Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1882-10-22
A WILD hEGRESS.
A Creature OF the Woods I'm North Caro-
lima who Eats Babies and Frightens
HOmen and Children.

women anu Y nllorcn.
CHARLorrE, n. c., October 81. - The
women in Clear Creek township say that
for two weeks they have been subject to
terrifying visits, in the absence OF their
husbands, from a creature like shiny
black negress with long hair and cleaning
ewes. She asks in hardly distinguishing
gibberish for q baby TO eat, and makes ef-
forts to get hold of the children. The men,
getting tired of the fears OF their wives, de-
terminsd to catch the creature, and for the
last week crowds of farmers have been
Daily and Nightly Chasing Her
without success. The first effort to catch
her was made q week ago by John Roberts,
A blacksmith. The creature had appeared
several times at q fire, which 1t was the
habit of Cary Moore to light after DARK In
the yard OF bis house for the preparation
of his meals Roberts was put there 10
watch for her, and she appeared before the
flames were we'll kindled. She had such q
wild look in the half light, and asked for
food in such a wild fashion that Rob-
erts was demoralized. He recover,
ed however, made an outcry, ana
Attempted to seize the woman, but
She slipped through his hands and
disappeared in the dark shadows OF the
woods. On Tuesday morning Major steven
Cowell caught sight OF the creature, ano
chased her across an open neid. ne va s
badly hurt in his efforts to keep up with
beT and reported that she ran like buck
and cleared four corn rows at q leap. That
same night she was again enticed from the
Gloom OF the woods by the kindling OF
fre and was chased by thirty men without
success, Capt. Marsh Allen later in the
dsy met her In the neighborhood with her
face torn and bleeding and a long. blood
stained knife in her hand. The creature
Was naked, and so unearthly and terrible
looking 10 him that he says he is not sure
il Ia a human being. Her hair reached al
most 10 her feet, but was hnky, like ths'
Of the African. A..
IL is not mere fright that caused the
country people to organize in their attempts
TO catch the creature, which has oeen nv
ing in the forest and swamPs LOT year ol
more. Some months ago, it is asserted, an
infant was spirited away from its parents
ward while they were in tho corntield, and
was never heard from. The disappearance
was from that section of the country 10
which the wild woman has been seen, and
mothers. white and black, are in terror, toI
fear that their little ones may also become
food for the cannibal negreSs- yesterday
Fear Hundred Men,
some mounted and others on foot, Assem-
Md for the purpose OF surround
ing a swamp in which the creature wa:
known 10 be hid. At first it was attempted
to run her down with bloodhounds, bu'
they refused TO chase the creature, wnieh
SSe1ened the superstitious feeling with
rb;cb the men as well as the women of the
community began to regard her. The men
tben made the attempt to catch her, but
without success. The excitement among
the negroes and simple country folks |;
intense By the more intelligent farmers
the theory is advanced that the creature II
some hs!f~xitted woman, who has been 81