Wonders - Vol 7 No 1 - 2002

Magazine Overview

WONDERS, Vol. 7 No. 1, published in March 2002, is dedicated to investigating the legend of "The Vampire Beast of Bladenboro." This issue seeks the truth behind the mysterious creature that terrorized the town of Bladenboro, North Carolina, in the winter of 1953-1954.

The Vampire Beast of Bladenboro

The main article, "The Vampire Beast of Bladenboro" by Jay Hall, recounts the events that captivated North Carolina and the USA. The story began with reports of a "bleeder beast" that was killing dogs in Bladenboro. The initial incidents were not widely noted until after three dogs were found dead, their remains bloodless and crushed.

The first reported sighting occurred on December 29, 1953, in Clarkton, where a sleek, black, cat-like animal, about five feet long with a round face, was seen dragging a dog into the brush. Two more dogs were killed on New Year's Eve. On January 2nd, the creature returned, dragging away a dog carcass. Malcolm Frank described the beast as about four and a half feet long, bushy, and resembling a bear or panther.

Police Chief Roy Fores attempted to track the beast with coonhounds, but the dogs refused to track it, suggesting its nature was unknown. The creature was dubbed a "vampire" due to the bloodless condition of its victims. By January 5th, at least six dogs had died. Suspects included a wide range of animals: panther, bear, alligator, wildcat, bobcat, mountain lion, wolf, and wolverine.

On January 4th, Lloyd Clemmons reported seeing a dark, cat-faced animal, about three feet long with a 14-inch tail, walking stealthily. Tracks were found on roadsides and creek banks. D. G. Pait found two sets of tracks, one smaller than the other, leading to speculation of a mother and offspring or a pair.

A major event occurred on January 5th when Mrs. Charles E. Kinlaw reported a "cat-like" beast stalking her. This incident escalated the situation, leading to a posse of 500 men that night, growing to 1,000 the next. Three men from Wilmington, S. W. Garrett, J. M. Gore, and Charlie Cummings, were prominent in the searches. Garrett suggested the animal was a black panther weighing at least 90 pounds, based on its tracks.

D. G. Pait reported hearing the beast's cry on January 6th, described as "like the cry of an angry cat, except magnified to spine-tingling proportions." On January 7th, officials called off the hunt due to the overwhelming number of participants. A pack of Plotthounds refused to follow the trail into tall grass. By this point, six dogs had been killed, and a seventh had vanished. Another dog was found slain on January 7th.

Mayor W. G. Fussells of Bladenboro was involved in organizing the hunt. A plan for a stakeout was called off due to disorganized crowds and trigger-happy individuals. The general opinion leaned towards a "mad panther," though other animals were still considered. Residents described the animal's cries as sounding like a baby, a coyote, or a woman wailing.

State wildlife officials suggested that panthers, though rare, do occur in the remote swamps of the Cape Fear Valley, supporting the panther theory. The mayor also advertised a film titled "The Big Cat" at his local movie theater.

After a week of hunts, the mayor called off further efforts, believing the creature had retreated into the swamps. On January 8th, four fraternity brothers from UNC Chapel Hill hunted the beast, but with no results. Jay Hall titled his article "Vampire Beast Wins Battle of Bladenboro." The article notes that the hunters did not know what they were hunting for, as it was not an animal on any of the lists of suspects.

Chief Fores received a telegram from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals concerning the risk of using dogs as bait. An unsigned letter, purportedly from the beast, stated, "All I want is dog!"

The Wilmington News reported an unusual victim: a youngster's bicycle was damaged by buckshot when its owner, guarding his home, fired at a shadowy shape. The beast was apparently uncaught.

On January 12th, motorists reported seeing an animal on Highway 211, described as four feet long, two feet high, and "brownish or tabby color."

Speculation continued, with a man in Lumberton believing it was his escaped dog, "Big Boy." A veterinarian agreed. Animals found later, a bobcat and a "leopard cat" (later identified as a Mexican ocelot), were considered but not definitively linked.

"Zoologists" at the State Museum of Natural History in Raleigh offered the opinion that "the beasts themselves aren't," suggesting the reports were common but the creatures were not real. The article concludes by stating that while reports of strange beasts are common in North Carolina, the beasts themselves are not.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores the unexplained and mysterious, presenting accounts of alleged paranormal or cryptid phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of investigation and reporting, presenting various witness accounts, official statements, and speculative theories. While not overtly dismissive, the inclusion of the zoologists' opinion and the historical context suggests an underlying skepticism or a desire to ground the extraordinary in plausible explanations, even if those explanations are themselves unusual (like an escaped ocelot).

