The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-06-26

Major Randle Blackman, a we'll.
known planter of this vicinity. had a
dangerous adventure recently with a
young panther which he had been try
ing to tame. He had taken the crea-
.ture when a month-old cub from the
mother. which he had killed last fall.
and had reared by hand, keeping it con-
fined in a small pen near his residence.
The panther. up to the time it attacked
Major Blackman, appeared to be quite
tame and even affectionate toward him,
allowing him to caress at will. and de-
porting itself as house cat whenever
fondled or approached, so that the
planter entertained no fear of it what
ever. He still contends that the animal
showed SYMPTOMS of madness. and other
wise would not have attacked him. He
entered the pen one morning with its
breakfast, and preceiving the panther
crouched in one corner called to it,
thinking perhaps it had not seen him,
but on the creature snarling and show
ing its teeth he retreated hastily to the
door. He had not time. however. to
leave the pen before the panther with a
SUDDEN spring bounded upon him. The
movement was so unexpected the Major
was wholly unprepared for the attack
and staggered back. nearly losing his
footing. but retaining his hold of the
bucket in which he bad carried the
panther's breakfast. brought it down
on the animals head With all the
strength he could summon. Gaining a
moments respite he ran into the yard.
closely pursued by the panther. which
sprang upon him, knocking him down.
but making no further attempt to harm
him beyond snarling and bristling at
his slightest movement as it lay at full
length on his PROSTATE body. Major
Blackman dared not even call out for
assistance lest he provoke the animal
into biting him, but his son. Carter
Blackman, seeing from a window his
fathers danger. rushed from the house
armed with a small revolver. the only
weapon on the place. The boy was
afraid. however. to use the revolver
lest the shot intended for the panther
strike his father. so catching up gar
den hoe lying near he attacked the an
imal with that. At the first blow the
animal leaped up. and with a scream of
rage flew at the intrepid boy, who
struck at it with the hoe again and
again. and finally stunned it by blow
just at the base Of the brain. The ami
NAL rolled over and lay motionless: but
suspicious Of its condition, Major Black
man placed the revolver to it's ear and
fired. As he did so The panther reused,
and. turning its head suddenly. pre-
vented the bullet from entering It's
brain. 1t inflicted. however, a long,
ragged wound along the side of
the head laying the bone open and car
rying the ear entirely away. The ami
NAL. screaming and frothing at the
mouth. rolled oyer and over on the
ground in agony, clawing the earth and
biting al such furious rate that for
time both father and son feared to ap-
proach it. 1t attempted several times
to leap at them, but the blood flowing
freely from the wound and filling its
eyes blinded and confused it so that it
appeared unable to locate them. In
few minutes it began to drag itself pain
fully in the direction of its pen. when
Blackman, to put it out of its suffering,
advanced and shot it in the neck. As
was afterward ascertaiued the shot
severed one OF the larger veins, ard
the blood spouting from the wound. the
panther rolled over dead.