The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1915-05-06
CHILDREN BITTEN By OTTER.
Little Fellows Battle With Infuriated
Animal, Which Owner Finally Kills.

Georgetown, May 3.-As a result
of a most unusual accident little
child of Mr.. William Palmer, of this
city, has been fearfully wounded and
two other little fellows less seriously
hurt. The children were bitten by a
pet otter, the property of Mr.. J. C.
Lowrimore. a neighbor. The child
most seriously hurt was bitten about
the face and neck and on the ankle.
Well-nigh an entire cheek is bitten
off, the nose badly cut and the scalp
badly lacerated.
Yesterday afternoon the little Pal
mer children went. to the home of
Mr.. Lowrimore and asked that Mr..
Lowrimore's little son take the otter,
which was a pet, down to "a nearby
pond and entertain them with his
antics in the water. This was done
and the little animal swan and play
ed in the water, chasing craWflsh.
Finally he was called from the water,
and as is his practice after bathing,
he ran to one of the little children
and rubbed himself against the
child's leg to dry himself. The child
became frightened and caught hold
of the animal, MASKING him to the
ground. This infuriated the otter
and he bit the little fellow. The
other children then attacked the ami
NAL and he fought most furiously.
He buried his sharp teeth in the
child's cheek. Another child caught
the otter's tail and, pulling strongly,
pulled away most of the cheek. In
the fight all of the children were
badly bitten except the Lowrimore
child, his little master. Strange to
say, the otter refused to attack this
little fellow, although he was fight
ing as vigorously as the other chill
dren.
Finally word was carried to- Mr..
Lowrimore, who hastened to the
scene /bf the battle, and seeing the
lacerated children, caught up his pet
and killed him.
This otter was known by nearly all
Georgetown people. A year ago Mr..
Lowrimore's son was fishing in
Whites Creek, near the city, and
caught three of these rare animals.
He was fishing with bob, and on
seeing the little otters in the water
caught them by thrusting the hooks
of the bob into their bodies. All OF
the animals died but one. This was
taken home and trained to do many
tricks. He developed remarkable in
telligence. He would follow his mas
ter to the Office of the Clyde Line,
where Mr.. Lowrimore is employed,
and spend the day about the Office
very much as would pet dog. He
was an object of much interest to
everybody. He was very affectionate
and his attachment to the little son, OF
MIR. Lowrimore, who attempted to
protect the Palmer children, was
striking. Some time ago this little
fellow was sick, and during his con-
finement to his bed the otter insisted
on staying in bed with him all the
time. Every morning it was the OF
ter's practice to go into the chiid's
room and get in his bed before the
child arose. A special mark of at
tachment was his refusal to fight this
little fellow while infuriated by the
attacks of the Palmer children.
The otter had grown to more than
four feet in length and was richly
furred. Mr.. Lowrimore attached
value of several hundred dollars to
his rare pet and was greatly grieyed
to be forced to kill him.