Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-02-17
aRNING WITH WILD CATS.
EatnmOuuts Made Fierce by Hunger
Attacking Travellers.

y telegram from HOnesdale, Pa, February
9Th. SAYS: Any person who has occasion to
travel through the counties of Northern Penn
sylvaniI and the adjacent counties of New
York state, at this time, will stop in few viii
lagos where he Will not hear something said
about the unusual number OF wild cats or cata-
mounts that are lurking in the woods this
winter. In this immediate vicinity catanounts
are certainly more common and bold than the
people OF this generation, at least, ever knew
them to be. For week or more past four wild
eats of enormous size have been pTowling about
the Eenwdrden ana i'elher farms, hOs nloft
than three miles from Honesdaie. Morris
TreaGwell. who enjoys considerable local nOtO-
riety a trapPer. captured two of these ca Ia
mounts early in the present week one meas
ured > feet in lengths most uncommon size
for this ~pecies-and the other feet. The lat
ter was killed in dead fall trap. The former,
the trapper had discovered, had its lair in -
small cave in the rocks near Reiflers slashing
OF bark woods.
and on visiting IL found the wild cat was fast,
but was only held by the tips OF its toes ON one
lore foot. Treadweii, knowing it would be un-
wise 10 draw the trap and catamount out with
the latter so slightly held got another trap, set
~, and. crawling IL the cave, pusheu ~ t9"asu
the animal. hose fierce gTowls gave warning TO
him not To approach too near. As soon as the
second trap showed within reach of the
wild cat the latter struck at ID and hit the pan
OF the trap with the fore paw that was free.
The traps used for capturing citaGOunts are
made TO spring with the quickness of light
ming but so agile was this animal that, not
outstanding the Suddenness with which the
Jaws the trap came together, 1T sprung the trap
and Withdrew It's paw safely eight times before
the leg was caught. With both of its legs thus
secured TreadweIl drew the cItamOunt out by
the chain OF one OF the traps; but, haInpered as
the animal Was, IL gave the trapper long ana
fierce fight before he could overcome 1t with
the weapons he had at hand.
n few days ago " m. Lyman, joel SOmers
aud George Harris Were on their way down the
Little Pine creek, in IiOga county riding horse
back To- English Center. The road is through
loci rEgisf Very =
psssing spot in the woods where the
branches ot the hemiOck almost interioch over
head ali three of the horses began 10 plunge and
attempted to- turn back. SomerS horse turned
partially around, and ut the same ms ant
huge catamouDt SpTahs rom a heIhipch Tree
aiighted on SomerS back. 1t sank lis claws
in his clothing and attempted To set its teeth in
his neck The piunsins of the horse aud the
SHOUTS of the men apparently frightened II, Tor
ii Ieslp,d to the ground, but almost Immediately
SpraIi-s upon Harris. Harris fortunately had in
q side coat pocket "a heavy carpenters hammer,
which he was returning to ~ person from whom
lie had borrowed il at English Center. Quickly
taking il from ms pocket lie struck the wild
cat d powerful blow between the eyes and
knocked IL To the ground. Before II could re-
cover from the blow Harris leaped from his
hOrse and beat the catamounts brains out with
The hammer.
on Monday night Christopher Hallenbeck
driV ing with his wife ON The Hawk Nest
road. which il hewn out OF the noun tain side
sou feet above the Delaware river, in sullivan
county. " \. The road runs ITS entire length
through the woods. Hallenbeck was going to
AiingauF. and when within three miles OF the
place he was startled ny AN uLearthiy yell that
Clme from the woods on the mountain side
above him. HE knew ut once that 1t was the
cry of hungry catamOunt His wife tainted
away. HaileuECcE pat his horse on Il run,
although the ROAD - "a dangerous one TO drive.
The c@ttstInOunt followed the wagon all the way
u MOEgaup and kept up its !rignttul yelling. 1t
made no attempt To attack HaleDbCck, but
SEEMED intent ON running him down. Mrs.
HaIlenbeck Gid not recover Consciousness until
some time after she reached home. These
animals have become 50 numerous In that
LEGALITY that an attempt is TO BE- made to eXter
inmate them. There is n deserted old stone
quarry in the neighbGrhUod, and the locality is
lonely that it has been made a rendezvous for
wild eats. There Is Il shaIty In the quarry. The
quarry IL To be baited with the carcsse Oh
sheep, pieces OF beef. and other meat. y party
of hunters Will secTeie themselves in the
shanty. The b;Iited quarry will soon attract
all the catamOunts in the neighborhOOd TO ID,
as they appear.