Escaped animals · Bridgewater
The bear behind the Somerville Inn
Contemporary source summarized
A roughly 200-pound bear eluded state troopers, game wardens, and reporters during a pursuit near Route 22.
The chase
Elizabeth Merk and her daughter, Dorothy Yost, first saw the bear about 100 feet from their Third Avenue home behind the Somerville Inn and called state police. Troopers Emrich and Velanes chased it into brush in the Hobbstown area near Green Knoll. Game warden Robert Troisi of Highland Park joined an effort to lasso it because shooting was prohibited. Searchers continued until dark without a capture.
Authorities considered two explanations: that it had wandered from the Watchung Mountains or escaped captivity. No missing bear had been reported. The sighting was close to Route 22 and North Bridge Street.
Source note
The surviving newspaper crop does not show a reliable masthead, complete issue date, or page number. Names and damaged words are identified as uncertain in the text; researchers should verify them against a full newspaper image before citation.