The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-05-18

MOND-HANOvETt AND IIENRICO COUN-
TIES NOW IN ENJOYMENT OF REPOsE
AND SECURITY. ..r... !
The Hanover lion is dead. At 5.o'clock
Yesterday morning the majestic beast was
compelled to WELD to overwhelming num-
bers and resources, aud fell victim to n
double discharge of powder and shot.
Thus, in the very height of its usefulness,
in the prime OF its glory, in the brightness
OF promise, was this item destroyed, before
its duty was halt done, and ere its capacity
for expansion and development was fully
known and appreciated. A whole repor-
.orial corps mourns the loss and Weeps
with llnrestrained anguish ut the thought OF
what might have been. but now can never
be. .t
FIRST SEEN. ."'
The animal was first seen in these parts
last Sunday, when it appeared near Ash
cake crossing, in Hanover, to the conster-
nation OF the inhabitants. On Monday the
lighting force Of the country between Ash
cake crossing and Atlee's water station. Or
sanized as cavalry aud infantry, went on
the track. Monday night they lost the trail.
Their well-traincd dogs refused to follow
the course. Hounds that never quailed
before man or beast smelt the ground with
trcpidation, snuffcd the air with dlsmay,
and refused to bulge.
That in itself was suspicious.
ALADY IN TIE PRESENCE OF TIE BEAST.
Lost to sight OF the Ashcake army the
terrible beast next appeared before hlrs.
Darricott, near the Brook turnpike. The
pointer with her ut the time manifested an
uncommon dread, and with an unearthly
howl retired from the presence OF the fero-
cious stranger. Next the beast, single
handed and alone, attacked Mrs. Tomp-
kins's parlor-window, broke the sash all to
pieces, knocked the glass into thousand
fragments, and dyed the window-frame
with his own gore, and threw the neighbor-
hood into 4 panic. r.s,
BY this time life in the rural districts be-
gan to seem risky. Mothers kept their chill
dren housed, prudent farmers kept viglant
watch over calves and sheep, and good
portions Of the counties OF Hanover and
Henrico were put on war-iooting, and it
was suggested that Governor kemper ought
to call out the militia. ..s.
How happily for the people was the sus-
pensc ended. Yesterday morning the beast
was killed. The grand triumph was accom-
pished at the farm OF Smith Bowles, on
North Run, near Hungry station, on the
Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac
railroad, and about eight miles from the
city. About ) O'Clock Mrs. Bowlc3 went
out to milk the cows. She discovered the
formidable creature crouched under shed
where carts and ploughs are usually kept.
Mrs. Bowles informed her husband. lie
procured the assistance OF his son, J.. ID.
Bowles. and his son-in-law, Adolph Deid-
rick
A CAUTIOUS ADYASCE-DEATH.
The two young gentlemen took peep at
the beast, and then with promptness and
intelligence formed their plan, and with
military decision put it into execution.
They went into the barn THE shed is at
tached to the barn], reconnoitred the enc
my, poked their guns through crack and
took deliberate AIM, and bang bang
went the guns. Just as they pulled the
triggers he raised his head, and thus caught
both loads more fully than he would other
wise have done. Death was instantaneous.
The elder Mr.. Bowles came to Richmond
soon afterwards, and told the story in 4
straightforward, honest way-neither eXaS-
gerating nor depreciating the occurrence.
CAPTAIN CHARLES II. EPPs. ,'...
Captain Epps, a'man of nerve and good
| Judgment, tried in the front rank OF war
and in arduous civil service, having heard
the story, upon meeting Mr.. Bowles on the
street, asked: Mr.. Bowles, have you shot
anything on your place: .''..a.
Yes, was the answer. -..-... rs '-.. =.
What was it? ' f.. . 3
L don't know, SAID Dir. Bowles, but it is
rs big rs Il yearling. q"
Ii / 60 out there can bring it into town
with me: .":
Certainly, Captain. s.
Then Captain Epps hired wagon, and,
with his brother George and Mr.. Albert
Rose, drove up to Mr.. Bowles's.
THE CARCASS EXHIBITED.
The carcass was shown Captain Epps and
his companions, and the result our reporter
has thus obtained in n conversation with
Captain Epps:
What was the size OF the beast? ...-
measured it. 1t was two feet ten inches
high and five feet nine inches from tip OF
nose to tip OF tail.
What was its color?
4 muddy yellow-very much the color OF
lion.
Did it have ierocious look? -
should say it did. II had met it in
the road should have gotten out OF its way.
What about the feet?
The feet were very large. / think the
paws were aS big as my fist. [Captain Epps
il about six feet four inches high, and has
fist correspondence His ankle was as much
rs could clasp around. ...
.. WHAT WAS THE BEAST. s'
Captain Epps, do you think that at dis
tance it would look like lion.
Yes, it was quite natural for those who
saw it hastily to suppose it was hon.
don't blame the people much for their mis-
| take.
Well, what was 1t?
4 dos-a big nastif or spaniel. One OF
the biggest dogs ever saw. There Is none
| in Richmond OF rs great size.
Was it as big as Hero, OF Castle Thunder
notoricty?
Yes. about that size.
Captain Epps further said that the dog
was probably about fifteen or eighteen
months old, had Il strong leather-coliar
fastened around his neck with riYets, his
fail almost touched the ground when he was
standing: was not fat, but in tolerably good
condition, and Captain Epps thought had
probablv escaped from some vessel IN TINS
vicinity.
So ends the lion story.
The head and tail of the animal were ex-
bibited at this office last night by Mr. Glenn
ent G.. Tinsley, OF this city, who brought
them in from Mr.. Bowles's.
The animal, from the description given,
belonged to Mr.. Benjamin Barbour, Of the
Chesapeake and Ohio railroad. II so, it
was cross between Newfoundland and
St.. Bernard. and had been but recently
A.: ;r~ah ho-