Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 January 1875 — The Benton County Beast. [ARTICLE]

The Benton County Beast.

Every reader of this paper has had his curiosity more or less aroused by the reports of a savage beast or beasts, roaming over Benton and portions of Newton and Jasper counties. 'On New Year’s day a grand circle hunt was participated in by 1,000 or 1,500 Then in Benton county, but they did not flush the animal. The hunt had been so extensively advertised and was projected ujion such a grand scale, and so much had been said about the beast that the, InterOcean sent a special reporter to the field of operations. From his report we make the following extract, which may not prove altogether uninteresting to those who read The Union: It was seen by comparing notes from various quarters that there were several facts about the “lioness” that were of interest, and demonstrated that all the depredations in that section were prepetratod by the same animal. The victims were all seized upon in the same place, namely, on the hindquarter, with which parts the “lioness” gorged herself, and then freed the poor beast to die. Several calves and a colt were attacked inthis way, and were alive at the time they were discovered. Another fact was. that the lacerated flesh of the domestic animal, whatever it was, always bore distinct traces of the claws of the “lioness” which did not in any respect coincide with the claws of a wolf or any animal of that genus, but like a creature of the eat species. Recently a number of Lafayette Nimrods assembled, and started to the stamping ground, which is located between Parish and Sugar Groves, and something over half a dozen miles from the village of Fowler. Among these gentlemen was Superintendent Waldron, of the “Short Line” Road. Mr. Waldron, well armed and mounted, started to the quarry, anil, with several others, pursued the lioness for a distance of thirty-live miles. At last, however, fliev had to give up the chase, as their horses were unable to .proceed. A line one belonging to a member of the hunting party dropped dead from the effects of race. It was on this occasion that one of the “lioness’” most wonderful exhibitions of agility was manifested. After being driven out of its quarters, situated equi-distaut from the groves, it was followed closely and persistently round in a semi-circle, and then over into an adjoining county; to eseseape capture, it made a leap that uneaswed Ad i iTt y^frve - ii? et _ rir len tn h and over ten feet in height. Mr. Waldron and his friends were dashing after it with all speed’ possible. The nearest he was to it in this encounter was about ninety feet. They had kept as close on to it as spur and lash could urge them. A place was reached where there was a wide, deep ditch and a fence so high that a man in the saddle could scarcely look fx/er. The,, chase thickened as this barrier was approached. The hunters were measuring their game and enjoying the victory before the time. Mr. Waldron was at the heels of the “lioness,” and was almost upon her, when she bounded toward the fence, and, at the edge of the ditch, crouched, or squatted, like a dog, and then cleared ditch, fence, and all at one brave bound, and a moment later was lost to the view on the other side. There was quite a good deal of snow oa the ground at the time, and one of Mr, Waldron’s partv measured the space between the crouching place and where the footprints first appeared on the snow on the opposite side of the fence, and found it to be thirty-five feet. The fence was about ten feet-high, and was cleared vyitlytjpe utinpst ease. Itwas disco \ ei ed also that m addition to these facts others have pushed themselves to the surface. The moist weather had softened the soil, which was thus made impressionable and of right consistency to take and hold a foot-mark, The trail of the “lioness” was stuck in this mold, and it was seen to be deep, with a diameter cf about four and a half inches. The fresh imprint was as deeply imbedded in the earth as the hoof of a good-sized horse. Thus much for the avoirdupois of the four-footed ranger. The ravages, instead of diminishing in the least, give every indication of being like a novel-newspaper story—“continued in our next.” No later than last Saturday a farmer who lives over on the prairie and not far from this village had a hog killed by the “lioness,” and on the day following (Sunday) thisoperation was repeated. The “lioness” was sighted later by a man who resides here, and who is a credible witness. In fffet, the gentlemen who have seen this stranger are by no means like angels’ visits, but, on the contrary, are numerous, and are of such standing and respectability as to banish skepticism from all unbiased minds. Mr, Lee Templeton, of Fowler, Superintendent Waldron, and many others have come into too close quarters with it, and have been, and even are yet, at a loss to classify it. Many old hunters and sportsmen have carefully canvassed all the fragmentary facts concerning its habits, appearance, size, etc., but declare themselves unable to locate it in reference to class. All coincide as to its marvelous achievements, none dissent from the statement that it is about three feet high, and six or seven feet long; has a cat-like head, with eyes far apart and vicious; a tigershaped nose, wearing thick hair like a mang around the head and neck, with a body whose chief strength rests in the fore quarters; has a busby or tufted tail, and is covered with a yellowish coating of fur that very much resembles that of an ordinary lion. Its suggestively cringing incisors are usually displayed like an ivory phalanx to the too’adventurous I explorer, and the examination is gen- ! erally as potential and acts as a call ’ to the bedside of an expiring friend. The grand circle expedition of yesterday was as excellent in executionas In conception. Its outline had keen fully sketched, and all the mi-

| uuthe of such a campaign provided ’ against. The plan for the hunt was ; well understood by all who intended ito be participants. The concluding of the planning was an easy matter, when the knowledge of what was to de done and how best to do it was in i the possession of all. 4 The lion-haunted section, as will be ; seen, lies in the region of Sugar and Parish Groves', which are located west i and northwest from the town of Fowler. The latter is about, sixuniles I distant. Midway between them is a district about fourteen miles in breadth I ,that is north and south, and almost boundless east and west. It is for the I most part prairie, and is owned by l half a dozen men, who are its proprii etors by the 30,000 and 40,000 aergs. The country has not been opened up to the railroad very many years, and the townships are butsparsely settled. Cornfields stretch out before the eye by the thousand acres; cattle roam unfenced and free over these rolling blue-grass prairies, and the “lioness’, has a territory of a dozen or a score of miles that has but few travelers. This strip of land is only broken by an occasional heave in the breast of the prairie, with belts of heavy grass, and at the southern side a slough several thousand acres in extent.