The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-06-04
H]T PURSUIT OF
JERSEY ROMBAT
Word Devil Bird Crossed State
Line and Terrified Spring
Valley, New York
crave F0SSE HUNTS MONSTER
9oecrbed as Having An Immense
EcaI, and a Small but Muscular
Ecuipfed with Web-like Skin.

Ecuipfed with Web-like Skin.
Spring Valley, \. Y.-An armed
posses Of fearless men searched hill
and dale and invaded swamp lands
scarlessly in and around this village,
N hot pursuit Of the weird Jersey
"Bombat," which has made its lair
&c&rby. The alleged capture of the
devil bird" at Atlantic City is not
credited here 1t wasn't the real
devil bird" that fought Fisherman
Dougherty, for the monster is in "the
1.'dst" here.
The creature appeared in the heart
OF the swamp near the business sec
den OF Main street. Its uncanny cries
ut first startled the villagers, and
when an exploring party, armed with
lanterns, entered the swamp the
cleaning eyes o. the creature and its
wild gyrations threw terror into the
hearts of the bravest, and the scout
ing party, led by Charlie Fisher, who
Ike Nps the bowling alleys, filed bacG
to the security Of the village streets.
Throughout the night the cries OF
the whatever-it-is were heard comm ;
from various directions, but always
from the neighborhood of the swacNp,
Chief of Police Tommy" Wall er,
who is the entire uniformed force,
was appealed to, but guessed as how
his business did not consist of run
ming down Bombats or Jersey Devils,
and he reckoned he'd better remain
on Main street and do his usual bit.
On their way to school next day
children focked together passing the
! haunt of the Bombat. Women eE
pressed equal fear and men yentuTed
forth fearful of encountering the crea.
ture.
It was described as having an in
mense head atop of q small but ms
cllar body, covered with hair. It's
ar"Is appeared to be equipped with q
Woh-iike skin which answered the p"l-
| rose of wings, giving the creatuTy
| ability to leap immense distances
W. le the wings tapped lifting lis
| boCy clear Off the earth.
It night when the awful shrickin2
and at times moulnful cries OF tGo
Bombat carried into every home ol
the village, the negroes living on
! Chicken Hill ran terrified into the vi.
! laGe and many fiocked into the Me.ho
dist church and prayed hysterically.
sarah Allston, wife of Omega NJ!
] 4, -
! ical than the rest. She fled from TIC
/ ck"rch down Main street and fc'
| dead in front OF the post office. :!
| Smith declared she had died fro.
| heart disease, but the villagers eS
claimed that the evil hand of tal
Rcmbat had been raised aga i
/ Sarah, and that any one so indica c..
! by the monster would meet the sact
! fGtp.
N hour later the fright of the W.
| laGers was intensified when word W&'
| brought in that the body of dec6
nrn was found on the railroad traces,
TIE body has not yet been identified
A. tier night OF vigil, during Win.
| The Bombat continued to howl anC
shrek and moan, the men OF Spr!n:
Valley met in Fishers bowling alley
but not a ball rolled, not even h.S'
ball. Matters were too desperate.
Charley Fisher allowed, to permit G,..
sort OF festivity
II tell you what we'll do" spoke II
Tom Moore, throwing out his chest
"Well form hunting party, arm ouT
selves to the teeth, and every mar
pledging himself to stand togethe"
We'll sally into the swamp to-morroH
and hunt down that pesky critter."
There were several present who C
clared as how it might be well to cal
for outside assistance and not go O.
tempting the devil, but when j. c
Gibbs, Harold Sheldon, Ross Youmans
Roswald harrington, Walter Fo'eT
SAep Small and Dink Davis voluntee:
ed to start the hunt, first thing mex
morning the others fell into line.
During the remainder of the nigh
followed a scurrying throughout th'
village for firearms, and cutlasses, an
it came to pass that bright and earl,
the band entered the swamp to hun
the terrifying bombat to the death.
Spring Valley awaited with hushe'
anxiety the result of the formdiabl
dash Of the brave men of the villag
into the heart of the bombat's chosel
fastness. Their search was in vain.