Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-08-03
Killed by q Cafamount.

published brief account OF the killing
of L Painter. OF Hamilton township,
this county, by a cstamount or panther,
ss the animal is yariously known, on the
9th Of June. Since then We have been
enabled TO learn additional particulars
OF the singular tragedy from a resident
Of the township, who visited the scene.
Mr.. Painter was farmer, and the sec
ton iu which hs lives is one Of the Wild
est .in Mexican. In the deep forest
some miles from Mr.. Painters hsme
is deer-lick. which is still fresuented
by those animals despite the inroais
made upon their numbers by local
sportsmen and the epcroachments upon
old haunts by civilization. On the after
noon Of the day above mentioned the
old gentleman announced to his family
his intention Of watching this deer-lick.
and taking his trusty rife, departed, it is
fai ir 10 presume, with the object Of gel-
ting = shot at fat buck, although the
game laws do not countenance such
sport al this lime Of year. Old residents
however, are not prone TO regard such
regulations, considering them more
especially designed to protect game
from the wanton assaults Of amateur
sportsnen. He did not return that
night, circumstance which caused bic
family no great uneasiness, a. Mr.. Pal
mlter was not too feeble 10 regard camp
ing oct alone as hardship. When the
day Was spent. hsweYer, and still the
absentee did not appear, his relatives
became ANXIOUS and thought some mis-
fortune might have betallen him, and his
brother set out TO look him up. He made
bis way to the deer-lick BY the shortest
course and with all possible haste, but
the sun was setting as he approached
the lonesome spot. 1t Was in the midst
Of dense woods, through which ran a
purling stream, that he at last halted
and called his brothers. name, but on ly
an echs hsoted in return, as though in
derlsion. In the soft earth at the edge
Of the brook he saw the imprint of aeers'
hoois and finally came upon the WELL
defined impre sslon ofa human foot,
where its owner had stepped across the
water. On the other side Of the brook
were others tracesof mans presence,
such as would emily be noticed by
woodman's keen eye, and following this
i'm mperfect trail he was led to sort Of
natural amphjtheatre surrounded by
brush and fallen trees, as though the
place had been visited by whirlwind.
A broken bush covered with blood at
tractsd his attention, and locking over
it he saw a rife lying on the ground.
Mr.. Painter picked it up and recosniz.
ed it as the time-honored arm belong
ing to his brother. The barrel was part
tally Sc parated from the stock as though
by a violent blow. A collapsed cap on
the nipple indicated that a charge had
been fired.
A horrible misglVing seized Mr.. Pal-
mIter as he looked upon what seemed to
be the mute witness to woodland trag
edy, and sick al heart he continued his
search. He did not have far 10 80.
Stepping over log at one side OF the
natural enclosure, which seemed to be
sort OF vestlbule to the deer-lick, he
stumbled over the carcases OF a great
cat-like animal, such a. had seen 10 the
early days Of the settlement, bu! never
of late years. 1t was a catamount OF
arge size, such as no hunter would
care TO meet alone in the woods. Sever
al wounds showed that it had died hard,
aud it looked still hldeeus in death. A
few feet away lay human figure, partly
covered with bloody rags and showing
in the denudsd parts the marks oil terri
BILE claws. It was lying on its face, but
Mr.. Painter knew now the worst, and
was not surprised as he turned 1t over to
see the gastly face Of bis brother. One
stiasned hand held a hunting knife,
bloody to the hilt, and in the other was
a handful ofgrass torn up by the roots,
as though in supreme agony. The un-
fortunate man was partially disembow-
eled and indeed his whole body showed
fearful mutilation, while his set features
were a look of great anguish. His dead
adversary had bullet-hole in the
shoulder and several stabs in the neck
and body. 1t was easy for the afflicted
brother to fathon ihe exact nature OF
the crnel struggle. As Mr. Paimiter
lay watching at the lick the catamount
was also watching and, mad With hun
ger, as shown by his eDaciatsd bsd$
had selected human prey instead Of deer
and sprang upon him. The man attack
ed was enabled toget one shot at the
ravenous beast, wheu it knocked the gun
from bis hands and grappled with him
Tie struggle must have been fierce and
as the ground for'some dis
tance around was covered with bleed,
until, nsrlally wounded, the combat
ants separated BY mutual consent to
wrestle With the agony. The cats-
mount measured five feet six inches in
length and MAS over twenty inches
high.