THE MITCHELL CAPITAL — FEBRUARY 4, 1909
Hair Raising Shrieks Bring Crowd to Old Mill—Motorman Describes “Thing.”
Paterson. N.J., Feb. 1.—“We have found the devil-bat,” was the message flashed over the wire to Police headquarters early yesterday morning by Sergeant Milner, who was doing duty in West Paterson.
Captain Taylor, directing that every effort be made in capture the devil-bat, hurried the reserves to West Paterson. They found Sergeant Murner, Patrolman Carroll and a dozen sober but excited citizens preparing for a hunt through Sullivan”s woods, in the rear of the Riverlawn sanitarium.
Hair-raising shrieks fell on their ears. The hunters dashed toward the spot whence the shrieks came, but found only a large windmill, the ponderous wheels of which squeaked.
The police and citizens were convinced that the strange animal that disturbed South Jersey last week, and for the capture of which a reward of $500 has been offered was eluding them. An hour later Patsy McCue, a motorman on the Singac trolley line, reported to the police that he had seen “the thing” on the Singac road. He said it was the size of a sheep and had large, spreading wings and a head that resembled that of a mule. He said it kept pace with his car for a mile, at times running and again flying.
From—Evening Public Ledger. (Philadelphia [Pa.]), 08 Jan. 1919. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
