The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-31
THE WILDCAT WANTED FISH.
Fight I'm which jennings Dog
Lost His Life.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York. Sun.
Bath. N Y, Jan. 12-William Barber
Of Mills was fishing through the ice for
pickerel on Rose Lake, near the Penn
sylvania border, on Sunday. He had
holes cut in a little cove near the south
ern shore of the lake. One of his tip-ups
mad signalled him that a pickerel had
hooked itself, and he was pulling up his
catch, with his back toward the shore,
when he heard noise behind him. Land
ing his fish on the ice he looked around,
and was by no means pleased to see a big
vWlldcat clinging to the side of tree, not
ssel Ieet away, and glaring at him with
furious and hungry look.
BARBER was afraid to run, and he had
~ weapon on with which to combat the
NIidcat in case it attacked him. This the
animal am seemed inclined to do, for it drop
PED from the tree and crouched in the
snow facing the fisherman, splitting at
nm spitefully and showing double
Low OF long, sharp teeth. 1t never occur
Leo 70 Barber that it might be the pickerel
ne mad caught, and not himself, that the
WHdcat was after, and so stood facing
ne 4eree beast, trembling with fear, and
wondering what he could do to save him
III. After awhile, more for the reason
t.Rnat he could no longer contain himself
nan Tor any plan he had formed Barber
, rlrIew his hands above his head, gave an
SItlednthIy yell, and sprang toward the
Suofe. The yell and BARRIERS sudden
movement must have frightened the Wild
~. LOT It rose so quickly from the snow
WIN two leaps reached the thick under
growth that borders the lake, nearly a
ntunuIed feet from the shore, and disap-
barber never stopped until he reached
1TEsu1lhgs clearing, a mile or more from
ne lake, where he related his adventure.
beniLllngs took his gun and dog and went
FSaISk with Barber, hoping to be able to
onOW the Wildcats trail. AS they were
49, - a. ing the edge of the thicket they heard
tbl ,uog giving voice in such a manner
lat leIt no doubt that it had come in
~ 4"IdcI with something that was inclin-
- ~ Hght. Jennings and Barber pushed
LII way through, and coming out on the
,aAe SHORE saw the dog and big wildcat in
Ueadly combat on the ice. Before Jen-
On "s4 could go to the spot the struggles
- ne ice had brought the combatants
bo51 me cage Of one of the holes Barber
d. LuI through the ice for fishing. The
,,it1L udu 1rm grip on the wildcats neck
IL ~ Its teeth but the wildcat was ripping
sb @pout the shoulders and breast with it's
in claws. 1t happened that in swing
tbs lhe wildcat around near the hole in
boIo nee the dog swung it square into the
M H. ana 1t was submerged to its neck in
W ICY water.
~ the dog had known enough to let go
cdt would undoubtedly have gone clear
ftLough the hole and under the ice and the
Via va would have been over. But the dog
steo5 smart enough for that and, in
Il ~ %, OF drowning it's fierce antagonists,
on C y ,t the cat up out Of the water and
fbsrIiiielce again. The wildcat returned its
tbr,rIlhs by throwing itself on its back.
ab5UasIing its hind feet against the dog S
its linen, and with one savage sweep of
doe ong, sharp claws downward, laid the
Win a knife.
va lli5 mad all taken place. while Jennings
a., Iqrrying forward to the aid Of his
cat ipgnies got there in time to see the Wild
imsi met the mortal wound upon the an
VIII Jennings put bullet through the
It ca head, and shot his dog to put
baclu Of misery. The wildcat had come
reoo1ttuo Ieast on Barber's fish after Ii had
gava' gifed from the scare the fisherman
lis LinI5 " was the biggest specimen Of
MA iil i.l kllled in that port Of Peunsylva-
acct in length. =