Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-08-20
ATTACKED ~ a caocon,LE.
Man and Horse Have Marrow Ese.a.
From . Ferocious SAurian.

An encounter with what he DECLARE.
was a nine-foot crocodile, which reads
like fiction, and yet ne declared TIM.
In every particular. was related here
to-day~by Nemours Cousin an extern
sive timberman and lumber dealer NJ
Bayou Lacombe. That Mr.. Cousin es-
capped serious injury Is considered
nothing short Of miraculous by those
vino are familiar with the savage dis
position Of the crocodile, which, unlike
the alligator, will show fight and is An
opponent not to be despised While
MIR. Cousin himself did not sustain any
personal injury, he is very uneasy az
to the outcome of the injuries sus-
tanned by the horse he was driving at
the time, and which is at present in
the hands of veterinarian undergoing
treatment for badly lacerated leg.
Mr. Cousin was driving along the
main road, returning from Vaudeville.
last Monday evening about o'clock
and as he neared the big branch which
crosses that road five miles from
Vaudeville he got out of his buggy
and took the checkrein off the horse
in order to let him drink. He himself
got down on his knees and was wash
ing his hands in the water when the
nervousness of the horse and commo-
ton in the water attracted his atten-
ton ard caused him to rise to his
feet. He had no sooner got to his feet
wnen the huge form of what he took
to be an alligator launched itself onto
the shore and made for him, but he
managed to retreat to safety, and the
saurian gave a loud snort and sank its
teeth into the hind leg of the horse
The horse reared and plunged in an
efforts to shake the crocodile off, but
it's efforts We're in vain, and the tim
herman, seeing the predicament his
horse was in, climbed into the vehicle
ana started his horse off. The enraged
saurian chung tenaciously to the ami
mails leg for a while, but the plung-
ing Of the horse finally compelled him
to release his hold and fall to the
ground
This did not have the effect of caus-
ing him to give up the fray by any
means, for the next move on his part
was to hurl himself at the buggy in
an effort to get at the occupant. He
was not successful in this, however,
thought he did manage to catch the
rear wheel with his strong jaws, and
as the wheel revolved it brought his
head up on a level with the seat of
the conveyance. During the short time
that the saurian maintained his posi-
ton Mr.. Cousin was in very rrecari-
Gus predicament, because he was I'M
armed and had no means of protecting
himself from the attack. Owing to his
great weight and the Juggling of the
horse the crocodile could not keep this
position very long, and after short
time. that seemed an age to Cousin
he let go and fell on the road. He
followed the buggy for a distance of
about so yards before he gave up. -.
When he reached Bayou Lacombe
MIR. Cousin related his thrilling expert
ence to several persons. and it was
decided to return to the branch the
following day and capture the saurian.
SO yesterday. Mr.. Cousin. accompanied
by G.. Ducre and one or two Others.
went to the scene heavily armed. Ii
did not take long to make the croco-
die put in it's appearance. and when
it did Cousin shot into its head behind
the ear. This had the effect of max
ing il beat a hasty retreat to its den,
under an old wooden bridge which
crosses the branch at this point. One
Of the party procured long pole, and
after prodding the alligator through
a hole in the bridge. forced it to come
out. The treatment made it ferocious
and caused it to make a rush at the
men standing near the waters edge
with rifles, but they gave it warm
reception. and after riddling its car
cass with lead was hauled out and
measured. and it was found that II
measured eight feet seven inches from
the tip of it's nose to the tip of the
tail. Tie carcass was taken to Bayou
Lacombe by the one who had killed
it, and every one who has viewed 1t
is of the opinion that it must have
been many years of age, urging by the
decayed condition of the teeth and
general appearance