The recurring themes include eyewitness accounts, the challenges of tracking elusive creatures, the role of local media in sensationalizing events, and the public's fascination with the unknown. The magazine aims to present the narrative of the Bladenboro Beast event in detail, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions while providing context and potential rationalizations.

Title: WONDERS
Issue Date: March 2002
Issue Number: 11

This issue of WONDERS magazine delves into the realm of unexplained phenomena, folklore, and cryptids, with a significant focus on reports from North Carolina. The cover features a map of the state and an illustration of a large cat, hinting at the contents.

The Beast of Bladenboro and Other North Carolina Mysteries

The lead article examines the legend of the "Beast of Bladenboro," a creature that gained notoriety in North Carolina. Zoologist F. B. Meacham is quoted expressing skepticism, stating that such reports are often imaginative and rarely authentic enough for naturalists to investigate. The article notes that no authentic panther or mountain lion has been found in North Carolina for nearly 50 years, with the last sighting near Highlands in 1905. Earlier sightings of panthers were reported in Tennessee in 1923 and 1937, and in coastal North Carolina in the 1880s near Lake Ellis and Rose Bay. The specimen of a mountain lion displayed in a museum was confirmed to be from Montana. The article also mentions the disappearance of the gray wolf from North Carolina's mountains after the turn of the century.

Reports classified as "hoaxes" by museum officials include a black panther sighting in Dare County near Stumpy Point. Investigations into creatures called "waumpus cats" near Raleigh and Hickory identified them as otters. Zoologists offered no explanation for the "Beast of Bladenboro," but doubted that two suspects slain that week would have attacked dogs unless they had hydrophobia.

The "Beast of Bladenboro" reappeared in the news, with reports of more dogs being killed. However, a report in the Wilmington News about three dogs killed was later denied by the mayor and police chief of Bladenboro. A subsequent report on January 19th detailed farmer Berry Lewis finding one of his hogs dead, mauled and partially eaten. Tracks found at the scene were described as having inch-long claws, possibly belonging to a large cat. Despite these events, state wildlife officials in Raleigh maintained there was no evidence of panthers or wolves in coastal North Carolina, though Berry Lewis expressed his newfound belief in something being "on the loose."

The Beast of Bladenboro legend has been recalled a few times since 1954, with summaries appearing in the North Carolina Folklore Journal and Richard Walser's "North Carolina Legends." The article suggests that these episodes, along with reports of the Stumpy Point "black panther" and the "waumpus cat," have been neglected and exist mainly as museum gossip.

The Wilmington "Squeezer"

Another mysterious event recalled is the "Wilmington Squeezer." Reporter Jay Hall of the Wilmington Star-News described it as a "formless thing" that accosted people at night, using nebulous tentacles to squeeze victims until they were unconscious. Despite a list of victims, no one ever saw "The Squeezer," whose tactics are compared to Jack the Ripper and Frankenstein. This phenomenon is linked to reports like the Mad Gasser of Mattoon, Illinois, suggesting a possible issue of mass hysteria, though the article argues the Bladenboro events were not solely mass hysteria, as dogs were killed and a hog was eaten.

The Monster Hunt Tradition

The magazine then broadens its scope to discuss the tradition of "monster hunts" in the USA. The article mentions a hunt in the Okefenokee Swamp in 1829 for a "True Giant," where several hunters reportedly died. More recent hunts include "varmint hunts" in Indiana in the 1940s and notable forays in Michigan in 1964 and 1965. One such hunt at Sister Lakes, Michigan, in June 1964, involved a seven-foot-tall hairy creature and attracted an estimated 200 carloads of people, overwhelming law enforcement who were directing traffic instead of hunting. Another hunt in August of the following year near Monroe, Michigan, also involved a hairy, unidentified presence. Hunts for suspected cats have also been prominent, such as one in Allen County, Ohio, in 1977 for a "sheep-killing black cat."

Black Panthers and the Eastern Cougar Debate

The article discusses the persistent reports of "black panthers" and the contentious issue of the Eastern cougar's survival. It suggests that the presence of tawny mountain lions and all-black felines have been entangled by writers, with some attributing the black cats to a "black phase" of the cougar. However, the author posits that the survival of Panthera atrox, a Pleistocene cat, explains the distinctive tracks, behavior, and appearance of these black animals, a theory previously published by the author. Melanism, the condition causing black coloration, is rare in cougars, and historical records of black cougars are few and questionable if Panthera atrox survives. Charles R. Humphreys' collection of cougar accounts in "Panthers of the Coastal Plain" is mentioned, noting many "black panther" accounts within 40 miles of Wilmington, suggesting both tawny and black cats are doing well in eastern North Carolina.

