Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1880-03-25
Fighting With Wolves.

Cor. New York Tmts.
During the present winter farmers liv-
ing in sparscly settled portions of Brad
ford county, Pa, have suffered much loss
10y the invasions OF wolves. The encroach-
mCnts of civilization have rendered them
exceedingly shy, yet, upon occasion, when
rendered desperate by hunger, or seeing
no chance Of escape, they fight furiously.
The animals have played such havoc
among cattle for the past few months that
the inhabitants rose up In arms and de-
termined upon policy OF determination,
but thus far the attempts have met with
poor success, as the animals baflled pur-
suit. Valentine White, one of the oldest
settlers of Bradford county, resides few
miles south Of ClermOnt. He has cleared
IL good sized farm, and is TO some extent
ISOLATED from his neighbOrs. Around Mr..
Whites farm is dense forest. almost
untouched Gy the pioneers. Bear, deer
and wolf are abundant, notwithstanding
which they are seldom disturbed by hunt
ers. In the rear of Mr.. Whites house is
Il huge frame barn, with great cracks,
caused by deCaying boards. A few morn
ings since White went out to the barn to
feed his stock. As he reached the barn
he heard an unusual commotion inside
Thinking some of the animals had broken
loose, he did not open the trout door lest
they should escape, but squeezed himself
through large aperture left by a broken
board, As soon as he had entered, the
uproar increased, and ne saw in the mid
die OF the barn floor heifer which had
torn herself from the stanchlon by main
force, and broken one horn in the act.
Clinging to her muzzle was a large gray
wolf, with its long, sharp teeth fastened
in the animals nose with bull dog grip,
while another was trying to hamstring
the poor creature.
The believing of the heifer, the snarling
Of the wolves, and the rafting of the loose
barn floor made deafening racket, and
the human intruder was unnoticed. The
COW shook the wolf like limp rag, and
pounded the sides of the stable with it,
but in vain. Old Whites anger at the
attack Of his stock oyermastered all feel
ing CT prudence, and seizing pitchfork,
he prepared himself for an attack. No
sooner did the wolves perceive him, than,
maddened by the taste OF blood, they
turned from the heifer and attacked him.
As one Of the infuriated animals sprang
toward the old man, he dealt it mighty
blow with the fork, sending it into cor
ner. But the other animal caught its
teeth in the old mans right coat sleeve,
and in such close quarters that the weapon
was Of no avail After kicking uselessly
at the animal, he grasped its throat with
his left hand and choked the wolf until il
let go. Then seizing again the pitchfork,
he delt well directed blow, and broke
the leg Of one of the animals, which then
lodged through the hole behind him, and
limped off bowling dlsmally. The other
wolf held his ground, and whenever OPP
portunity was offered sprang at the old
man, now and then fastening its teeth
into his arms. Though bleeding profuse-
ly, White continued the fight, and finally
with well-directed thrust Of the pitch
fork, sent the tines through the animal s
heart, killing it almost instantly. The
devd wolf was of large size, gaunt with
hunger, and with shaggy atof gray.
Whites clothes were torn into shreds, and
his face, neck and breast were Scared
deeply by the claws of the animal.