The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-08-28
FIGHT WITH A WILDCAT.
An Indianian's Experience in VIM
ton County. Ohio An Ugly
Fight at Daybreak.

Mr.. 4 I. Westbrook. of Corydon.
Ind, who was recently called IT, Vim.
ton county. Ohio,pn business related
to a Cincinnati, News-Journal reporter
his experience in that county with
wildcat. He left farmhouse
where he had staid all night. at about
8 o'clock liz the morning with the in
tention of walking to Hamden juno
ton, where he could take an early
train to Portsmouth. He had long
strip of timper to pass through. and
although daylight had begun to show
in the east, the thick foliage of the
trees made il as dark as midnight.
just before emerging from the WOODS
into cleared land he heard the scream
ing of cat There il nothing unusu-
al in such noise, but the gentleman
says he was just a little uneasy.
because he imagined from
the noise that the cat had been
chased by dog and had taken refuge
up tree or on tip of a fence. The
dog, he thought. probably remained,
a, d dogs are his especial dread. He
had 10 weapon, but pushed on in
the hope that the doy might he a small
farm cur which would be easily
frightened and driven into his own
dooryard- On emerging from the
timber daylight appeared to suddenly
dawn. and he saw a few feet in front
of him what be thought was the
small dog he had hoped to encounter.
He approached within two feet of the
animal and was about to give bold
kick and send in yelping homewa Il.
when it turned its head and locke
squarely at him. One glance satisfied
him that it was not a dog he had to
deal with. From the catlike head he
rightly surmised that he was f,ce to
face with wildcat. a few of which
ar still to be found in some parts of
the country. All that he knew about
wildcats he had learned when a boz
by hearing stories related of their
dangerous character and excellent
fighting qualities He feared to risk
running away from the danger. and
as the amman showed no signs of run
ming. his only recourse was to fight,
and he boldly sailed In. With one
bound lie threw himself onto the Cat
and crushed il TO the ground, at the
same instant, by strange good luck,
graspiug the animals neck with both
hands. His weight held the wicked
it'll fighter close TO the ground with
its feet. Its only weapons under it,
while by main strength he slowly
chOked the life out of the animal
Even after life Was seemingly extinc,
Mr.. WestbrOok says he was afraid
to loosen his bold. and only did so
when TIE cramp in his fingers COM
PEELED him. He exhibits the 8 in of
the animal as a trophy but says be is
not looking for other worlds to con-
quer.
A Tramp's Siesta
A wOma who had been swinging
in a hammock in a yard on Cass ave-
nue.. Yesterday. had no soner vacated
it in answer to cali from the house
than IL ragged old tramp VIII" had
been leaning over the fence walked in
side and coolIy planted himself IN the
hamm' OK f,r siesta. In about five
minutes tn. woman reappeared, and,
seeing al glance how matters stood,
'he brought out Il sharp khife. walk
? straight up to the fellow. and be-
fore lie could chuckle twice she
~; The head rope. He came
Town On bis lead with a thump, top
pied over at full length, and SLOWLY
scramble up and walked of. Not a
word was said until he was outside
the gate. Then he turned and called .
,ut:
'Mabe you'd like my photograph
ust as / keeled out of that old 6sh-net,
mt Won wOn't oct it-nOt hv a inutull |