The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-08-04
nlanitouoe pilot.
KILLED BY A CATAMOUNT.
TIFF DEADLY STRUGGLE OF \ McKEAN
COUNTY FARMER-A BROTHER
SHOCKING DISCOVERY.

| Killing OF l.. L dilILef, OF 1ldiIlllCOn
| Township, this county, by cata-
mount or panther, as the animal
is variously known, on the 9th of
June. Since then we have learn
ed additional particulars Of the sin
gular tragedy, from a resident of
the township who visited the scene.
Mr.. Painter was a farmer and
the section in which he lived is one
Of the widest in Mexican. He
was a man past middle age and
quite well known in these parts,
both as a respected citizen and as
| hunter Of some note. In the deep
! forests some miles from Mr.. Pal
miter's home is a deer lick, which
is still frequented by those animals
despite the inroads madeupon their
numbers by local sportsmen and
the encroachments upon their old
haunts by civilization.
On the afternoon Of the dav
aforementioned the old gentle
man announced to his family his
intention watching this deer lick,
and taking his trusty rifle depart
ed, it is fair to presume, with the
object Of getting a shot at a fat
buck. He did not return that
night, a circumstance which cans
ed his family no great uneasiness,
rs Mr.. Painter was not too feeble
to regard camping out alone as a
hardship. When the day was far
spent, however, and still the alb.
sentee did not appear, his relatives
became anxious and thought some
misfortune might have befallen him
and his brother set out to look him
up. He made his way to the deer
lick by the shortest course and with
all possible haste, but the sun was
setting as he approached the lone
some 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 only an echo hooted in return
as though in derision. In the soft
ealth at the edge Of the brook he
saw the imprint Ofdeer's hoots and
finally came upon the well-detined
impression of a human foot, where
its owner had stepped across the
water. On the other side Of the
| brook were other traces of a mans
presence, such as would only be
noticed by a woodlands keen eye,
and following this imperfect trail
he was led to a sort Of natural am
phitheatre surrounded by brush
and fallen trees, as though the
place had been visited by whirl-
wind. A broken bush covered
with blood attracted his attention
and, looking over it, he saw rifle
lying on the ground. Mr.. Palmit-
er picked it up and recognized it
as the time-honored arm belonging
| to his brother. The barrel was
| partially separated from the stock
as though by violent blow. a
collapsed cap on the nipple indi-
Gated that a charge had been fired.
A horrible misgiving seized Mr..
Painter as he looked upon what
| seemed to be the mute witness to
a woodland tragedy, and sick at
heart he continued his search. He
did not have to 60 far. Stepping
over a LOG at one side of the natur-
al enclosure, which seemed to be
a sort Of vestibule to the deer lick,
| he stumbled upon the carcass of a
| great cat-like animal, such as he
| had seen in the early days Of the
| settlement but never in Of late
| years. Itwas q catamount Of large
| size such as no hunter would care
to meet alone in the woods. Sew
| eral wounds showed that it had
! died hard, and it looked still hide
Gus in death. A few feet away
| lay human figure, partly covered
| with bloody rags and showing in
| the denuded parts the marks of
| terrible claws. 1t was lying on its
| face, but Mr.. Palmiter knew now
| the worst, and was not surprised
| as he turned it over to see the
| CHASTITY face of his brother. One
| stiffened hand held a hunting-knife
| bloody to the hilt and in the other
twas a handful of grass torn up by
1.-THE roots, as though in supreme
| agony. The unfortunate man was
! partially disemboweled, and indeed
| his whole body showed fearful NUT
| ilation, while the set features wore
a look Of great anguish. His dead
| adversary had a bullet holein the
shoulder and several stabs in the
| body. 1t was easy for the afflicted
| brother to fathom the exact nature
Of the cruel struggle. As Mr.. Pal
inter lay watching at the lick the
catamount was also watching, and
mad with hunger, as shown by his
emancipated body, had selected
| human prey instead Of deer and
| sprung upon him. The man at
tackled was enable to get one shot
at the ravenous beast, when it
| knocked the rifle from his hands
and grappled with him. The strug-
| Gle must have been fierce and pro-
tracted, as the ground for some
idistance around was covered with
! blood, until, MORALLY wounded,
| the combatants separated by NUT
ual consent to wrestle with the
| death agony. The catamount meas
ures five feet six inches in length,
and was over twenty inches high.
| These animals are seldom known
to attack human beings, and the
above melancholy event must be
remarked as one of the strauoest