Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-10-17
MO MehMhipa.
GtrsBes HHmaniiks Creatures That I1y.
i1 the Ohio River.

NHm
fo the Ohio River.
ON the sand bar IN the Ohio river
lear Veyay, Ind reside two monde.
qaript creatures horrible IN appearance
aId habit Tbcy are amphfbi0us in ma.
tbfe and resemble IN appearance huge
lizards with human features. When
partly submerged In the yellow waters
Of the Ohio, they are strangely like hu.
nan beings OF what species Of animal
they are no Oue knows, for It Il inpoe.
fible = ret near enough 10 them 10 Judge
c,arcctly. The sand bar in question al
lJw tide is covered with huge logs and
ftuiDIs Of trees, known in the river yer.
uacular ~ fnagE. They have been de-
posted by the government snag boats
engaged IN keeping the channel clear,
when the water II high enough 10 GOV.
cr thcge gnagg, the creatures make their
homo among them. When the water re.
codeg, they disappear into some unknown
lair aud wait fOr rise
From indications they appear 10 he
carniymOua Among the miagg are 10 be
found wagon loads Of iDussel shells,
ls'i bones aud other debris Of animals
when the river goes down, these shells
and other articles disappear only to b.
GHcceeded by fresh lot. This is cyi-
dcnce TO thOge who have watched the
coming and going Of the strange things
that they live upon such food.
1t has been about four year, since
they were first noticed about Vcyay
The fisherman who saw the strange
heads prOtrudiDg from the stream had
never heard Of a mermaid, and his de.
scriptiOn was guch az TO cause the be.
lief In the minds Of the better educated
that after all, the old myth might be
true In sone degree.
Some days since, Captain J. VI. Ozler
Of COyingtOn, KY, who is in charge Of
a travelling art exhibition, came to this
place 20 make arrangements for az en-
tertainment He heard Of the strange
mcrmaids and paid their haunts sever.
al visits in the hope Of being able 10
get glimpse of them. In this he was
successful, going 20 far as 10 get pen
Gil sketch VI the male amphibian. Seat
ed on the bank, hG watched it swimming
within 20 feet Of the spot where he OBJ
served its movements.
From notes taken on the ground the
description as furnished by Mr. Ozier
states that the beast IL about feet in
length and should weigh about 100
pounds. Its general color Is yellowigh.
The body between the fore legs resembles
that Of human being Back VI the
hind legs IL fapcrs TO a point. This
point in no way resembles tail The
legs, four in number, resemble the arms
and legs Of the human. The fore legs
are shorter than the hind pair and are
used in the same manner ag arms. The
cXtremities resemble hands and are
webbed and furnished with sharp claws.
On the back aud One-third Of the way
around the body appears mass Of gtrag.
Cling, coarse hair. The skin below the
fore legs is thick and resembles elephant
hide. On the arms and about the face
and neck IL Is Of finer texture and
brighter yellow color than the rest Of
the body.
The head Of the nondescript beast Is
the most remarkable part VI It's makeup
IL is devoid Of hair and IL strangely like
that Of human being Its ears are
sharp pointed and stand up like those u
q dog. There is no intelligence in the
face, which in contour is like that Of an
idiot Mr.. OZier declares that II re-
sembles 10 "a great extent the freak
known as Zip on the Wbat.is,it which
was exhibited first by y, T. Barpum. IN
gWjmmiuQ it seems ~ move without an
effort aud does not cause much oommo'
ton IN the water Only its head aud 0
part Of the slightly arehed back aFs
shown while swimming, When fright
eped, instead Of diving like duck u
making a quick 6op the strange beast
sinks from view ike a stone, II " eD
oeediDgly timid ~ nature, fleeing At fhf
frst approach of human being Gin
oipnau Enquirer