Morning journal and courier., 1880-06-21
Price Four Cents.
Hunting a Panther.
A Band of Chappaqua Villagers Routed
 in Confusion.

From the New York Timesl
 It was reported in the Times few weeks ago that panther or wildcat was committing depredations in the upper part of West chester county, killing sheep, calves, dogs, &c., and creating great alarm among the farmers who kept their children from school in consequence of the ravages of the animal. Fresh depredations have been reported every week since, and several persons have seen the animal and that they think it is panther. The other day two young ladies, daughters of Malcolm Simonds, of Chappaqua, while walk ing on the New York and Harlem railroad in quest of wild flowers, saw what they suppos- ed to be a large spotted dog approaching them. As it came nearer it grew much larger to their vision, and they, remembering what they had heard about the panther, turned and fled back in safety to their homes All Chap paqua was immediately Cup in arms" Nal colm Simonds hunted his house over and found an old horse-pistol and an unwieldy sword, and with these by his side, drummed up about seventy recruits to hunt down this terror to the neighborhood Amos Tomp- kins, the village postmaster, inspired the company with courage, saying that ''panthers never attack men, and that his son had seen many in Florida, yet never was harmed.'' Among the huntsnen were Hiram Smalley, John Wesley Smalley, armed with miscella- neous weapons. Fred Hyatt was armed with a heavy baseball bat, and looked like a mod ern Hercules. Joseph Gill had formidable fail, which he had appropriated from a neighboring barn. The others had shot-guns, rifles, pistols, and the rear was valiantly brought up by David Hunt young lawyer of the county, who in each hand firmly grasped revolver. Chappaqua Mountain was to be the scene of execution, as the young ladies had seen the animal take to the woods there as they flew homeward Halfway up this mountain is the Chappaqua Institute, the students in which, hearing of this company about to set out determinlzd to give them an appropriate reception. Half dozen of the young men hastened to the top of the moun- tain, near the path the huntsmen would have to pass, and rolled some large boulders in convenient position. The hunters had not proceeded far into the woods when brown object was seen to dart across their path Elijah Crawson took quick aim with his rife and fired. Upon going into the thicket it was found that he had killed Samuel Wash burns calf. They left it lying there, and as they neared the path above mentioned they heard great rustic of branches, and a rum bling noise, which sent the blood rapidly back to the hearts of each. A volley was fired in to the bushes, but nothing was hit this tine It was one of the boulders which the students had started down the hill. The hunters could not account for it. Pretty soon a second came tumbling down, when Charles Yerks ex- claimed: "It must be the panther's mate" Another volley was fired with like result The band now began to think there was some thing mysterious about this panther, and that it must have charmed life Some of them dispersed homeward, others to Mount Kisco. A parting volley of stones was sent down the mountain side, which sent the hun ters scampering away. Old Charles Brund- age, in his terror, climbed tree and was left there When he finally reached home he swore he had seen the panther The animal, however, is still king of the forest there about, and the villagers don't know what to try next to frighten him away.