The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1871-07-22
A Mermaid in FOrked Deer
EGtVer.
a Live Local Sensation.

We are little given to the marvellous
l-hayn't much faith in sea serpents anc
usually take fish stories" cum gran,
sails, but the following comes to us 81
direct and from gentlemen of such known
reliability, that we unbesitatingly give i
a prominent place in our columns.
About 81 o'clock last Friday, Mr.. j
B. Maxey, hotel keeper at Bellyille, and
Mr.. James Neal. were fishing in Forked
Deer River, In this county, about a mile
above the NJ. & l.. r. R., bridge and half
mile below the Brownsville and Belle
vile dirt road bridge, when their atten-
ton was directed to a very strange OBJ
! ject In the water about a hundred yards
above them. 1t had the appearance of
"a human being, and these gentlemen con-
cluded that it was some person about
drowning. They were in skiff and
drawing in their fishing tackle they piled
their oars with all haste in order to
reach it in time for a rescue. The pull
was directly up stream and against the
current so they were several minutes in
reaching it. AS they drew nearer they
discovered that it was not a human be-
ing, but some aquatic animal of strange
form and appearance, which they have
not been able to account for. 1t had the
head, face, eyes, neck and bust Of hu-
man being, and seemed to be, so far as
seen, as large as an ordinary man. On
being approached this queer fish sank
under water and was seen no more. A
reporter from our Office was in Belle
vile this week and interviewed Mr..
Maxey, and from him obtained the fol-
lowing
STATEMENT OF FACTS
Friday morning, July 7th, about 81
o'clock, was fishing in Forked Deer
river. Mr.. Neal was with me. Further
up the river we saw an object, conclud-
ed that it was some person drowning, aud
hurriedly rowed up the river to it. Went
up about one hundred yards aud drawing
near, discovered that it was not human,
but an object with head and body SINH
lar to human being. Its face was white
and fair featured, its head nearly as
large as common mans, had something
/ black on it but do not know whether
it was hair, moss or mud Eve suspect il
was jute chignon.-Ed) We got with
in 10 feet of it, it sitting still all the
time, when it turned around with its
back to US and went under the water It's
body was spotted like fawn, we saw no
appearance of arms. II turned around
as if on pivot and seemed to have but
limited motive powers. We waited about
quarter of an hour to see if it would
rise again, but it did not.
Reporter.-How was its neck
Mr.. Mt was perfectly white and
looked very fair.
R.-What sort Of eyes had it?
Mr. M.-It had eyes exactly like
human being bat quite black.
R.-How much of it did you see ?
Mr.. M.-We saw it about to the waist
| suppose. 1t was as large as my body.
(Mr. NJ. is gentleman of medium size
-Reporter.)
R.-How long did it sit where you
could see it, and where was it?
Mr.. M.-We saw it about 10 minutes,
until we could get under way and pull
hundred yards up stream in a skiff 1t
was in Forked Deer River, about a half
mile below the bridge on the dirt road
leading from Brownsville and about
mile and half above the Railroad
bridge.
Our reporter did not see Mr.. Neal to
get his statement, but learned that the
strange being has been seen by others i n
the same locality for year or two past.
Esq. Tom. Neal saw it two years ago. He
had gun at the time but did not shoot
We understand thata number of young
gentlemen of the neighborhood are
the waters with view of catch
ing a sight of this wonderful Mermaid
Of the Forked Deer.
"Gentles, our tale is said "-Broucns-
ctUe Bee.