Mineral Point Tribune

June 21, 1883

“Ohio Monster.”

A Beast or Reptile Which Startles the Good people of Ohio.

Zanesville, O., dispatch. - William Winters, while clearing obnoxious shrubbery from his father’s farm near this place had his attention called to a monstrous looking beast or reptile, which started toward him with its mouth wide open until the jaws appeared to be twelve inches apart, displaying a red, forked, poisonous tongue and ominous-looking teeth two inches long.

The beast or serpent, or whatever it was, whistled and roared in a fearful manner, and came plunging on toward him with green glaring eye-balls protruding from a massive head at least twelve inches broad, and a mouth sufficiently large to swallow his whole body.

Winters became frightened and rushed for his gun, upon reaching which he turned and fired one barrel into the monster, which turned its half-serpentine-half-leaping movements for a few moments, then it ran up a large poplar and entered a hold, and Winters hurried home and notified not only his own family but a number of neighbors of the strange, alarming sight he had seen, and a posse of men, armed with axes and guns, repaired to the scene.

The animal had fled. Mr. Winters says that the beast or reptile he saw was eight to twelve feet long, with a body as large as a telegraph pole. It had legs about four inches long, a brown body that was hairless, and a head shaped like a shark. The neighborhood is considerably alarmed over this strange production of nature.

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-The Pine Barrens Institute

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