Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-07-07
i1laisttHatrs0iis.
AvIsrr TO TIE Scene OF You've IsRAEL's
Famed EXPLOIT.

Iherewith send you piece Of granite
cut from the inside OF the famous ''Put.
MANS Wolf Den," situated in Pnmfret.
Conn. l visited the den yesterday with
a small party. Up. up, we rode; past
farmhouses. green meadows and orchards.
aud entered road. All wood. Finally
we came upon tumble-down cabin. a
crazy barn and a pig-sty. The cart-road
soon terminated in a footpath, winding
al ;ng through dense woods, crossed a
stone wall and plunged down steep and
and rocky hill toward the north. Follow
ing ON a few rods further we suddenly
came upon the wolf den. knew it by
Mr.. E. L. Sawyer's fine historical painting,
once exhibited in Hartford before the leg
islature to the great admiration of that
BODY. Besides the .sden" it contains a
perfect likeness of General Putnam, his
negro. "Pomp." and others. The den is
situated under granite hill. the mouth
facing the northeast. 1t is formed by an
upheaval. which reft the rock apart some
two feet, shelving the rift over with huge
granite lodges. The mouth is not over
two feet square. Stripping off hat and
coat and taking my hammer in one hand
crowded into the cave a distance of twelve
forbid. This part Of the cave is superficial,
extending on an angle Of ten degrees, but
it is said that at distance OF thirty feet
there was perpendicular well of unknown
depth. BY much effort chiseled off some
line specimens of the granite. and: half
suffocated, backed out. On shelving
rock, at the mouth of the den, visitors aad
left their cards, with compliments to
Mrs. Wolf"
The story of Putnam and the Wolf
| ia we'll authenticated and briefly runs as
follows: In 1889 great havoc was made
in this vicinity by large she wolf. which
with her annual whelps devastated the
country, killing sheep by the hundred.
Young Putnam. living three miles distant
| banded with five others to 'hunt the wolf
| TO the DEATH" since she was too cunning
to be entrapped. They followed her
over the light snow (easily tracking her
| from the known loss OF the toes of one
| toOt) to the bank of the Connecticut river,
where she doubled on her tracks, returned
and sought refuge in this den, then in the
wilderness. Failing to smoke her out,
Putnam sent in his bloOdhounds, who af-
ter fierce fight retired torn and half
dead. II was now nearly 10 O'Clock at
night; still Putnam would not lose the
prize so near him. No one of the many
now collected dared 60 in, and Putnam
declared his determination to 60 in him
self and kill the savage beast. A rope
was obtained, which he tied about his
oins and, Selling torch. he crawled into
the dark and dismal cavern. At the ex-
tremity of the den he saw the VOLTS glar-
ing eyes. She turned upon him with a
fierce growl when his friends suddenly
drew him out by the rope, tearing off
much Of his clothing, leaving him bruised
and bleeding. Selling gun, loaded with
a double charge of powder and nine buck
shot, Putnam again entered the den and,
taking aim between the two fiery eve
balls of the beast, he fired. and was i'm
mediately drawn out with greater danger
in the rear by his friends than by the saw
age brute in front. When the smoke had
subsidized Putnam went in, seized the dead
wolf by the ears and was the third time
drawn to the surface.-Cor. Hartford
| Post