Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-08-31
A Panther Huntin virginia.
From the Writ County Democrat
BURNING SPRINGS. August II

BURNING SPRINGS, August IL.
To the Editors Of the Democrat
Our otherwise quiet little town was
thrown into a great state of excitement
owing to the favorable termination Of
the great ring hunt" which was pro-
posed yesterday, for the purpose of ex-
terminating family of panthers known
to exist in scope of country some two
or three miles from our burg.
At halfpast seven o'clock the young
men comprising the hunt assembled in
front and under the porch of the city
bakery, belonging to John Shafer. A
woman returning home one evening
from neighbor's, half mile distant,
was astonished to hear in the road over
which she had just travelled what she
supposed to be the cry of one of her
own sex, as if in mortal agony. Turn
ing Immediately around for the purpose
of lending assistance, if possible, she
was, for moment, as if petrifed to be-
hold bounding toward her, with the We
locity Of race-horse, a mammoth pan
ther, with head erect, mouth open,
tongue lolling out, and eyes like balls of
fire. The woman fed, uttering piercing
screams, even louder than those of the
monster which was eager to devodr her.
She was, however, enabled to reach the
fence, before the animal caught hold of
her. Her screams had brought her
husband from the field, where he had
been telling timber, in time to relieve
her with his ak, which ne had carried
with him.
One Of Mr.. VIM. Martin children also
experienced nearly as narrow an escape.
The panther has killed such vast num-
ber of lambs, pigs and chickens that it
has become scourge to our neighboring
farmers.
You will excuse this DEPRESSION, but to
understand the nature of the brute it
was necessary.
We elected Mr.. Bennington captain"
as he was considered good hunter, and
had been out after the panther on the
previous day.
All things being now ready, we mounted
our horses, and in few minutes arrived
at the foot of the mountain, on the oppo-
site side of which we expected to over
haul the monster. Part of us, myself
included, after fastening our horses and
seeing that our arms were ready for in
slant use, began cautiously ascending
the mountain, while our comrades rode
around its foot, leaving small detach-
ments at places where they could climb
over the rugged rocks jutting out from
the face of the hill. When all were in
their places the signal to advance was
given, and we picked our way as bestw
90 oh mi "a
caused by moving of the bushes IN our
front. We knew that we had come to
the right place, and placing my gun in
the right position, / told Mr.. Maxwell to
let go his brace of hounds. They imme-
diately rushed into the hazel thicket, only
to return in hot haste. Johnnie Wood
then volunteered to reconnoiter. He
advanced cautiously into the thicket, and
soon two shots, fired in rapid succession,
told us palmer than words that the game
was there. Help Come quickly"
were the words that reached us as we
hurried into the bushes. Me shots had
not been for naught, for there, lying on
the ground dead was a small cub, while
its mother was licking it over and over
again. The male was under a tree upon
which John was perched, trying its best
with its wounded leg to climb to the limb
upon which he was seated, deliberately
loading his gun. A. Clark and VIM.
Murray coming upon the scene first,
poured the contents of their guns into
the male, but it seemed only to enrage
him the more. He squatted down upon
his launches ready for a spring, as with
his long, slim tail he was lashing his sides.
The men upon seeing their danger
started back, but "Dolph was equal
to the emergency. Hestating but a
single instant, he sprang to one side
of the animal and dealt it crushing
blow with his clubbed gun, which laid
the beast on his side for short time.
Joe Maxwell, with a large bore rifle,
getting a fair shot, sent a half ounce
ball crushing its way through the skull
of the brute. Bent Wright having
emptied his gun was reloading it, when
John, descending from his tree, raised
hrs gun to his shoulder, and it again
belched forth its contents, just in the
nick of time, for ], not having my gun
loaded, being so absorbed in the scene
in front Of me, was in danger of losing
my life by the now furious mother, just
ready to spring upon me. The ball of
Johnnie's gun entered close behind her
shoulders, and penetrated her heart but
the impetus of her spring sent her
against me, knocking me to the ground.
Bent" Wright settled the other cub,
and our party, hearing the shots, began
to gather in, and we returned home.
The people are coming from all over
town to see the panthers The male is
nine feet long and weighs 328 pounds.