The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-05-18
THE MAN BEAST oF:DEEP CREEK.
A Mulhattonian Tale From Kentucky.
Harrodsburg Letter to louisville Courier
Journal)


Journal)
Over in Washington county, near the line
OF Mercer, reigns being whether man or
beast mystifies all the neighborhod. For
months the housewives have missed their
chickens, eggs, milk, meat from meat
houses and half-grown pigs and young
lambs. At first all efforts and schemes to
catch the guilty one proved of no avail
While Cap bands were organi zed, and sew
eral suspected negroes whipped or shot.
About ten days ago JAG Agee told what he
saw emerging from his spring house, and as
the story got circulated the children and
women We're scared nearly out of their wits.
Inc male portion of the neighborhood, how
ever, would put no credence in the story.
put on the quiet sall set watch for the
strange being, and Wednesday of last week
Joseph Ewalt arose one morning before dav
and went to the spring-house, a hundred
yards distant from his dwelling, His wife
and nearly-grown son becoming alarmed at
his continued absence, went in search ~
him, and found him at the door of tho
spr1ng-house in faint. They restored him
to consciousness and he told them he had
seen JAG Agee's man-beast land that he ran
out of the spring-house as he onened +ba
door; that he had great, long white hair
hanging down from his head and face that
was as coarse as horse's name. His legs.
were covered with hair, and the only article
OF clothing he wore was apiece of Sheep
skin over the lower portion of his bodv
reaching nearly to his knees. He said a
light came from his eyes and mouth similar
to fire.
When it became noised around that EwaIt
had seen Agee's man-beast, sober-headed
men began to think and set pin to catch
the monster, be it what it may. In the
ne1ghborhood near the mouth of Deem creek
Is cave of considerable proportions. and
the natural conclusion of nearly all was
that there would be the place to find their
game. In the meantime, they as a neighbor-
hood were to keep watch for sights of their
man-beast, and early Sunday morning
Eph Boston and his sons Tom and James
saw the object of their watch walking in a
half-gallop, half-run for their barn. Not
w1thstanding the men were armed, thew
were badly frightened, and after,sthey saw
the object enter the barn all three were
afraid to enter to try and capture the ter
rlble looking creature. They kept hid,
and were not seen by the monster, stand
ing in half-erect position, nearly six feet
and half. His feet were like the claws
of a bear or brute, with long claws, His
hands also were like those of a feline more
than human. The men had only to wait
few minutes. In fact, before they could
come to some action Or get over their fright
the creature came out of the barn in the
same half-gallop-run gait and made for the
creek. By this time the men started in safe
pursuit. Tom Boston foolishly shot at it
and the creature half turned and glanced
at them, increasing his gait, but never drop
ping the three large chickens he held in
his claws. The Bostons managed to keen
in sight OF the creature for only half-mile
or So they vowing he ran swifter than
horse. just as they got to the top of a hill
about 500 yards off they were rewarded
by seeing the brute-man turn with a wild
scared look, glance around and enter the
cave.
The men went to the mouth of the cave
but,would. notenter. They saw feathers, bone
etc.. scattered around the entrance. They
returned home reported what they had seen,
and Tuesday they, with half dozen other
men, went to the cave and made a partial
survey, proceeding in several hundred
yards. They saw fresh indications of habi-
alton by bones, feathers, pieces of calf and
sheep-skin being strewn around. ] he pas
sages grew smaller and dwindIed, and no
one of the party would enter alone, though
one, Joe Smith, went in thirty or forty feet,
when the most unearthly yell the men ever
heard greeted them. They were good,
stout men, but they cowed before that yell.
and heat hasty retreat to the main pas
sage of the cavern, but after consultation
they agreed it would not do to kill or be
killed, and they gave up their search for
another time. The men brought two blud-
geons from the cave with them that showed
considerable handling, and resembled an
Indian war club. Another party will make
survey of the cave in an effort to capture
the monster. In the meantime, women and
children are staying indoors in sthat neigh
borhood. The men built great heap of
brush and wood, and tried to smoke him
out but could not.