Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-03-31
Thrilling Narratiye-TerrnC Fight Beiseeu
Man and n Panther

A Conklingyile correspondent Of the
Sdyal0q4aq furnishes that paper with the
following particulars Of a desperate battle
between q man and panther. he says
A man by the name OF George Hinckley was,
on Friday night last, driving from Corinth
to Conkllnsville somewhat belated. There
was no moon and the road was uncertain,
owing to the rough weather which has
prevailed in that section for two weeks or so
past. He was in light cutter, well pro-
tected from the cold by robes and blankets,
and was driving spirited horse. 1t was
about | o'clock and he was nearly TO his
journeys end The road lay through some
undergrowth Of woods. While the horse
was Jogging along at moderate trot, sud
denly he stopped, threw his ears forward,
gave furious snort and refused to 90 further
The driver urged him to 90 and finally struck
him with a halter, the strap end OF which
was tied to the cutter in order to prevent its
dropping out and becoming lost. The horse
Jumped forward in frightened manner but
before he had taken three steps, huge
panther spraug from behind low evergreen
close by the track and leaped square into
the cutter. As it sruck the cutter its fore paws
came with great force against Hinckley 3
breast and with one haul with its powerful
nails the mans clothing was stripped clean
from his skin. Hinckley had the halter
with which he had Just struck the horse
! still in his hand and instinctiyely he laid 1t
with a L his might over the head Of his fierce
assailant By one of the blows the headstall
passed over the panther's head. 1t being
| slipping moose, the next effort to strike drew
the moose tight about the panthers neck.
Then desperate, hand-tO-hand, as II were,
| fight ensued. The man struggled to throw
off the beast, but succeeded only so far as to
prevent it from fastening its powerful Jaws
upon his now bare neck. The panther
grabbed the mans left arm, which 1t bit
| through and through, the blood which flowed
only seeming to make it the more furious.
Hinckley tightened the slipping moose about
the animals throat So tight was II drawn
by that strength which comes OF desperation
that the panther was choked so that 1t let 90
its hold on the mans arm and gasped, at
the same time stripping its victim of clothing
and hcerating his skin with its sharp claws.
With the first spring of the panther,
accompanied as it were with a wild, fierce
growl. the horse took fright and ran at full
speed, every lean fairly lifting the cutter
from the track Thus while Hinckley was
struggling for life in the cutter, the horse
was literally running away, adding horror
to terror But the running away OF the horse
proved 10 be the salvation of the driver
for in making short turn in the road the
cutter was overturned, dumping driver and
panther out upon the. frozen snow. The
moment they struck the earth, however
they parted company. One end OF the hal
ter being fast to the cutter, and the othsr
end tight about the wild animals neck the
latter was mercilessly dragged after the
flying steed, its body jumping and bounding
along the road like tin pan hitched to d
dogs tail The running away of the horst
saved Mr.. Hinckley's lie. He was left BY
the roadside, wheuce he in course OF timt
found his way to habitation. The horst
run till be got loose from the cutter ant
then be went to Conklingville. The cutter
badly shattered, was found halfa mile from
the spot where the panther leaped from
behind the bush The animal was dead
choked to death, and badl y bruised 1t wa
a narrow escape, and one OF the most pecu
liar and desperate struggles that ever occur
red between man and beast.