The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-04-07
MAD MARCH FOXES.
a Revival OF the Strange Story From He'll
Hole swamp.

CHARLESTON, S. c., March 28.-The
mad fox excitement of several months
ago is still before the public mind.
Numerous articles were published from
time 10 time of the prevailing mania
among the foxes in the forests around
Pinopolis, Ten-mil, Hill and other neigh
boring regions of this great country
where they raise cabbages. The details
OF several attacks made by these MAD
pc sts were published at the time in The
News aud Courier.
1t will bc remembered that one old
negro was interviewed who came to town
with his clothiug torn, claiming that he
had been attacked by a pack of foxes
that attempted to swallow him. Sambo
said that they all appeared to be ''crazy
cen dc head" but that he had vallantly
dispersed the company with the help OF
an axe. The narrator also went on to
say that when he struck one of the ami
mails with his heavy axe il rebounded as
il by magic, and he was led to the belief
that there was something more than
craziness in the foxes. lie held that
| they were possessed by demons and
we're invulnerable.
Another old African was found who
sail he was riding his mule along the
road, when suddenly he was set upon by
several foxes, who made him dismount,
and then they rode o9 on his mule, leav-
ing him TO foot IT," Other and fire.
quent tales savorlng of Munc nchauscn
character were current at the time, and
the matter attracted widespread atten-
ton among the white people, as later
news came IN otrabid foxes having really
been seen i'll various places. Dogs and
cattle were found to have been bitten,
and in more than one instance the
owner killed the animal afterwards, tear
ing hydropoba.
Quite number of gentlemen of un-
doubted veracty were seen vino said
that there was no doubt of the cxis tence
OF mania Of some sort among the foxes.
When tho excitement had somewhat
subs;ded party Of gentlemen went on
a 'scOuring" expedition among the
swamps Of Ten mile Hill vicinity, but
were not rewarded by coming in contact
| ''N'.- Wy AAAohS hoaihSo ASSLldluos
An expert gave 1t as his opinion that
the madness was caused by the long and
continued droughts. Statistics were
looked up and it was found that IN other
places the foxes usually died within two
weeks after becoming mad. Some time
after the first reported breaking out of
the mania no more mad foxes were
seen, and the theory advanced was that
they had all died.
Last week, however, the news O. a
horrible death from hydrophobia leaked
out. 1t appears that the boy was lhssttssnT
few days previously near Monck's
! Corner by mad fox. He was attended
by physician at that place, but the
wound did not seem to heal, and sylnp-
toms OF rabies made themselves man.
liest. The boy was accordingly brought
to Charleston and placed in the City
Hospital for treatment. However,
medical science was of no avail, and
soon it became apparent that the patient
was in the thrOcs of hydrophObia. He
fingered for little and died from the
effects of the bite, and there is apparent
ly no doubt of his death resulting from
hydrophobia.
This much Of the story of the boys
death reached The News and Courier
on Saturday and inquiry was made of the
| Hospital physicians, but 1t was thought
best to withhold the news.
A Reporter was yesterday instructed
to again ferret out the matter and the
result OF his inquiry was unsatisfactory.
The authorities were not willing to dis
close any of the facts in the case, not
wishing to be instrumental in creating
any further eXcitemnt.
The matter ls given publicity by The
News ard Courier as it is regarded as
an important news item. This is the
first death that has ever occurred in
| Charleston, as far as is known, from The
bite OF mad toX.-News and Courier.
| Great Fire In Mandalay.
CALCUTTA, March 3O.-Dispatches
from Mandalay, the capital of Burmah,
say that fire has been raging there since
| III o'clock last night. Three-fourths of
the city is now in ashes, and the fire has
not been checked. Among the build
| lnngS already gone arc the old palace.
the new government telegraph Office
and two converts. The whole business
portion of the city has been swept
| away.
The loss Of life has been between sew
enty-live and 100 already, so far as
known, and scores of persons have not
been accounted for. No search has been
made for bodies, as the people have been
| fleeing to the open country all day, try
ing to save their household goods and
escape the intense heat which envelops
+, the ruins. They are camping at a dis
tance froHSS the city, without food or
shelter, and calls for help for them have
been sent out by the authorities.
| The fire Is said to have been caused by
the GOALS from fire in natives hut in
the lower quarter of the city, There Is
no provision against fire in the city, and
me people did not wait to fight it, but
lied, panic-stricken, before 1t. The
roads to Amarapura are crowded with
fugitiyes, who will seek help in that ctiy
The suffering Will be intense, as the rest
of the city will be destroyed before
morning and about $4,000 families will
| be homeless.
| Chief Secretary Symms haa annao,od