Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1876-01-14
Combat with a Catamount =
Bodies of Hunter and Catamount Found,
both Fearfully Lacerated-Traces of the
Terrible Struggle.


Three residents of Martinsville, Pa,
jackson Frailey, James and Joseph
Bloom, went to hunt for large black
bear that had been seen on Welsh noun
tain, at point not far from the village.
The mountain is wild and thickly
wooded ridge, five or six miles long,
abounding in deep ravines, great laurel
and hemlock swamps, and steep and
rocky peaks. Many wild animals still
linger in the seclusiou afforded by its
rough sides-among them bears and cat
amounts. The three hunters were expe-
rienced woodsmen, and not returning
that night, no uneasiness was felt. The
next morning it commenced showing and
drifting badly, and cleared off intensely
cold in the evening. The second morn
ing dawned terribly cold, and the hunt
ers had not returned. About twenty of
the hardest men in the vicinity accord
ingly started for Welsh mountain to look
for them. The party had some difficulty
in reaching the summit owing to the
snow, but found comparatively few drifts
in the woods. No sign of the missing
men was found until near noon, when two
of the party, who had made detour
down the face of the mountain were hor-
ror stricken to find, covered with snow,
the dead body of jackson Frailey, the
oldest of the missing hunters. He lay
upon his face. Upon lifting the body up,
the clothes were found to be torn COM
| pletely off in front, from the throat to
below the waist. The face, throat, breast,
and in fact all the front part of the body,
was torn and lacerated fearfully. as if
by the teeth or claws of some wild beast.
The flesh ON the right shoulder was torn
off to the bone, and the muscle of the
arm entirely gone. No sign of a strug-
gle could be found anywhere about, and
it was at once concluded that the hunt
er's contest with the wild animal had
taken place at some other part of the
mountain, and that he was on his way
in search of aid when he fell exhausted
to the ground, to meet his death, beyond
doubt by freezing. 1t was evident that
he was trying to reach Frazer's clearing,
which was less than half mile beyond
where he fell. The mangled remains
were sent back to the village in charge
of three of the searching party, and the
others continued their efforts to discover
the fate of the other hunters. About
three quarters Of mile further on, and
higher up the mountain, one of the par
ty came upon the rifle of the dead hunt
er. 1t was leaning against large oak
tree, and, as the stock was hidden be-
meath the snow and rested on the ground,
it was plain that it had been placed in
its position sometime before the snow be-
gan to fall. Both barrels of the rife
were empty.
A search around the spot resulted in
the finding, in hollow made by the up
roofing Of pine tree, the body of an
immense catamount. 1t was nearly bur-
led in the snow, and was covered with
wounds, one of them gunshot wound,
the others knife wounds. On scraping
away the snow, the whole scene of the
struggle between the hunter and the cat
amount was brought to view The ground
was covered with blood for several feet
around, and there was every evidence
that the contest had been terrible one,
A long handled hunting knife, covered
with blood, was found, with other hunt
ing accoutrements, also blood stained.
From all the circumstances the following
theory was formed The hunter, in pass
ing along through the woods, had dis
covered the catamount in the oak tree.
He fired at it, hit it, and it fell to the
ground. Being an unerring shot, and
the animal lying still ON the ground, the
hunter had no other thought than that
he had killed it, and walked up to where
it lay, and, standing his gun against the
tree, had probably pushed the PROSTATE
catamount with his foot. Instead of be-
ing killed it was only badly wounded
and stunned by the fall. Reviving, and
discovering the enemy, with all its natu-
raj ferocity increased by pain, it sprang
upon him, and the contest followed-a
contest, the duration of which will new
er be known, resulting in the death of
both contestants. Some time after noon
they found James Bloom, who was on
his way back from Martinsville. He
and his brother had arrived in the vii
lage short time before, where they first
learned Fraileys sad fate.
Frailey was about forty years of age,
and had almost lived in the woods all
his life. He was a great hunter, and
had in his day close combats with bears,
wounded bucks and other animals, and
bore many scars received therein. Al
~ l.