced on the doomed man. Wenschemann grasped a sharp javelin and backed into a corner. Once- twice- thrice he drove the keen prong into Tony. Again the huge paw shot out and tore away the trainer's jaw.

Wenschemann uttered one last despairing shriek for help as his throat became choked with his life blood, and for a few seconds the battle continued in silence save for the ominous ripping sound that followed each stroke of the murderous paw.

Just then Assistant Keeper Doyle arrived from the rear of the barn. Tony directed his attention from Wenschemann to Doyle for a moment. This was enough to give the trainer an opportunity to leap around the bear, prod him again with the javelin and escape from the dark corner where the fight had begun.

One swift lunge and Doyle was hurled twenty feet across the room with his right arm broken.

A man named Griffeth and a keeper named Finnerty with nine other barn employees, armed with pitchforks, now arrived on the scène and hurried to the aid of Doyle and Wenschemann.

Seeing that the odds were going against him, the bear, with murderous cunning, again singled out his master and drove him into a corner at the front of the big room. This time Tony did not use his paws except to extend them in preparation for a crushing embrace and, towering on his haunches fully four feet above the victim, stalked toward Wenschemann.

Vainly, with prods of forks and fries, the eleven men in the rear to save their companion. They succeeded in forcing the bear to turn his blood smeared face from the cornered man long enough to permit the latter to dart under an outstretched paw and make for the street.

But Tony was after him with a roar of rage, and into the street rolled Wenschemann, sent sprawling by a crushing blow from behind. Before he could regain his feet the animal was , upon him, snapping and tearing.

Griffeth got between the bear and the prostrate man at this moment and dug his pitchfork into the beast just under the throat.

Hardly had the cheer that greeted this thrust died away, fully 1.000 persons having gathered in the meantime, when Tony charged young Griffeth and with one blow sent him into the crowd as though shot from a catapult. Stunned and unconscious, with his coat torn to shreds, Griffeth was carried away.

The bear turned his attention once more to Wenschemann and sunk his teeth into a leg. Again and again the terrible jaws opened and closed. Wensehemann, writhing in agony and helpless, fainted with twenty wounds on his body.

A shout went up from the horrified crowd that the man was dead. It was transformed into a wild cheer as the spectators saw a pretty, petite woman, fashionably dressed, step into the circle about the bear and man and grasp an iron spear from one of the attendants.

Hesitating only long enough to relieve herself of a chatelaine bag that she carried on her arm, the brave woman - the trainer bride- jabbed the bear in the throat and shouted the command:

"Down, Tony!"

Another cheer arose as the spectators saw the brute turn with a grunt and march back on all fours into the barn and into his cage. The brave little wife fastened the cage and fell in a faint She was carried to her home.

This is the third time that Tony, who is six years old, has attempted the lives of his keepers since he was captured with his parents in the Himalaya mountains.