The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-07-08
HUMAN TIGERS.
Bloody Deeds Performed by Fero-
cious Africans
Disguised in the Skins OF Wild Beasts
They wayfsy and feast Cpoa
the Bodies of Lone
Travellers.

the BODIES or Lone
Travellers.
This stimulation of lyca nthropy, SAYS
a letter from Africa in Coiithwaites
Geographical Magazine, is lown here
by the name of ''Kuyon. which has
been translated into Krovh~Y English
as the man tiger. although 9 practice
is not wholly confined t. men The
krovboy English name is = nisnoner,
as it is well known that no tigers exist
in Africa, but it is also wep-known
fact that there are man-eating leopards
In one month, in district comprising
some twenty square miles. more than
twenty people were killed by the leop-
ards At first the writer was very skep-
teal as TO the power of this animal -
carry off human beings. but that pow1r
has been fully substantiated 1t is also
a well-lnown fact that human beings
disguised in leopards' skins have sirau-
lated the ways of these ,.--, al.
like them, lay in wait TO destroy then
fellow creatures.
Several malefactors have been con-
victed and executed by the authorities
for this crime, and when brought to
trial the skin and different articles
employed have been produced in most
cases. The man or woman who assumes
this part must kill seven "a magical
number among the natives) living an
finals, including the human species,
dogs, fowls, deer, etc. After this he can
render himself invisible and be invulner-
able. The first thing he must possess is
a complete leopard skin, and then in
the darkness of night he must make the
small tomahawk he carries and the
spikes used on the hands. These are
made out of gun that has killed seven
people, tempered with blood freshly
drawn from himself. At full moon he
must hold vigil alone, by the banks
of broad stream, and watch steadily
the reflections of the moons image in
the water, during which time the now
itiate is supposed to see wonderful Wis
ions and obtain supernatural strength.
Then, lying in wait for his prey after
the manner of the leopards, he pounces
upon the unwary victim, tearing open
his throat and drinking his life blood.
The lycanthrope then proceeds to dis
member the body of his victim, pulling
off by main force thumbs, big toes, and
flesh between the eyes, and then tear
ing open the still quivering body to OBJ
tain the heart. The latter is eaten.
When the body is anointed with the
fat about the entrails it is supposed to
confer inviSibility.
Strangers and women passing alone
on the road are the usual victims The
writer was present in Mayumba with
Mr.. Evans when a native of Gamma was
traced and caught in the bush after sus-
picions had been aroused, owing TO the
slaughter of two other Gamma men
AS the Europeans had no jurisdiction
and the native chiefs of Mayun ba de-
cided they could not interfere, the man
was sent on to his own people, and was
afterward executed there for a similar
offense shortly after his arrival
Here in the interior, in order to pre-
vent the spread of the Kuyon, the skin
of every leopard killed is cut into mar
row strips and divided among the elders
of the place. Quite recently, however,
/ was in a native village and saw the
leopard-skin spikes followed TO receive
the fingers. 4 small wedgc-shaped
tomahawk was attached thereto through
a hole in the wooden handle, which was
plentifully bedaubed with blood. The
Kuyon's disguise had been found Sc
creted in q hollow tree, and ! was pres
ent at the confession and death. 1t was
a woman named Aroonda, about forty
years old. She confessed 20 the murder
of three men and one woman, and re-
GREETED that she had not been able to
find more victims to make up the magic
total of seven.
She was Of fragile appearance and il
seemed physically impossible that she
had done the deeds imputed TO and con-
fessed by her. From her appearance,
and because of the wild expression Of
her eyes, fully believe she was insane,
but this, when preached, was secuted
by the Judge, as she had successfully
carried on her household and family
duties. Her two children were sold
into slavery, the natives having the
idea that the offspring of Kuyon SOON
er or later attain the same instinct The
husband and family were unanimous in
desiring the removal OF the children 20
such distance that they would be I'M
able 70 return TO the town. and IL
was only by continued intercessions that
they were not executed along with tbs
mother.
Each Kuyon plans individually his
schemes andcareer, and in an experience
of over twenty years here in Africa |
have known only two cases. both a
which were in GabOon, where two or
more persons engaged in concert 10 per
form their ferocious and nefarious nur-
ders, and under no circumstances should
IL be considered an association Of mem
bers Of a secret society.
May not grinding sense Of wrong
received without means Of paying ths
aggressor drive some Of these people
70 the verge Of madness, or may IL not
be the result of hereditary homicidal
mania?
-Torn-'1 went a fishing yesterday
and I caught the biggest fsh Of the
season. Don't yon believe it, Jack
Il don't intend toT-Yan]cee Blade
- Trick of the Trade. Dealer 10 /
his son Joseph, Just ride this horse |
around for the gentlemen Jo@epb- |
How must / ride, for buying OF sell /.
ing2"
Some men always prefer hard work \
70 light job. They would rather hold 4
a hundred ard fifty poaud girl than a