Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-06-25
AN AWFUL FATE.
Caught IN Wolf Trap and Devoured
by Wolves.
All the Year Around.

| All the ear AROUND.
The favorite trap employed for wolves
in Burgundy is the tanquerard. This
| is the most dangerous even to man, the
strongest that is made requiring two
men to set it, 1t has springs of formid-
able power and deicacy, and when
these are touched the jaws of the trap,
armed with rows of teeth shut one
within the other. 1t spite of every pre-
caution, however, very sad occurrence
will happen in these forests
Some years ago Il trap was placed
near deserted footway, and the usual
warning precautions taken. The same
dav a Young man anxious to present to
his fiance some turtle doves and pigeons
with ROSY beaks, with whose where
abouts he was acquainted, left his home
u little before sunset to surprise the
birds on their nest He was late. The
night closed rapidly, and with the in
tention of shortening the road he took
his way across the forest. Without III
the least needing the brambles and
bushes which caught his legs, or the
bitches and streams he was obliged to
cross, he passed on, and after a contin-
ued battle with the thorns, the stumps
roots, and the long clinging tendrils OF
the wild roses, came exactly on the
track where the trap was set.
The night was now nearly dark, and
thinking only of his doves and loved
one, he failed to observe that several
little pieces Of string were swinging to
and fro in the breeze from the branches
los tha fhi1lsaf him Dreadful n
deed. was it for him that he did not,
for suddenly he felt terrible shock, ac-
companied by most intense pain, the
bones Of his leg being apparently
crushed to splinters. He was caught in
the wolf trap.
The first few moments of pain and
suffering over, G must have compre-
hended the danger Of his position, and
had, it is presumed, with great presence
of mind, endcavored to open the ser
rated iron jaws which held him fast.
But though danger is said to double the
strength of man, the trap refused to
give up its prey, and at each movement
of his body the iron teeth buried them
selves deeper and deeper in his flesh
his agony must have been Of the most
exquisite description. He probably
shouted, and would have continued to
shout, however hopelessly, for help, had
it not been for the fear of attracting the
wolves that might be lurking i'll the
neighborhood. He had under his coat
small Ratchet, and with this, in the
event Of his being attacked by the
! dreaded animals, he trusted to defend
himself. AS the night heightened, the
moon rose and shed her pale light over
) the forest. All at once, far away, he
hears confused murmur of indistinct
sounds. Approaching with ra-
pidity, these murmurS become
cries and yeIlS. They are those OF
f wolves on the track-hellish demons,
which ere few minutes would be up
ON him, carried direct to the spot by
the trails set for his dcstroycrs. Fcal
/ not being part Of his hardy nature, he
by almost supcrhuman efforts, and in
the awful moment forgetting all pain
he contrvcd to drag himself and the
: trap toward an oak tree, against which
he placed his back.
Here with his Ratchet ready tC
strike, the young fellow, full of courage
doubtless offered up prayer to his
God, and embracing, us it WERE in his
mind his poor old mother and his bride
awaited the horrible result, determined
to show himself a true child Of the for
est, and meet his fate like man. A
few minutes more and he was sur
rounded by Il Gordon of yellow flames
: from the eyes of the brutes, the ami
mails themselves, which he could scarce
ly distinguish, sending forth their horri
Bile wells full in his face.
On the following morning, when the
unfortunate forester who set the traI
!, came to examine it, he found Mt tn,
! foot of the oak, deluged with blood, tn,
e bone of II human leg upright between
= the iron teeth, and all around, scattered
f about the turf and the path, quantity
r of human remains. Shreds of II Goa
! and other articles of clothing We're alsc
!, discovered near the spot. With the rs
sistancc of some dogs, which were ptI
on the scent, three wolves, their heads
and bodies cut open with Ratchet
! We're found dying in an adjacent thick
: st. When the venerable cure Of tn,
!. village, after previously endeavoring il
!, every possible way by Christian eXhort
alton to prepare his aged mother tC
9 hear the sad fate, informed her thai
r these remains of humanity We're al
4 that was left Of her boy, she laughed
J Alas. it was the laugh Of madness; rca
son had fled.