Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-11-04

part Of the regiment accepted it as a
fact that he had turned coward and
run away to escape danger.
Days and weeks passed, and despite
the defense Of his closest friends it be
came accepted that Gore had deserted
and the blacklist mark possible for an
officer was recorded against his name
4 short time after Gore disappeared
from Jaipur an immense tiger began
to terrOriZe the district around Dauta-
wara, to the westward. Descriptions of
the huge beast were sent broadcast by
the natives, and terrible stories Of it's
boldness and its fecocity were told 1t
appeared boldly in daylight, advancing
by strange leaps and bounds from the
jungles into the open fields and rush
ing toward the men at work scattered
them in terror in every direction.
Strangely the beast did not seem to
be man eater, for no record of it hav-
ing killed man was received. It's
coat was brilliantly marked, and its
movements were strange and uncouth
Natives who fell on their faces in ter
ror at its approach afterward swore by
their native gods that the beast stood
on it's hind legs and laughed like a.
man; also Kindo, who led many beat
ing parties in the great hunts, declared
that the tiger was terribly afraid Of
other tigers and that it's habits were
not the habits Of a tiger Many na-
tives believed that the spirit of some
man had entered into the tiger aud
that it feared bo.h man and beast.
The tales Of the man tiger reached
Jaipur, and the tale was told and
told again. Hunters went forth with
rifles to Stay the beast, but found no
trace. At last Major Michael Anstey,
with Alfred Lloyd of the civil comm.s.
sion, went for a rice out Of Sunkon
to investigate the case Of a native who
complained that the priest was assess
ing unjust tithes upon his crops. They
were riding along the Temple road
close to the Nugur river when suddenly
there appeared in the road in front of
them the form of an immense tiger.
crouching in strange attitude by the
roadside. The horses leaped madly
and became almost uncomfortable
The tiger had appeared in the road
within few yards Of the horses, and
as it started to rise Anstey, desperate
and believing all was lost, drew his
revolver and fired He had no hope
that the shots from an army revolver
would kill a tiger, but fired in sheer
desperation. He fired twice. Instead
Of leaping forward with growl Of
rage the tiger rose to it's full height,
standing on it's hind feet, and, with a
scream Of pain and sorrow, called out,
"Anstey-for Gods sake, Ansteyv' and
fell writing into the dust OF the Tenn
pie road.
For a minute Anstey and Lloyd sat
as if paralyzed upon their shivering
horses, pale with fright and terror.
Then, as if he saw a great light Anstey
leaped from his horse and ran to the
side Of the tiger. 1t was motionless in
the dust, and little stream of red was
flowing from it's side. Anstey hurried
~ drew his knife and began slashing
away at the skin. A native, almost
white with terror, ran up to help him.
Five minutes later the dusty, dirty
skin of tiger lay in the road, and on
the grass beside the roadway lay the
body of Lieutenant Francis Tying
Gore
Hypnotized or transformed or obey
ing some strange occult power of sug-
gestion, Gore actually had turned tiger.
Other hands had sewed the tiger skin
upon his frame deftly and cunningly.
No one knows what Gore suffered.
Perhaps he was crazed and but half
realized his horrible fate, but Anstey