The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-03-14

Reports of White Wolf That Survived
the Great Massacre of the Beasts.

the Great Massacre OF the DF"s'7'
A special from Pequaket. y. H., to the
New York sun says: There are SUN
amorg the White mountains reports Of
a mysterious and probably mythical white
wolf.
Many claim 10 have heard his lonely
howl I'm calm winter evenings, and some
say they have seen him; one lumberman
on ChOcorua mountain has had shot
M him.
lie says that he hit him and that the
bullet went clean through him and sunk
into a gum spruce on tho other side lie
saw the FUR fly; but the wolf trottod
away as if nothing had happened 10
him.
The wolf bears a charmed life 10 al
practical purposes, as If he were the
Wandering jew of his race. His white
ness is believed by some to be due 20 his
great age. and this I'm turn 10 the fact
that no one has set out on purpose TO Kill
him.
Others consider that powder and ball
would be wasted i'm the attempt. The
latter theory may well be true, and it is
probable that his death would not put
an end to the tales that are told of him
among the dwellers along the Sandwich
range Of the White mountains.
there are individual rclatcrs of them.
The most striking are by those who
think they have suffered from his depre-
dations among their poultry and sheep,
or to whom strange ana painful events
have happened soon after hearing his
bowls AT midnight when the moon was
full.
His presence IS associatel with sick
ness and death. especially II he IS heard
from the same place on three successive
nights lie is ominous also OF great wind
storms and the foroteller Ct all unusual
occurrences.
1t may be that he is a survivor OF the
great wolf hunt when took place IN New
Hampshire in 1880. when Il WIS supposed
that every wolf had been exterminated
along the whole Sandwich range. which
extends from the Conway MOlts on the
north Of Lake Winnepiseogee on the
south. 'tHS
AT any rate few wolves have been seen
or heard since in this region, except the
traditional white che.
At tho date when this famous hunt took
place the wolves had become 80 numerous
and bold that the farmers were unable
10 keep sheep without peril Trey had
10 dogs that could stand up against the
beasts, and their muskets. though always
loaded, were never at hand IT the right
moment.
1t was rarely they got a shot at one.
and IL they did the mischief had already
been done-the lamb or sheep slaughter
cd. 10 must be remembered that at this
period sheep husbandry was the most i'm
portant Industry OF the New Hampshire
farmer. his main dependence for clothing
his family, and the source also OF the
chief products which he had to barter
or sell for cash.
After having suffered for more than
ten years from the wolves, that seemed
TO lie on the increase all the time, the
farmers Of Sandwich took took the lead
in q plan for q general rounding up OF
the pack.
This event is known in the local annals
as the siege Of wolves.
IL had been noticed that the wolves as
sembicd IN packs at least once a year,
and usually late I'm the fall. \ watch
was set at q number OF points in Sand
wich and Tamworth, along the foothills
OF the mountains. and on the evening OF
November H. 1880, the alarm was given
that the wolves were gathering in the
woods at Marston Hill.
As described by the Waterman on duty
there was a whole army OF them, ''as
many as there were trees on inc NIL
and their cries, which could be heard FOR
miles. were answered from the mountains
bv others fastening 10 the rendezvous.
Men were dispatched TO all the surround
ing towns to summon everybody that had
q gun.
At that period every town had its COM
pany of militlamen, and their officers
ordered them all olt BY noon OF No
yember 18th, six hundred men were bvou-
ackedaround Marston Hill In military or
der. under command OF Gen. Quimby,
celebrated militia officer.
The plan of attack was arranged and
carried out with warlike precision. a
Gordon OF men was stretched around the
Hill as near the woods as possible. Three
hundred OF the best marksmen were sent
into the woods under instructions not
TO fire until they had driven the wolves
10 the top OF the hill, where there was
an acre or two OF clear space.
Then they were TO open fire, each taking
good aim at some particular wolf. and to
load and fire again as quickly as posi-
bic. At the sound OF the guns on the
hill the men at the foot OF II were to
cock their muskets and watch for any
fugitive from the pack.
Al the first fire there was great slaueh-
ter, and then the wolves scattered and