The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1875-12-08
SAD AND HORRIBLE,
A Lady Torn to Pieces by Zero
ciOuS Dogs.

Sunday morning last, shocked be-
yond description by the announce
mont that Mrs. James Pagan, nh es
timable and Industrious lady of this
city, in humble life, had been, at q
quarter to nino o'clock that morning,
attacked by three ferocious dogs,
and SO torn and mangled that her
death was imminent. y
This announcement was first made
in St. NIarys Cathedral at tho ton
o'clock mass by Very Rev. Father
Grignon, who had just boon notified
and was about proceeding to admin
lister to the poor lady tho sacraments
Of the Catholic Church, of which she
was q member.
Tho announcement of her death,
which occurred at about u o'clock,
was SO horrifying, so sad, 50 painful,
that'very fow, if any, could rcclize it's
import. 1t was almost impossible
to roalize that, in almost the very
heart of the city, in the broad glare
of Sunday mornings day, hu,
man being had been set upon and
destroyed by dogs before assistance
could reach her.
And yet it was all true, and one
of those strange truths, stranger far
than fiction, which nothing can re-
concilc and yet nothing ronder less
true.
Mrs. Pagan was an humble, indus
trlous, and Woodworking woman,
wife Of Mr.. james Pagan andmother
OF u family consisting of two girls
and one boy. Tho family resided
at tho eastern end of State street,
next ncighbors to Mr.. Vim. Abbott.
On Sunday morning, her cow not
living returned in due time, she went
in the direction of tho bayou, lust
beyond her residence, to look for the
COW.
At about a quarter after nine
o'clock the barking of several dogs,
mingled with screams, were heard in
Tho neighbori,ood of the bayou, be
tween Mr. Gastrell's residence on
Homochitto street, und the late resi-
dence of Gen. Clark Routhland), in
an eastcrly direction. In u few min
utes a colorcd boy, name not known
to us, employed! by Mr., II. G. Eus-
It's, who was attract.l by the bark
nS and screaming, passed along
Homochltto street, coming towards
town, and crying ont that II woman
had been almost eaten up by dogs,
designating at the same time the
location. The boy, when be reached
Ny. Eu&tis, described to him what he
had Witnessed. Hc said he had been
attracted by the screams, and going
to the spot, found II lady (NIrs. r.
in drain or gulley Of the bayou,
her head only being ont of the water
IL contained and her body submerged,
and three dogs, which he described,
ferociously biting and tearing at
hcr'; ho had, on seeing the situation,
driven the dogs away, for some dis
tancc, and having done SO came to
notify Mr.. Eustis and got help.
Mr.. Enstia, Immediately after
hearing the boys narration, proceed
cd TO the spot Thoro he found
poor Mrs. Pagan, submerged, as we
have said, i'll tho water of the gully,
up to her neck, and her fnce (all then
visible above the water), most horri-
bly, laccratcd, the dogs having cvi-
IDENTIFY made o. most furious attacls
aud taken out whole pieces Of flesh.
This Was probably about twenty
minutes aFtor tho dogs had done
their dreadful work. When Mr.
Eltstis proposed to help the poor
woman out Of tho water, she with
heroic modesty, disclosed the horri-
bic work the dogs had done, saying
to him (ALr. E.,) that the dogs had
stripped the clothing from her per
son, and requesting Mr.. Eustis to
get shawl OF blanket to cover her
before she should got out of the
water. What agonizing torture she
must havo endured in this assertion
Of her modesty can only be imagined
whom it is known that after Mr..
Eustis had sent to Mr.. il. NJ. Gas
trolls house (thc nearest to the
sceno,) and got blanket, and she
had been taken to Mr.. Gastrel +
house, to die, as the sequel proved
from hor terrible wounds, despite
evory attention on the part OF Mr.
and Mrs. Gastrcll and tho ministra
tons Of some of the best p]ysicians
DIS. Metcalfe and .McPheetcrs, il
was found that not only the poor
woman's face had been torn to pieces
but that her breast and arms and
limbs had been almost stripped OF
flesh, and yet she lay there in the
water, this poor, bleeding, lacer lted
woman, a martyr to most cxcrucia,
ting AGONY. for tho sake Of womanly
modcsty.
Mr.. Gastrcll, Mr. Eustis and 9th
ers took the. poor woman to Mr.
Gastrcll's residence, and there, be,
fore two o'clock, after having received
tho last sacramcnts of her church,
she died. About the spot whore she
had bcon discovered and rescued,
alas too late, were found evidences
ola most fearful contest between
the poor victim and tho forocious
dogs. Her shawl, strips of hel
clothing, Of which she had been al
! most ontiroIy IoOu1rd and o.,.oo