Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1882-11-30
A Wild Woman Of the Woods.

For months past there have been
rumors of terrible apparition which
has frightened all the women and cnll-
dren III Clear Greek township, North
Carolina. The women say that tor two
weeks they have been subject to terri
flying visits, III the absence OF tuelr Aus
bands, from creature like SHINY
black negress, with long hair and glean-
ing eyes. She asks In hardly ulstin-
guishable gibberish for baby to eat
and makes efforts to get hold of the
children. The men, getting tired of Tie
fears of their wives, determined TO try
to catch the creature, and tor the last
week crowds of farmers have been
daily and nightly chasing her, without
success. The first effort to catch her
was made week ago by john Roberts,
blacksmith, The wild creature had
appeared several times at fire, whlon
IL was the habit of Corey Moore, colored,
of the nelghborhood, 10 light after
dark IN the yard OF his house Tor the
preparation OF his meals. Roberts was
put there to watch for her aud she
appeared even before the flames were
wen hndied. She presented such q
wild look IN the half light and asked for
food III such avid fashion that Roberts
was demoralized. He recovered, how
ever, made'an outcry and attempted 10
seize the woman, but she slipped
through his hands end disappeared in
the dark snNdows of the wood. Tues
day morning Mannar Steven Cawell
caught sight OF tie creature and chased
her across an open field. He was
badly hurt In his efforts to keep up
with her and reported that she outran
buck and cleared four corn rows at u
leap, That same night she was again
enuced flom the gloom of the WOODS by
the kindhng of u tire and was chased
by thirty men, without success. Cap
tain Marsh Allen later III the day met
her in the nelghborhood, with her face
torn and bleeding and long, bloody
knife III her hand. The creature Was
naked and SO unearthly and terrible
looking to hum that he says he Is not
sure 1t is o human being. Her halr
reached almost 10 her 1eet, but was
kinky, like that OF the African. It is
not mere night which has caused the
country people to organize in their
attempts to catch the creature, whicn
has been lying LII the forest and swamps
tor year or more. Some months ago,
II is reported, an infant was spirited
away from Its parents yard while they
were Ill the cornheld and Was never
heard from, and the disappearance was
hnf oaofInVN nf fnn ~ Ia
the wild woman had been seen, and
mothers, white and black, are III terror
for fear their little ones may also be-
come food tor the cannlbal negress.
Yesterday the farmers, some mounted
and Others on foot, assembled for the
purpose of surrounding d swamp Iii
which the creature Is known to be MD.
There were tour hundred men banded
together tor the chase. At first 1t was
attempted TO run her down with blood
hUunas, but they refused to chase her,
which deepened tie superstltlous teehng
with whlcn the men as well as the
women OF the community began to re-
gard her. The men Lnen made the
attempt to catch her, but without sue
cess. The excitement among the
negroes and slmpIe country tolks Is
intense. BY the more intelligent fal-
mers from that section the lneory is
advanced that the creature is some
half-wltted woman, who has been 80
long hunted down that she lives LII
terror OF ali human beings and there
lore lives like all animal III forests, her
necessities having forced her 10 eat
Anything she can get, Including even
human t1eSh.