Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1853-02-16
desperate right with a Tiger

Desperate ElSnt Win I1Ser
correspondent of the Galveston News fur
nishes that paper with the following account of
severe fight with tiger, in Jefferson county
Texas: .Fas..zs. . ssz-.s
EDITORS OF THE NEws:-I give you the follow
ing unvarnished account of a desperate fight be-
tween Mr.. Absalom Williams, who is about sew
enty years of age, his wife, and tiger,
which occurred about the lst of December, at
Mr.. WIS residence.
The tiger was first discoveredon the premises
of Mr.. James Drake, who lives in the North por-
ton of Jefferson county. where it entered his en-
closure, attacked his horses and killed one be-
sides wounding one or two others. While the
tiger was committing its depredations, it was dis
covered by Francis Drake, son of the proprie-
tor of the premises, who fired a shotgun at it,
wounding him in the side, but not dangerously,
when it made its escape. The next day, while
Mr.. and Mrs. Williams were sitting in their house,
GALL the rest of the family being absent,) they
were startled by strange noise in the yard, in
front of their house. Mr.. W., on going out, dis
covered his dog engaged with tiger, when he
seized an ox-yoke and aimed blow at the tiger
but missing it, struck his dog. The dog then got
away from the tiger and retreated. In an instant
the tiger sprang upon Mr.. Williams, and seizing
him by the hand, jerked him about twenty feet
The old gentleman, finding himself in the too
powerful grasp of the wild animal, courageously
determined to give it the best ''rough and tumble
ight'' in his power, and having no weapons within
his reach, he seized the tiger by the throat with
ltL.z |, L. IL
forward, crushed the tiger to the ground both fall
ing side by side.
At this time Mrs. Williams came to the rescue
with gun, which she snapped at the tiger, there
being no priming in the pan, it did not go off
Mr. w. then, with one arm around the tigers
body, and grasping his throat with his other hand,
by an effort, disengaged himself. The tiger dis
covering new adversary in the person of Mrs.
w., jumped at her, and attempted to grasp her
hand within its jaws, while it struck and lacerated
her breast with its fore paws. Sthe tried to avoid
the monster, but was ielled to the ground. The
tiger made another grasp at her head, his
upper teeth penetrating the top of the skull and
sliding along the bone, peeled off the skin till they
met the lower teeth, which penetrated on the
right side of her face.
In the mean time, Mr.. w. had seized the OK
yoke again, and giving the tiger a tremendous
blow, caused it to leave Mrs. W., when it leaped
into the house and got under the bed. The door
was Immediately closed and the monster secured.
Mr.. w. was exhausted from the effects of his
wounds, from which the blood flowed in streams;
but not so, his better half. When she saw their
Il ii Goo fh,,c fn tayn of
their house, she determined to finish the battle
and notwithstanding the severity of her wounds
her dress almost entire ly torn from her person
and covered with Blood she deliberately took the
gun, and shaking some powder from the barrel in
to the pan, placed the muzzle between one of the
openings which the logs of the house afforded
and fired with steady and deadly aim. The shot
killed the tiger. When subsequently measured
it was found to be IL feet from the tip of its tail
to its nose!
4 During all the time the fight was going on, ne
} one but those engaged in it were within hearing
} Mr.. WIS nearest neighbor lives three miles off
However, as Mrs. w. was washing the blood from
/ her person, neighbor came riding by, and, a
larmed at her appearance, inquired the cause
: The old lady unable, from the loss of blood, te
: speak, pointed to the dead body of the tiger.
3 The escape of Mr.. and Mrs. Williams is indeed
3 wonderful, and they are now recovering gradual.
: ly from their wounds. Mr.. w. jokes about the
tiger fight, and intimates that the old lady was
= most enraged when the varmint took possession
0 of his bed and house. It need hardly be addee
that Mr.. Williams is brave man. He fough
the British at New Orleans, and subsequently the
q Mexicans, in the cause of Texas; but this las