Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-12
FIGHT WITH FERoc1ous WOLF.
An Illinois Hunter Kills the Animal
After n StruEg1e.

An Illinois Hunter Kills the Animal
After a Struggle.
From the ST. Louis Globe-Democrat.
For several weeks WOLF scare has been
in full force in the neighborhood Of Red
Bud, ILL., 1t eliminated Wednesday after
noon in a desperate fight between hunter
and wolf. and the killing of the wolf
There are believed to be three or four more
of them. however. The wolves were first
seen in the vicinity of Waterloo. There were
five fuH-grown mountain wolves in the pack
then. They were seen by many farmers,
but they were so fleet of foot that nobody
could get near enough to take a shot at
them. They ranged through the woods and
at night came near the farm houses and
killed sheep and poultry. Their depreda
lions became SO great that the authorities
of Monroe county offered a reward of $40
for every wolf skin brought in. A farmer
near Waterloo lay in wait for the pack and
brought down one of them. The rest took
the hint and disappeared from those parts.
For several weeks they were not seen.
About two weeks ago they appeared in the
Okaw bottoms, near here. Only one was
seen at time around there, though. The
first one was seen by Magistrate Daniel
Fullmer, who lives northwest of New
Athens. He was driving home when one of
the animals ran across the road in front Of
him and made for the woods. He was sure
bounds. A wolf was also seen by Fred
Ahlheim, by Fred W. Duckworth, the sta
ton agent, who took a shot at it; Matt
Potter, who used to be Dlainsman, and
peared from around New Athens and then
they were seen in Monroe county. in the
vicinity of Saxtown, which Is a rural COM
munity, near Millstadt.
Wednesday afternoon Jacob Eckert, a
brother of John Eckert of Belleville was
hunting in the woods near Saxtown when
he saw an animal some distance away in
the underbruSh, which looked a a. distance
like a dog He heard the wolf stories and
crept around the side of a hill until he was
near enough to see that the animal was GER
tainiy not a dog, whatever else it might be-
Getting up as close as he could without be-
ing discovered by the animal. he arose
about fifty yards from it, took careful aim
and fired. The wolf leaped into the air and.
howied, showing that it had been wounded;
but instead of dying running away, it
bounded. with distended Jaws and glaring
eyes, in the direction of Eckert He did
not have time to reload his rifle He club
bed the weapon, and as the wolf came
within reach he swung 1t at the animals
head. The wolf was wary, though. 1t
crouched back out Of the sweep of the gun
and. before Eckert could raise 1t for an
other blow, the animal leaped upon him
and tried to sink his teeth in his throat
He still held his gun in both hands, and
was able to use 1t in warding- Off the fero-
cious attacks of the animal to the extent Of
keeping 1t from his throat. He wore heavy
clothing, through which the claws and
teeth of the wolf could scarcely penetrate
The struggle lasted several minutes Eek
eTts hands and face We're lacerated by the
claws of the animal. but escaped its teeth
He finally succeeded in throwing the ami
NAL OF OF him and. before 1t could spring
on him again. struck it blow on the head
with the butt of his gun. which stunned it,
Quickly slipping bullet in his rife he shot
the animal through the head and ended the
hight Mr.. Eckert took the hide of the ami
NAL to Waterloo and was given the prize of
SIo without question. Encouraged by Eek
ert's success the farmers Of the vicinity or
ganized wolf hunt. and are now securing
the woods for the other three wolves
which are believed to be in the woods.