The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-06-21
WHERE THE HOGS WENT.
4 Bottle-shaped Cavern That May Contai
the solution of a Mystery.

BottIo-ShapSd cavern limit Way contain
the solution of a Mystery.
j. II. Lawson, a farmer living three
miles south of this city, near the river,
and MANY of his neighbors have been
losing stock in a mysterious way for
number of years. The animals would
disappear very suddenly and no trace
of them could ever be found Their
losses consisted mostly of hogs, al
though other animals have been missed
from time to time Lawson and his
neighbors finally came to believe that
thieves were taking their stock, work
ing in systematic manner, and they
kept watch for a number of months.
Yesterday the cause of SO many strange
disappearance was discovered and the
long-standing mystery cleared up.
While walking along slippery path
in ravine through the bluffs yester-
day, Mr.. Lawson fell and came near
dropping into a cavern in the side OF
the hill, the mouth of which was hidden
by the overhanging branches of tree.
He saved himself by grasping the limb
and quickly drew himself away from
the place. He pulled the branches
aside and looked down into the cave.
1t is twenty feet deep and larger at the
bottom than at the top. When his eyes
became accustomed to the darkness he
discovered the bones of his missing ami
mails in the bottom, the entire space
being covered. He saw at once that
the cavern held the skeletons of perhaps
all the animals that have been missed
by himself and neighbors, which their
futile searches had hitherto failed 70
bring to light. The opening into the
cavern is at the foot of the path, and
the ground slopes in the direction OF
the death trap. 1t is in a lonely place
in the bluffs, which accounts for its
never having been discovered before.
The opening is about four feet wide and
not more than three feet high. Had
the farmer not fallen where he did, the
place would no doubt have remained
undiscovered.
A thorough search will be made of
the place by Lawson and his neighbors.
Several years ago farm hand named
Cooley disappeared from the ncighbor-
hood and has never been seen since. No
reason was known why he should leave
the country and his strange disappear
ance caused much comment at the time.
He was last seen alive hunting in the
woods about two miles from the spot
where the cavern was found yesterday.
He did not return at night, and for
several days the country was searched
for him. No trace was ever found, and
il was believed that he had fallen into
the river and drowned, his body being
carried away by the current, or had
quietly disappeared and now never
cared to return. Lawson and his neigh
bors think IL possible that the man
might have fallen into the place discov-
cred yesterday, and being stunned by
the fall could not call for help. Once
into tho hole it would have been i'm
possible for him TO get out alone, "a the |
cavern IS shaped like Jug. A ladder |
wiz be put down tomorrow. and Law /
son and his neighbors will search |
among the bones in the cave for the |
skeleton of the missing man II - pos
sible that mystery that has baffied the |
neigh borhood for years NAV at last be- |
come kDown.-Ksnsas City Times