The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-02-07
BOY IS ATTACKED
BY HUNGRY EAGLES
Ten-Year-Old Lad Compel
ed TO Fight for Life
With Birds.

IAPORTE, Pa. Feb. 7--Ten-year-Old
Ira Cottingham, Of Rinsdale, has the
rare distinction of having had 10 fight
with eagles FOR his life. and though he
defeated the great birds, he viii carry
the marks Of their taIons TO his grave
The eagles are believed 10 have been
driven TO attack the boy because Of the
absence OF food, owing 10 the long spell
Of frozen weather in which all their
natural food disappeared.
Young Cottingham was on his way
home from school on Thursday when
attacked BY the EurdcTOus birds. and
though he shouted Justify during the
twenty minutes that he was compelled
TO night for his lie. no one was near
enough 10 hear him
The boy reached home covered with
blood and suffering from a dozen OF
more wounds Had II not been for the
fact that he was finally able 70 find a
club with which 10 fight the boy would
doubtless have been killed
Since the heavy snowfall OF Christ
mas which has been succeeded by a
generally frozen up condition, small
farmers IN the neighborhood Of the
LOyalsOck have lost several sheep At
urst the loss was attributed 10 &c ia
mounts until lhe other day one Of the
farmers found where a portion Of a
Sleeps hide lay in the open. and 3
wealth Of I3Iucked feathers Of some big
bird, or birds, scattered about
Birds Quarrel Over Prey
II was easily then TO be seen that the
sheep were not the prey Of animals, but
of birds. and eagles at that, for the
feathers were those OF that variety
The eagles had evidently become en-
gagged IN {. u5arreI over their prey. and
the amount OF scattered feathers indi-
Gated a desperate struggle
The Cortngham boy has nearly two
miles to cover between his home and
the school house He was walking ia
the public road, Uhen his ears were
suddenly assailed by a rushing sound,
ana the LeLt instant ne was Knocked
20 the ground by the force of some
thing which struck him on the Shout
deTS, AT the same time hurting him as
though knife had been thrust into his
flesh
He found himself being attacked BY
two immense BIRDS ErsE by one and
then by the other. each one sailing at
him with IalOls extended and with
the swiftness Of a shot He tried 20
arise, but was only partially successful
as the onslaught OF -he eagles was ter
TIlc-
Club Used as Weapon
Near where he was being attacked
some men some LL.AE -tls-- Gay ElaQ
dropped q stick OF wood from a load,
and this the boy began crawling toward
on hands and knees. whiIe the birds
took turn about in -het attack, soar
ink 20 a height Of ten or twenty feet
ard then diving at the boy with all the
force Al their command
once possessed Of the stick the boy
had a weapon that proved quite ef-
feetfve, for when the birds found him
Z q O. d Dr.
their attack and made or, soon set
TING On an old LeuI0CII tree not far
away, where they rested and watched
their victorious defender scoor for home
The eaEleS made no attempt 10 at
/ tack the boys eyes. as large hawks.
driven 10 desperation. do sometimes. but
his shoulders were deeply scratched and
the birds r2lr1S had repeatedly sunk
into MS flesh, while several places on
his hands showed where the birds had
attacked him with their beaks as ne
tried 10 heat them Of An effort was
made to Ind the birds the next da--
nr-r they were not 10 he seen