168 TBUE BEAR STORIES. 



The following is his account of the hunt 

 and capture. 



The Examiner expedition began the 

 search for a grizzly early in June, 

 starting from Santa Paula and striking 

 into the mountains at Tar Creek, where 

 the Sespe oil wells are bored. The Exam 

 iner correspondent detailed to catch a bear 

 was accompanied by De Moss Bowers of 

 Ventura, who was moved by love of ad 

 venture to offer his assistance. 



During the irst part of the trip the party 

 numbered five persons, including Dad Coff- 

 man, a spry old gentleman of seventy-two 

 years, who was out for the benefit of his 

 health, a packer and guide, and a person 

 from Santa Paula called "Doc," who was 

 loaded to the muzzle with misinformation 

 and inspired with the notion that it was 

 legitimate to plunder the expedition be 

 cause the Examiner had plenty of money. 

 The packer was "Doc's" son, a good man 

 to work, but unfortunately afflicted with 

 similar hallucinations. The expedition was 



