The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-10-05
TABBY RUN WILD.
Burlington County Afflicted BY
Predatory Felines


Burlington county, between the forks Of
the north and south branches of the
Rancocas River, farmers have been losing
chickens, ducks and turkeys from the at
tacks Of an animal that is evidently 4
new enemy to the hen house. In many
cases it had killed It's prey from sheer
feroclty. az no part was eaten, while the
victims were fairly torn to pieces.
Sam stump is the Leather Stocking OF
the locality He is a tall, thin, coiored
naan, who makes his living hunting and
trapping He concluded that aone Of
Them surcus tigers was around heah It
WIS determined to have M old fashioned
hunt, and Sam was made master Of cere-
monies. Il was not necessary to seek for
a pack. as all the dogs in the neighbor-
hood knew by intuition when Sam was
out, and they came without invitation,
forty az least. OF all breeds and sizes. IL
was only By using clubs freely that they
were kept from eating one another.
Sans reliance WAS on a taff.1nangy look
lug brute, all knees and knuckles- Sam
called IL bloodhound, and told strange
stories OF Its prowess. and was scandal
lied when q young farmer offered TO
match his dog against it the champion
for 81
HUNTING TIE MYSTERY.
With lights Of pine splfnters and tar
about dozen men started. It was the
last OF July. The dogs chased everything
from rabbit up to 3 5rindle calf. About
midnight near the Raucocas they struck
trail that led TO serious business While
the hunters were stumbling over stumps
and falling into bog holes in the swamp
there came terrible commotion IN front
Every dog was yelping at once. .sDey is
got him, boss, sure, cried Sam. and ne
loosed his bloodhound After some
clubbing this formidable animal con-
scented TO wade In.
When the men got TO the battle ground
the lights were shaken up aud the stu
a.ion made plain. On the top Of large
pine stump chung what was evidently a
cat, thrice as large as domestic tabby.
Its eyes giowed like fire, and fur was
standing up all over the body Every
now and then dog would make a rush
and was well cared for. Seeing the men
approach the cat made a spring and
landed plump IN the centre of the pack
what confusion and noise. Sans
bloodhound. Lucius, turned tail at ono e
and ran between his masters legs, up
setting him III the mud. Someone gave
the brute a whack with q club that sent
him flying, and he vanished into the
woods.
a tsts u 49, < E-<tslt Ell IKE Nt-tst<
More than half the dogs ran away, out
four or five stuck to their work The
brush was SO thick that the men could
give them no help. But for one chunky
built terrier the cat would have got
away, as the other dogs had evidently
enough. This little hero hung on until
Sam got in mum Der Of blows with club
dreadfuliy cut and had nearly lost AZ eye
from the cats claws. which were an inch
long and sharp as Gsh hooks. When
stretched on a log the cat measured from
its ears to the Tip of the stumpy rail
twenty-nine inches, and the paws were as
large as the hand OF an average boy. It's
weight was seventeen and d half pounds.
In fair aght it would no doubt have
killed any dog in the pack Some Of the
colored boys that carried the torches had
been terribly frightened and now shouted
and danced from relief
The trip home was eyentful; the writer
fell into hole full of mud and water, ap
to his middle. and as he weighs $50
pounds would have stayed there but for
the help of the rest. Then the dogs
found game again, but the horrible odor
that filed the air gave warning to get
away.
TAME TABBY GROWN WILD.
In December a young man named Car
ter was hunting through the range of low
hills that lie on the border line between
Huntington and Warren counties. New
Jersey. This is good pheasant and rabbit
ground and occasionally offers good coon
hunting. Carter was surprised to hear
his dog making great noise in q clump
of brushwood near the road. 1t was evs-
IDENTIFY having stiff battle with some
animal and from frequent yelps of pain
was apparently getting the worst Of the
fight. Carter pushed through the Ihlcket
and saw the dog contending for his life
with an animal that looked like very
big cat.
Carter struck at it with the back Of his
gun, when the brute made spring.
lighting fairly on his Shoulder,
gun was no use, but he handled
his clasp-knife so effectually that
the beast was beaten or and with the
aid of the dog finally killed. The dog
was severely mauled, one ear being torn
clear on, and his master had numerous
deep cuts and scratches on his face and
neck that were several weeks in healing
The savage beast was dark gray and
yellow and had claws an inch long, and
weighed sixteen pounds. The skin was
sent 10 q New York naturalist, who pro
nounced the animal the offspring OF do
nestle cat that had taken to the woods
and grown mp wild. 1t wanted certain
marks OF the native wild cat, especially
long hairs that distinguish the original
species.
A week after this Carter, with a party
of friends and pack of hounds, hunted
over this locality. and after a hard fight
the dogs killed Tom cat weighing
twenty pounds Another was freed and
shot, all evidently OF the same family.