"He rushed into the room valiantly and found himself face to face with a huge brown bear. "

Somehow no one was mauled to death during a deeply dangerous and deeply funny practical joke that was reported on in the August 23, 1894 edition of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. The story in full:

“A wild, unearthly yell broke the tower of the old iron pier at about 1 o’clock this morning. It proceeded from the handsome apartments occupied by Mr. A.S. Judge, the superintendent of the old iron pier, and the brother-in-law of Mr. Pierre Lorillard. So piercing was the shriek, that it even had the potence to arouse Sarcarichi, Mr. Judge’s Japanese servant, from his slumbers. Hurriedly throwing on a loose Japanese gown Sarcarichi flew to his master’s room, fully convinced that murder was being done. He rushed into the room valiantly and found himself face to face with a huge brown bear. Sarcarichi is no coward, but he glanced around very cautiously before he bolted again for the door. In this brief glimpse he saw his employer curled up in bed with clothes pulled up over his head. This was enough for Sarcarichi. With a yell which would not have been discreditable to a Comanche Indian he fled, his coattails flying backward. Bruin looked at the flying figure, and, thinking it was another chance for some fun, pursued the Japanese from the room. No sooner was it cleared than Judge leaped  to his feet, locked and double locked his door.

The bear’s keeper caught the animal at the bottom of the stairs. The entire trouble occurred because Mr. Judge boasted that even if the London Zoo broke loose it wouldn’t frighten him. Harry Sturdevent, to whom the remark was made, gave a dollar to the keeper of the bear. Whether or not there is any connection between these facts is matter for speculation.”