Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-03-06

Capture of the Remarks able Beast
which Robbed Graves

Correspondence IF Philadelphia L. ess.
FosroRIA, o Feb. 25, -Inhabitants OF
Perry township, Wood county, near this
city, breathe ireer sinoe the mysterious
animal which has besn bufrowirg into
graves in the township cemetery aud
eating the contents OF the coifins has
been captured. The excitement In the
county during the raids of the horrible,
creature WAS intense, einee every family
had some one or more of its loved ones
buried in the cemetery and liable to fall
prey to this creatures shoulish sp.
petite.
A few nights ago, George Brandebsrry
set trap near grave which had been
iitlsd by the creature and bsited it with
choice morsel OF grounding, He found
one morning, on making His accustomed
visit to the cemetery, that the trap,
grounding bait and all hsd disappeared
When he took in the condition of affairs
Mr.. Brandeberry Immediately went for
Lis gun and loaded it with fine shot TO
wound the animal, so as to take it alive,
Il possible.
Carefully searching the vicinity, he
| coon found hole with fresh earth around
the edges. The opening was similar TO
that usually made by the animal, and he
| pushed his arm into the hole after rolling
| up his sleeve and putting on q heavy
| leather glove lie soon felt the steel trap,
sDd, getting firm grasp ON the handle,
he pulled with oil his strength The
| first pull convinced him that the creature
| was caught by the trap, aud had one OF
| It's hind legs fast in the jaws. The beast
| struggled desperately against being
| pnlled ont, and tried hard burr0w It's
way sideways, and pull the tap out Of
| its osp,or haud Mr. Branieberiy kep,
frm grip, however, and soon had the
satisfaction Of puliing his eboulsbip out
q; the hole, b,tlug, suarliug and swapping
| ils teeth.
When it reached the open air il made
dsaptrste attack On its captor, and
succeeded in se.tirg free, when it dsrtGd
Tor its liberty. Mr. BfsndeberGy quickly
oursd two loads OF shOt into it, stunning
| bat not killing it. On examination il
was found to be larger than the largest
oloD, with llowish hair, bushy tail long
wicked looking claws, and very large,
sharp teeth which 1t uses in burrowing
with prodigions effect The creature is
thought by some to be species o. the
American badger, genus t&xidea. Others
think it is some pecnll-r Oriental
creature, which has escaped from sOms
passing circus or side show, while others
again firm that it is cross between a
adger and hyens, which solution
Sould account for its taste or rifius
graves.
A number ofsupsrstitious negroes solve
the problem by affirming that it is tie
evil one in brute iJI,n. They will NOT
so near it or the house in which it is
kept, and manifest every symptom of
terror when the subisct is mentioned.
The capture Of the creature has, however,
lifted quite 4 load from the minds of tue
people in this vicinity.
The beast is kept in a temporary cage,
and devours quantities OF raw liver. Ii is
visited by hundreds of curious persons.
The intention ia to send it to some
museum or menagerie 1t is understood
that Sells Bros aud Baruum smsnsgsEies
are both negotiating iOr its purchase.
A LITTLE LUNCH.