Case ID: BWC-1820-003 — INCIDENT REPORT / FIELD ACCOUNT
(Filed by Sheriff Elias M. Whitcomb)
Case ID: BWC-1820-003
Incident Date: September 27, 1820
Call Received (Time): 3:58 AM
Arrival (Time): 4:29 AM (31 minutes)
Location: Southern Agricultural Plot (Harley property; south edge of town boundary)
Incident Type: Livestock Death — Unexplained
Reporting Source: Property Owner — Edwin Harley
Responding Officer: Sheriff Elias M. Whitcomb
Reason for Call:
At 3:58 in the morning, I was roused from bed by urgent knocking and the report of dead cattle on the Harley property. The hour was poor and the manner sudden, and I took no joy in being called so early, yet it being my office and duty, I dressed at once and went out without delay. Edwin Harley stated two head of cattle were found “standing dead,” and that no wolf or dog had done it as far as he could see. He asked that I come right away.
Weather / Light:
Sky: Dark on arrival, with the first weak light beginning at the far edge of dawn.
Wind: A small wind, easy to miss unless you stood still.
Ground Condition: Dry and cool grass; ground firm underfoot.
Light: From dark to semi-lit while on scene; enough to see shapes and faces, not enough to trust color well.
Noted Sounds: Dead quiet besides our own steps and voices; no insect song to speak of, no owl call heard, nothing but Edwin and myself, and later the officers.
Scene Location (As Found):
The two cattle were located in the open pasture of the southern plot, near the side facing the tree line. They were set about ten (10) feet from each other, both facing the same direction, both facing toward the same line of woods.
No gate was found broken, and no fence line showed forced entry or damage that I could see at that hour. The ground near them was not torn up and did not show the kind of ruin expected from an animal attack.
Condition of the Animals (Observations):
Animal #1
Type / Markings: Adult cattle (farm stock; exact markings not taken down by lantern).
Position: Standing perfectly upright, stiff as a post, in a manner like a statue.
Visible Wounds: No tearing of hide, no bites like a wolf would leave.
Blood: The animal appeared drained of blood, yet no pooling was found beneath it, and no great stain was seen in the grass around it.
Neck Marks: Two small, clean holes on the neck, close-set and neat, not ragged.
Other Notes: Stiffness was such that it did not sag or lean, and did not look newly fallen at any point.
Animal #2
Type / Markings: Adult cattle (farm stock; exact markings not taken down by lantern).
Position: Standing upright, same as the first, stiff as if set in place.
Visible Wounds: None seen besides the neck marks. No chewing, no belly tearing.
Blood: Likewise bloodless to the eye, with no blood found where one would expect it.
Neck Marks: Two small, clean holes on the neck, matching the first animal.
Other Notes: The two animals’ posture and direction were so alike it looked arranged.
General note: The scene did not read like a predator kill. The clean holes at the neck, the stiffness, and the lack of blood were the chief oddities.
Ground Signs / Tracks:
I searched around both animals and toward the tree line.
Hoof prints (other livestock): Present in the pasture in the common way, but none fresh and wild around the bodies.
Human tracks: None plain enough to swear to by the dim light, though the ground was dry and not easy to take prints from.
Dog / wolf tracks: None found near the cattle.
Drag marks: None.
Fence condition near scene: Intact. Gate not forced.
Unusual marks: Tiny droplets of blood were observed leading away toward the forest, small and spaced, and then lost among the grass and shadow. No other sign followed with it.
Statements Taken (Reporting Source: Edwin Harley):
Owner’s statement (as near as can be set down):
“Talbott started up barking like he does sometimes, but he just would not stop. I got up to see what the devil was wrong with him.”
“When I got out there, Talbott was facing the tree line, barking hard. He’s a noisy dog but he’s friendly—whatever was in the woods had him mad as I ever seen him.”
“That’s when I saw the two cattle out there. They looked stiff, like they weren’t moving at all.”
“I went closer, and I knew they weren’t right. I didn’t touch them. I ran to your house.”
“They were fine the previous day. Just fine and dandy.”
“All the other livestock were pushed far off from the forest like they didn’t want none of it.”
“And I swear I saw a person—just a shape—move quick back into the trees when I came out.”
Questions asked / answers recorded:
When were the cattle last seen alive? “Yesterday, before night. No sign of sickness.”
Any strange sounds overnight? “No, just Talbott barking his head off.”
Any dogs loose / wolves seen lately? “Not near my place. Wolves don’t do this.”
Any persons on the property late hours? “No one invited. But I saw that shape go back in the woods.”
Other livestock behavior? “They all stayed away from the trees like something was there.”
Owner’s condition at time of statement: Tired and upset, speaking fast, watching the tree line more than he watched me.
Actions Taken by Responding Officer:
Upon seeing the condition of the cattle and the blood droplets leading toward the woods, I sent word and brought additional officers to the Harley property as soon as could be done at that hour. I set one group to search the forest edge and push inward carefully, keeping together and calling out, while I remained with another group at the pasture to secure the scene and prepare the cattle for removal.
We handled the two animals with care and with ropes, as their stiffness made them awkward and unnatural to move. We removed both cattle for further examination away from the pasture. On examination in better light, the two holes on each neck were confirmed, and they were so deep that they nearly went through to the other side. The marks were clean, not torn.
At Edwin Harley’s request, once the examination was done, the cattle were buried. Farmers are held in respect in Blackwood, and the Harley farm is no small concern, so after the burial I set two officers on guard duty at the property for the remainder of the night and the following hours, to watch the tree line and the pasture and to keep persons from wandering into it.
Items collected / retained: None retained at this time besides the written account. No clear object was left behind to take.
Initial Thoughts :
This matter does not match the common work of wolves, dogs, or known predators. The bloodless condition, the upright stiffness, and the paired neck holes suggest either:
Some mischief or ritual done by persons unknown,
A large animal not yet known to us in these parts,
Or some other cause not plain by ordinary reason.
(Any thoughts beyond the above were kept to myself and not put into public talk.)
I told Edwin Harley that I would return the next day in full light to look again, to see if the blood droplets could be followed farther and whether any new sign showed itself with the sun up. The following day, I kept my word but: there were NO additional signs of whatever had been there the previous night.
Case Status:
UNRESOLVED / ARCHIVED (no further proof obtained at time of filing)
Filed by: Sheriff Elias M. Whitcomb
Signature: Elias M. Whitcomb
Date Filed: September 30, 1820
Time Filed: Entered and set down on September 30, 1820
Witness to Filing: None
(End of report for Case ID: BWC-1820-003)