Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-05-29
WTLLAPUS- w AMPUS THEORY
is SUGGESTED TO ACCOUNT
FOR MYSTERIOUS MARAUDER
Strange Reports Of Weird
Beast Lead to Recalling
Visit of Unknown Gyastu-
Gus at Charleston

Reports of a mysterious animal
preying on dogs, swine and calves
in the vicinity of Clearmont avenue,
near Emory university road, fitting
2hostlike through the darkness and
turning up at unexpected intervals,
have. been made by Miss Ethel NJ.
Lawrence, manager of the Lawrence
Floral company, and a sister of
Charles w. Lawrence, the president
Of the floral company on whose
farm the night creature first made
its appearance.
Terror has been spread through
the residents of the community,
Miss Lawrence says, and although
searching parties have lain III wait
for several nights to catch the
vampire animal at his work, he al
ways eludes pursuit and seems to
vanish.
Enormous footprints. unlike those
by any creature known in this vi
entity, have led searchers to believe
that it is an animal of tremendous
strength and agility and the man
ner in which it Stays has struck ter
rOr to many. The beast is said to
slash the threats of its victims and
drain the blood from their veins,
after the manner of a gigantic
weasel.
The footprints, however, are so
huge, according to Miss Lawrence,
that the weasel theory has been dis
carded and those who crouch in the
shadows awaiting a visitation of the
animal expect, when. the capture is
made, eventually to see a large crea-
ture quite unlike anything ever seen
in this section.
Reports of the ravages of this
new night terror have reached the
ears of citizens of Charleston, and
vicinity, and calls to their minds the
great "Willapus- wampus" of about
twelve years ago.
The Willapus-W ampus
Frank Carter, former mayor of
Charleston, and veteran member OF
the composing room force OF The
Journal, remembered Saturday with
graphic detail the raVages of the
willapus- wampus more than a dec
ade ago. Mr.. Carter says that from
information he has received he
would rot be surprised if the animal
now terrorizing the Emory univer
sity section is not of the same spe,
cies as the willapus.
There are many points of SINH
larity," MI. Carter said THE man
ner of Staying and the huge foot
prints indicate that the physica!
traits and characteristics of the two
animals are similar.
IT remember the entire country.
side was thrown in a fever by the
visitations of the wi1lapus-wampus,
although many took issue and said
the willapus was not the Willapus,
but the gyascutus, a far more
treacherous and vicious creature.
1.-THE willapus, or was it the gyas-
cutus, killed dogs, pigs and other
small animals without any show of
mercy, and although numerous
searching parties were organized, no
one ever saw it."
Tom Laird, another member of
the composing room force, was a
resident of Charleston at the time of
the Wlllapus Wampus, or gyascutus,
outrages. and said that on one occa-
sion the animal chased him for more
than a mile and he only eluded the
fiendish beast by throwing a piece
of stove wood at him. Mr.. Laird
says the piece of wood went straight
through the animal without ap
parently harming it, although the
chase was discontinued
Gyascutus Theory.
Mr. Carter is of the opinion that
this animal now throwing fear into
the Clearmont road community may
possess close kinship to the wllapus.
or gyascutus.
II was told at the time the beast
was terrorizing Clarkston." Mr..
Carter said, that members of this
genus required like a comet. There
have been no reports of a similar
animal for more than ten years, and
it may be true that it is just around
on it's second CYCLE
EXpOnents of the gyascutus theO-
ry, however, stOutly maintain that
this crafty and cunning beast would
not expose himself by coming back
on anything like a regular schedule.
They say he would be most irregu-
lar so as to puzzle those who might
be awaiting his return.
Whether willapus-wampus. gyas-
cutus, or just plain bad dog-as
some have conjectured-the resi-
dents of the Clearmont road com.
munity say they are genuinely
frightened, and will not diminish
their efforts to capture or Stay this
creature, especially wishing to sur
prise it at its bloody work.