The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-03-16
A STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.
A Desperate Fight with Panther In snru-
toga County. N. v.


George Hinckley was at eleven O'Clock
at night driving from Oorinth to Conk.
lingville, Saratoga county, N. Y, some
what belated. There was no moon and
tho road was uncertain, owing to the
rough weather which had prevailed in
that section for two weeks or more. He
was in O light cutter, well protected
from the cold by robes and blankets, and
was driving spirited horse. The road
lay through some underground of woods.
While the horse was jogging along at a
moderate trot, suddenly he stopped,
threw his ears forward gave furious
snort and refused to go further. The
driver urged him to go and finally struck
him with 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 q
frightened manner, but before he had
taken three steps huge panther sprang
from behind low evergreen close by
the track and leaped squarely into the
cutter. As it struck the cutter its fore
paws came with great force against
Hinckley's breast, and with one haul
with its powerful nails the man s clothing
was stripped clean from his skin.
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 fierce
assailant. By one of the blows the head
stall was passed over the panther's head
1t being slipping moose, the next effort
to strike drew the moose tight about the
panther's neck. Then desperate hand
to-hand, as it 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 it bit through
and through, the blood which flowed
only seeming to make it the more furi-
Gus. With the right arm Hinckley
tightened the slipping moose about the
animals throat. So tight was it drawn
by that strength which comes of despera-
tion that the panther was choked so that
it let go its hold on his arm and gasped,
at the same time stripping its victim of
clothing, and lacerating his skin with its
sharp claws. With the first spring of
the panther, accompanied as it was with
wild, fierce growl, the horse took
fright and ran at full speed, every leap
fairly lifting the cutter from the track.
Thus, while Hinckley was struggling
for life in the cntter, the horse was run
ming away. But this proved to be the
salvation of the driver; for in making a
short turn in tho road the cutter was
overturned, dumping driver and panther
out upon the frozen snow. The moment
they struck earth, however, they parted
company. One end of the halter being
fast to the cuttar aud the -yther 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
a dogs tail.
The running away of the horse saved
Mr.. Hinckley's life. He was left by the
roadside, whence he in course of time
found his way to house. The horse
ran till he got loose from the cutter, and
he then went to Conklingville. The cut
ter, badly shattered, was found hclf
mile from the spot where the panther
leaped from behind the bush. The ami
NAL was dead, choked to death, and
badly bruised. 1t was narrow escape,
and one of the most peculiar and des-
perate struggles that ever occurred be-
tween man and beast,