The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-06-12
FIGHT WITH A COYOTE.

NJ. j. Mcmahon, a ranchman living
near River Bend on the Union Pacific
road, S miles east OF Denver. came into
town this morning for surgical treat
ment. and the, story he tells il weird
and startling In the extreme, says the
Denver Times. He lives with Two OF
his hired hands at his ranch. Yester-
day morning he was awakened about 3
o'clock by heavy blow against the
window near his bed. He lay still and
listened, and presently he again heard
a sound as of body being hurled
against the window. Three times this
was repeated. and at the fourth blow
the window gave way with a loud
sound OF spintering frame and falling
glass, and an animal sprang into the
room. II was too dark for Mr.. McMa-
hon TO see what kind o. beast had
come TO visit him. The room was very
dark. and he had not firearm in the
house. nor a weapon of any kind at
hand. So he lay quiet and waited. The
animal came up TO the bedside and. in
stead OF leaping upon him as he had
feared. IL stood quietly looking at him.
and finally laid its head on the bed and
gazed at him. Its action was so much
like that ofla collie which Mr.. McMa-
hon used to keeo that he rut out his
hand to touch 1t. He pu' his hand on
the. animals head and strok"d IL Gown
over the back, az he used to 10 TO his
dog. and he did this several times
without sound or motion on the
part Of his strange visitor
Then the weirdness. the strangencss,
the unnaturalness OF the uncanny
situation dawned upon him, and he
was seized with terror. He WAS certain
that he had either strange wild beast
from the plains or mad animal to
deal with. His two hired men were
asleep In the seco1d room from his. and
L. ~ .tsl. ~.
strange presence. His overwrought
nerves demanded action. and would no
longer remain still. SEEKING blanket
he ledped from the oed and protecting
,,is land with the blarkes. no grapplei
in the darkness with the tn.mal.
The challenge was accepted. and Il
pair of great fangs pierced the blanket
and sank into his right hand. With his
left McMahon got grip on the brute's
throat and wrenched his right free,
tearing two long gashes In the flesh.
Then. still holding the throat with his
left hand, he wound the blanket and
coverlets around the beasts head i'm an
endeavor to smother II. His frantic
grasp on the throat OF the animal was
so fierce that his thumb was sprained
and almost dislocated. vet that writh-
ing. leaping form threatened momen-
tarily to get free from his grip and
clutch his own throat He screamed
for his hired men to bring light that
he might see. at least what he was
lighting. They were so slow In coming
that he knew the battle would be over
before they arrived. so he threw his
antagonist on the floor and got outside
the door.
Then he told his hired men the situa-
ton. They lit lamps. armed themselves
with clubs. and peered cautiously In a.
the door. At first they could see moth
ing, but they finally made out the form
OF a very large coyote Tying on the bed.
He lay outstretched, with his paws on
the pillow and his head between them.
Just as the faithful collie used to lie.
The men wanted 20 kill him with their
clubs, but Mr. Mcmahon forbade II,
and told them tn drive him into va
cant room and hold him prisoner. Mr..
Mcmahon went TO the kitchen and be-
gan to bathe his wounds while the men
prepared the room for the coyote.
Before they were ready he leaped out
at the window by which ne had en-
tered. and walked around to the
kitchen. Standing on hts hind legs the
animal placed his front feet on the
window sill and for several minutes
stood gazing at Mr.. McMahon as he
cleansed his lacerated hand. Then he
got down and walked dejectedly away
over the plain and was lost to sight.