The debate over the Eastern cougar's survival is described as having deteriorated, with people demanding physical evidence. Biologists like Harley Shaw are quoted criticizing adherents of Bruce Stanley Wright's work as a "cult" driven by "mysticism" and "yearnings for species lost." The article criticizes the use of terms like "cultists" to discredit arguments. Writer Chris Bolgiano is cited, noting that until the 1990s, wildlife officials routinely dismissed Eastern cougar sightings, often treating witnesses rudely. Finding cougars would mean extra work for wildlife agencies, and the Eastern cougar subspecies is listed as Threatened and Endangered.

Identifying the Beast

The article proposes Panthera atrox as a candidate for surviving large cats in North America, known from fossils from the Pleistocene era. Its survival into modern times is suggested as an explanation for "black panthers" (likely females) and their larger, maned mates. This cat was as large as a cougar, with males being even larger. The persistence of the Eastern cougar is a contentious issue, with its extinction in the East declared decades ago, though allowances were made for Louisiana and Florida. Bruce Stanley Wright (1912-1975) is mentioned for objecting to this view and presenting counter-views in his book "The Eastern Panther: A Question of Survival."

Conclusion and Editorial Stance

The issue concludes by discussing the political aspects of the debate, the demand for dead bodies as proof, and the tendency to dismiss evidence. It highlights that while many people have good motives for seeking monsters, others are simply looking for sport. The failure of dogs to track these elusive creatures is noted, as they are trained for specific animals. The article suggests that the animals being sought are present all the time but are usually unnoticed, with the advantage lying with creatures that know their natural world. The author implies a belief in the existence of these cryptids, particularly Panthera atrox, and criticizes the dismissive attitude of authorities and scientists who rely on conventional explanations or ignore evidence that challenges established norms. The article advocates for a more open-minded approach to investigating these phenomena.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the investigation of unexplained animal sightings, the nature of folklore and legend, and the skepticism versus belief surrounding cryptids. The editorial stance appears to be one of critical inquiry, acknowledging the possibility of undiscovered or surviving species (like Panthera atrox) while also scrutinizing the evidence and motivations behind reports and investigations. There is a clear critique of overly dismissive scientific and governmental attitudes towards such phenomena, suggesting that conventional explanations may not always suffice and that a more open-minded approach is warranted.

This issue of WONDERS magazine, dated March 2002, features a prominent article titled "LIVING DINOSAURS" by Mark A. Hall. The issue also includes extensive notes and references related to various mystery animal reports.

Living Dinosaurs

Mark A. Hall's article "LIVING DINOSAURS" challenges the notion that all dinosaurs are extinct. He posits that large reptiles from millions of years ago might still exist in remote habitats like swamps, lakes, and oceans, and even in temperate zones. Hall references historical accounts and researchers who have documented evidence of such creatures. He mentions Philip Henry Gosse and A. Cornelius Oudemans for their work on 'sea serpent' encounters, and Ivan T. Sanderson, Bernard Heuvelmans, and Roy Mackal for their investigations into dinosaur-like creatures, particularly in Africa.

The article highlights the Mokele-mbembe, an African mystery beast, and dinosaur-like tracks found in Mozambique. It also recalls the Chipekwe, another African mystery animal. Hall includes an article by Captain William Hichens, written under the pseudonym "Fulahn," from 1927, titled "On the Trail of the Brontosaurus." This piece details a big-game hunting expedition in Central Africa aiming to film gorillas and investigate reports of unknown species.

"Fulahn" describes the "irizima," a mysterious beast in Africa, which is said to resemble a gigantic hippopotamus with a rhinoceros horn, or a creature with a hippo's legs, elephant's trunk, lizard's head, and aardvark's tail. The "lau," possibly the same animal, is reported in the Nile valleys. Another creature described is a gigantic cobra-like beast with tentacles, measuring forty to a hundred feet in length, found in the Nile valleys. Reports from Lakes Bangweolo, Mweru, and Tanganyika mention a huge pachyderm similar to a hippopotamus with a horn, possibly another 'brontosaurus'.

The article touches upon the discovery of the okapi as an example of a large animal remaining undiscovered until the early 20th century, suggesting that other unknown creatures might still exist.

The Chimiset and Nandi Bear

The magazine discusses the "chimiset" or "Nandi bear," described as Africa's most notorious mystery monster. Captain A. Blayney Percival, an authority on big game, asserts his belief in its existence in the Nandi forests. The creature is described by Kitapmetit Kipet, a Nandi village headman, as a devil that preys on people, especially children, with a half-man, half-ape-faced bird appearance and a glowing red mouth. Kipet recounts an incident where the chimiset dragged a six-year-old girl from a hut. Despite extensive searches, the chimiset has never been found.

