Billy Bruin Jr.

1891: In the spring of 1891, a two month old grizzly cub was captured on Mountain Charley's ranch in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Billy Bruin, Jr. was taken to the ranch of a Dr. Charles C. O'Donnell at Glen Ellen in Sonoma County. The ranch was an extensive mineral resort along Sonoma Creek.

Six months later Billy returned to Santa Cruz. He had been loaned by Dr. O'Donnell to the Native Sons California Parlor No. 1 to participate in the Admission Day parade through Santa Cruz.

Admission Day Arch, Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz
San Francisco Chronicle, September 10, 1891

Santa Cruz, Cal, Admission Day 1888

While in Santa Cruz, Billy visited the offices of the Santa Cruz Surf newspaper and was described as “the most affectionate little fellow in the world and can give a bear’s grin and a bear’s hug in the most approved style, and without the least malice.”

Too Close of an Encounter

1854: Mountain Charley's neighbor, Lyman J. Burrell, had an encounter with a mother and her cub. His wife, Clarissa, wrote to her sister about the experience:

Lyman J. Burrell

"Last saturday afternoon Mr. Burrell and Birney were making a fence along the farther side of the garden a little before sundown they heard a great noise among the hogs that were feeding upon the carcass of a dead horse on the hill a short distance from them. Mr. B─ said he would go up the hill and see what was the disturbance he [sic] jumped over the fence with his ax in his hand and proceeded a few steps up the hill, when he was met by an old grizzly bear and her cub coming down at full speed, he brandished his ax at her, and shouted with all his might to frighten her, but they are an animal that never give even half the road, and it is not safe to wound them if you are within their reach, so Mr. Burrell either in turning to let her pass fell or she in her haste to go knocked him over, it was done so quick he could not tell which, as his feet were towards her she gave him one snap with her teeth on the left limb just above the knee leaving one large hole on the lower side and two smaller ones on the upper side of it she then run [sic] three or four steps and turned about to look at him, as she saw he did not follow her, she and her cub bounded off down the hill into the bush with all their might."

“Mountain Charley” McKiernan

1854: From the account told by John Schultheis in 1892.

Charles McKiernan and his friend Taylor were hunting for game on foot in the Santa Cruz Mountains. They successfully killed two deer and, since they had no horses to bring back their kill, they hung them in a tree. Close to sunset they saw a large grizzly feeding in the wild oats. McKiernan saw the bear first and said to Taylor: “See that big bear; now if we can kill him I consider we will have done a good days work.”

They started for a clump of oak trees to get a better shot at the bear and to climb if escape were necessary. It is likely that the blood on their hands from the deer was smelled by the grizzly as they can detect smells over a mile away.

Mountain Charley by Ralph Rambo

The grizzly charged, mouth open. Both men fired but their shots failed to kill the bear who charged at McKiernan. He hit the bear so hard in its ribs with his rifle that it bent the barrel leaving it useless. The bear rose on its haunches and bit McKiernan in the head through his right eye and left temple. He raised his arm to deflect a second bite and the bear bit his lower arm.

The bear then started for Taylor, who ran for his life. Taylor's dog ran between him and the bear. Taylor fell flat in the oats which hid him. The bear ran back towards McKiernan but jumped over him and ran into the woods.

Taylor returned to McKiernan, bandaged his head with his shirt, and left him with his revolver while he went to find a horse to transport McKiernan home.

Taylor reached McKiernan's house just as our storyteller, Schultheis, was arriving. He, Taylor, a gentleman from Tennessee and his man servant, along with a mule and a blanket went back for McKiernan.

Charles McKiernan by Andrew P. Hill

Schultheis then rode down to San Jose to fetch Dr. Bell. It was sunrise before they arrived back at Mountain Charley's. Dr Bell examined the wound a decided to cover the exposed brain with a metal plate.

The plate was fitted but after several weeks the wound did not heal. A visiting doctor from Santa Cruz examined McKiernan and advised removal of the plate which, having not been pure metal, had turned black and poisoned the wound.

After this the wound did heal but McKiernan suffered terrible pains. It wasn't until several years later, after consulting with a group of physicians, that the wound was reopened. The cause of the pain was discovered to be a clump of hair.

Osage City Free Press July 11, 1879

Though disfigured for life, McKiernan lived for 38 years after the gruesome attack.