Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-02-08
Big PANTHER HUNT
MeCklenburg County Officers Are
After Strange Varmint.
The ANIMAL Is STILL AT LARGE
Charlotte Policemen Have Joined in
the chase-Many Stories and Des..
:. eriptions' of Wild Beast. =. :;r:..m :.

a.
= Hunters are securing ;every wooded
section south and east Of Myers Park
Tuesday, in search for the "Provi-
dence Panther" believed to have been
the animal; 7at which, Vance Fite shot
three times near the Lawyers road
carly in the day, relates the Charlotte
News, IT. asoimpossible early, in the
afternoon 60 estimate the number OF
sportsmen engaged in the roundup OF
the "varmint," which has been creating
wide interest throughout the county for
several weeks:
The bulk of the hunters were making
drive up Bear creek about noon. fol-
lowing in the direction the animal went
after Mr.. Fite shot at it. Many hunt
ers gathered in Providence township
early in the day in accordance with
pre-arranged plans, but when it was
learned that the animal had been seen
on the Lawyers road, the drive was
started north, with the intention OF
crossing McAlpine's creek and forming
a conjunction with other hunters some
where along Briar creek.
Reports early in the afternoon indl-
Gated that the animal had not been To-
Gated. With number of dogs on hand
it was believed possible that the trail
would be struck before night. In case
a warm trail is hit, hunters were pre-
pared to round up the animal.
Mr. Fite, who lives in the country, but
who runs "a store on East Seventh
street in Charlotte, is the man who shot
at the animal. Whether it was the
same beast that has been reported in
Providence township for some time, but
was reported near Briar creek in Char
lotte township the latter part Of last
week, is not known.
Mr. Fite had only pistol in his pock-
ct as: he came to the city about 7
o'clock AS he crossed the bridge to as
cend the elevation this side of the
creek, he saw strange animal coming
down across the field from the direc-
ton Of the residence Of DR.. and Mrs. j..
NJ. DeArman. who lives on the crest of
the hill, north Of the Lawyers road. The
animal was going in long, graceful
leaps over the field and not going at
canter, like dog. Not knowing what
it was Mr.. Fite stopped and looked at
t. IL,
pulled his pistol and fired three times.
The animal veered little at the sound
of the pistol, but continued its long,
graceful leaps and at that gait crossed
over the Lawyers road in the thickets
OF Briar creek.
Mr.. Fite telephoned the police de-
partmenr. The report that the animal
had been seen on the Lawyersfro
spread about the city in short order
and after an hour or two many people
in automobiles were on their way to
the place the creature had been report
ed. Mr. Fite said the animal looked to
him like wolf.
Half dozen policemen, including
Chief w. B. Orr, went out. Many hunt
ers who had come to the city: en- route
to make the start with the big crowd
that had arranged to meet in Provi-
dence at 0 o'clock changed their plans
and Joined those going out the Law
yers road. They expected to go to
Providence later. if no trace Of the
beast could be discovered at the Law
yers road site.
1t was expected that because Of the
report of the animal being shot at not
far from the city and the fact that
there was a crowd supposed to be al
ready assembled in Providence there
would be several parties Of hunters out
in the county looking for the animal.
There was some speculation as to
whether there might be two panthers
so many and authentic have been the
reports during the last few days as &c
the strange animal.
In addition to the reports Saturday
and Sunday of the animals having
been seen on Briar creek and having
killed two shoats at the John M. Walk