The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-08-24
A Wild WOman'S History. .
THE SLAYER OF HUNDREDs OF
It f9BEAIss AND wIBoGArs. 5iE2s

It itt3BEAEs AND wIBoGATs, 5iE2s
Perfiy that Drove her fe the Noods4A
Prophet of the New DIspsnsation- why n
Mother Opposed her Daughters Mar
riage- .....-, =...f
F. HONEsDALE, Pa, July 20.-"'l'herc,'
said Sheriff Mallory Spencer, as he
pushed open the ponderousn door of
one OF the cells of the county iaiI in
this place. r''There is woman witha
history" i. -HD:sBiii rgu upltQuH-
On low chair in the cell sat most
singular-looking person. A round
wrinklcd, snn burned face; small
head crowned with thick, gray, hair,
that fell down over and almost con-
ccalcd the blackest and sharpest of
eyes; a slender body, clothed in scant
and shabby female garb, and lower
limbs encased in tattercd trousers
this was the occupant of the cell
Lucy Ann Lobdcil Slater, better
known aststhc FemalcIInuter Of Long
Eddy" 'i'-' ''i .'7a" -Ha --'hl" ''io31
About forty-fve years agoa a family
named Lobdell lived IN Delaware
county, N. Y, at what is now the vii
lage of Long Eddy, on the Delaware
river and the Erie Railway. The To-
cality was very sparcely settled then.
laundering was The calling of the peo-
pie Of the vicinity. The Lobdells
dwelt in Il cabin in the woods, where
a daughter, TO whom they gave the
name of Lucy Ann, was born. From
the time this child was old enough to
walk she was great favorite among
the hardy woodchoppers and raftsmen.
They often took Ler off to the logging
camp and kept her days at time, and
she early became Injured to the hard
ships and privations of their life. The
lumbermen in those days were all
good hunters, and always carried their
rifles with them. Before Lucy Ann
was eight years old they had taught
her the use of the rifle, and she soon
became as good a shot as there was
in the settlement. AT the age of
twelve she could outshOot any of the
men, and handled the AK with the dcX-
terity of an old chopper. Before she
had reached the age of sixteen she had
killed several deer, and Tor her to go
away into the forest alone aud remain
over night was not an uncommon
thing. She once slew Il panther OH
one of her hunting exploits, aud the
skin OF the animal is still in the pos
session of former Sheriff of Wayne
county, Pennsylvania. .,.t..t
In spite of her masculine tastes.
Lucy Ann Lobdell's name as girl
and woman was free from reprOach,
she could have had her choice of
husband from the best young men III
that or adjoining settlements. But sh e
had no inclination to marry, and she
rejected all oilers.
A raftsman named Henry Slater
came, about the year 1850, to work at
the Basket, as the settlement was call
ed. lie formed the acquaintance of
Lucy Ann. and 10 the surprise OF
every body they were married. Slater
had proposed to the girl, and she told
him that they would shoot at mark
with the rifle. II he beat her shots,
she would marry him; if not, she
would remain with her parents. The
trial OF skill took place, and the RATS
man was victorious, Slater proved
worthless husband, and neglected and
abused his wife. A year after they
were married Mrs. Slater gave birth
to daughter Before II was two
weeks old Slater deserted the child
and its mother, leaving them in desti-
tute circumstances. He never return
ed, and no one knows what became of
him. H' ifT!HH 2a- ir..i -~FlIfiar -7t
r. The unhappy young wife went back
to her parents,s and TO work. After
she had two years tried to get along
by doing woman's labor with poor
success, she laid aside the apparel OF
her sex, dOned menfs clothing. and
taking her rifle, went into the woods
to earn living for herself and child.
For eight years she roaIned the forest
of Sullivan and Delaware counties,
New York State. and Wayne andPike,
in Pennsylvania. She had cabins in
various places, and would return home
not more than once a year and only
appeared in the settlements and viii
lagos to sell her game and SKINS and
to procure ammunition. On one OF
her visits to her child, when it was
about six years old. her parents COM
planned of having its care on their
hands. She took it away and placed
it in the aImshOuse at Delhi, and re-
turned 10 the woods. During her
long career as a hunter she was ex
posed to fearful hardships and perils.
In the severe winter of 1861. W hen the
snow was'over four feet deep on the
level in the woods, and lasted four
months. she never saw Il human face,
nor heard any voice but her own. She
was snow-bound in one of her cabin
in the depth of u Sullivan county
wilderness, where she had fortunately
stored the proceeds of few weeks
successful hunt. lr s-ayh
In 1869, shattered physically and
mentally, she appeared at the Basket,
and resumed woman's clothing. She
at times would recount her expert.
ences in the forest, and asserted that
in the eight years she had killed l50
deer, eleven bears, numerous wildcats
and foxes, besides trapping hundreds
of mink and other furbeariug animals.
She had haud-to-hand contests with
both wounded deer and bear, as ugly