The Nunda and Other Mystery Animals

Another mystery animal discussed is the "nunda," a giant cat from East Africa's coast. Reports describe it as a gigantic brindled cat, as big as a donkey, which has been responsible for attacks on people. Despite efforts to trap and capture it, the nunda has never been found. The article briefly mentions other mystery animals, including the ngoloko (man-ape), mpisimbi (leopard-hyaena), yiya (tiny elephant), orang pandak (man-bear-ape), and migu (snowman-monkey).

Notes and References

The issue includes extensive notes and references, citing various books, articles, and newspaper reports from sources such as the Wilmington Star, Wilmington News, North Carolina Folklore Journal, and Wonders magazine itself. These references support the accounts of the mystery animals discussed throughout the text.

The Beast of Bladenboro

An initial section of the magazine discusses the "Beast of Bladenboro" in North Carolina, describing large cats that preyed on dogs and hogs. It notes that while such incidents are uncommon, they demonstrate the formidable abilities of these animals. The article also mentions the official stance that large native cats are not found in North Carolina outside the western mountains, with a wry comment about 'Panthera atrox' being officially extinct.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout this issue is the exploration of unexplained phenomena and the possibility of undiscovered or legendary creatures. The magazine presents various accounts of mystery animals from different parts of the world, particularly Africa and North America, drawing on folklore, eyewitness testimonies, and historical reports. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded inquiry into these phenomena, while acknowledging the skepticism and lack of definitive proof. The extensive list of references suggests a commitment to documenting and investigating these claims, even if they challenge conventional scientific understanding.

This issue of WONDERS magazine, dated March 2002 and identified as issue 31, delves into the intriguing possibility of surviving prehistoric creatures, particularly dinosaurs and lake monsters, in contemporary environments. The content draws from previous WONDERS volumes (2, 3, and 4) and references the author's book, "Natural Mysteries."

Surviving Dinosaurs and the Geological Record

The article begins by discussing the classification of fossils, using the example of Simopithecus, also known as the Giant Baboon. The author defends the continued use of this name, highlighting its uniqueness and presence outside of Africa, noting that its behavior is less fearful of human interaction in environments where it can evade eradication. The text then shifts to the resilience of dinosaurs, suggesting that those best suited to survive geological upheavals have likely hidden in dense swamp-lands, large bodies of water, and vast oceans. It posits that some of these survivors may have only met their end in the last century, emphasizing the tenacious nature of life and the possibility of long-persisting creatures.

An illustration depicts a Thescelosaurus, noted to be up to 11 feet long, with hypothetical erectile breathing tubes added to the reconstruction. An inset shows a drawing based on a witness's sketch of 'Sea Monster Johnny.'

Lake Monsters Across North America and Beyond

The author, who has been writing about strange water animals for years, notes that lakes and swamps, even in North America, continue to be habitats for such creatures. The Great Lakes, detailed previously in WONDERS Vol. 2 as "Lake Michigan Monsters," have been reported to contain giant snakes. Lake monsters were frequently reported across North America in the 1800s, with sightings often limited to parts of the creature emerging from the water due to their concealment in aquatic environments. Sightings are also reported in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Specific reports include sightings in the St. Johns River in Florida, where a creature known as 'Sea Monster Johnny' has been repeatedly observed, potentially being a Thescelosaurus. The article dismisses attempts to confuse these reports with others from different regions. On the East coast, large pink salamander-like creatures have been seen by individuals knowledgeable in natural history. In Ohio, 'Monster Lizards' were reportedly seen two hundred years ago, and a similar monster was reported in Kentucky in 1975.

The Social Stigma of Unconventional Sightings

The piece highlights that reporting sightings of living dinosaurs or other unusual creatures is an unpopular event. Even today, people who witness strange phenomena in lakes and swamps often feel they have nowhere to report their observations. The author states that it remains socially unacceptable to report such sightings, with individuals risking being branded as foolish or worse if they speak up. Despite this, seeing such phenomena is described as a rare and lucky event.

Future Topics and Conclusion

The author addresses a correspondent named Virginia, promising to discuss more lake monsters in North America, including those resembling duck-billed dinosaurs and soaring pterosaurs. The issue concludes by mentioning a location where surviving relatives of velociraptors might exist.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are cryptozoology, the persistence of prehistoric life, and the social challenges faced by witnesses of unexplained phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-mindedness towards the possibility of surviving ancient creatures, encouraging readers to consider such evidence despite societal skepticism. The magazine promotes the exploration of mysteries and the acceptance of unusual reports.