The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-03-23
A WILD BEAST STORY.
Remarkable Encounter on a Lonely
Sleigh-ride in Saratoga Co., N. Y.

A correspondent of the Saratogian
writes from Conklingville, Saratoga coun-
ty, one of the most remarkable stories of
encounters with wild beasts that have
lately been told. In brief it is as follows;
A man by the name of Geo, Hinckley
was, on Friday night, February 25th driy'
ing from Corinth to Conklingville, some
what belated. There was no moon, and
the road was uncertain, owing to the
rough weather which had prevailed in
that section for two weeks or so past, He
was in light cutter, well protected from
the cold by robes and blankets, and was
driving a spirited horse. 1t was about IL
o'clock and he was nearing his jouney's
end. The road lay through some under
growth of woods. While the horse was
Jogging along at a moderate trot sudden
ly he stopped, threw his ears forward,
gave furious snort and refused to go
further. The driver urged him to 60,
and finally struck him with halter, the
strap of which was tied to the cutter in
order to prevent from dropping out and
becoming lost The horse jumped for
ward in a frightened manner, but before
he had taken three steps huge panther
sprang from behind low evergreen tree
close by the track and leaped into the
cutter. AS it struck the cutter its fore
paws came with great force against
Hinckley's breast, and with one blow
with his powerful nails the mans cloth
ing was stripped clean from his arm.
Hinckley had the halter with which he
had Just struck the horse still in his hand,
and instinctively he laid it with all his
might over the head Of his assailant. By
force OF the blows the headstall passed
over the panther's head. 1t being slip
ping moose the next effort to strike drew
the moose tight about the panther's neck.
Then desperate hand to hand fight, as
it were, eusued. The man struggled to
throw off the powerful beast but only sue
ceeded so far as to prevent it from fast
ening its jaws in his now bare neck. The
panther grabbed the mans left arm,
which it bit through and through, the
blood which flowed only seeming to
make it more furious. With his strong
right arm HinCkley frightened the slip
ping moose about the animals throat.
So tight was it drawn by that strength
that comes of desperation that the pan
ther was choked so that it let 60 its
hold on the mans arm and gasped, at the
same time stripping its victims clothing
and lacerating his skin with its sharp
claws. With the first spring of the pan
ther, accompanied as it was with wild,
fierce growl, the horse took fright and
ran at full speed ever leap fairly lifting
the cutter from the track. Thus, while
Hinckley was struggling for life in the
cutter, the horse was running away But
the running away of the horse only
proved the salvation of the driver, for in
making a short turn in the road the cut
ter was overturned, dumping panther
and driver out upon the frozen snow.
The moment they struck earth, however,
they parted company. One end of the
halter being fastened to the cutter and
the other end tight around the wild an
imals neck. The latter was dragged af-
ter the.Aying steed, its body jumping and
bounding along the road The running
away of the steed saved Mr.. Hinckley's
life. He was left by the roadside, whence
he in course of time found his way to a
habitation. The horse ran on till he got
lose from the cutter, and then he went to
Conklingvile. The cutter badly shat
tered, was found half a mile from the
spot where the panther leaped from be-
hind the bush. The animal was dead
choked to death and badly bruised. The
substance of the correspondents story is
as given above and we fOrbear from cast
ing any doubts on so tragic story.