Thursday, July 4, 2024

Monroeville police investigated panther reports in June 1982

I was looking through some old newspapers the other day and ran across an unusual story that appeared on the front page of the July 1, 1982 edition of The Monroe Journal. The headline read, “Officers hunt panther in Pineville Road area,” and the article was written by Peggy Hoomes, who many of us now know as Peggy Jaye.

According to that story, Monroeville police and state conservation officers were investigating reports that a panther had been seen on Pineville Road, near the north end of the Highway 21 Bypass. Those familiar with Monroeville will know that Pineville Road runs from the downtown square, past the library, north towards Beatrice (which used to be called Pineville). The Highway 21 Bypass intersects Pineville Road about seven-tenths of a mile from the downtown square.

In the article, Monroeville Police Chief Charles Colbert said that W.H. Harris, who lived on Pineville Road, contacted the police on Mon., June 28, to report that he’d found the remains of several dogs over the previous few weeks in his yard. Harris had also found scratches and places where bark had been bitten off nearby trees.

Harris told The Journal on Wed., June 30, that he first thought the animal was a bear, so he and his neighbor, Scott Dees, had placed bait in a tree in hopes of catching the creature. They sat up late on the night of June 28, but they were unable to catch the animal.

On Tues., June 29, State Conservation Officers Bill Boone and Alan Andress arrived on the scene to investigate. They told Harris that the animal seemed to be a cougar or panther. Later that afternoon, several witnesses in the area reported seeing a panther, describing it as a large black cat, weighing 40 to 50 pounds.

Police were called out to investigate and as of the morning of June 30, the animal was still being hunted. Officers also continued to patrol the area, particularly at night, Colbert said. Colbert noted that there had been no reports of the panther bothering humans, but he advised persons in the area to be cautious.

Stories of this type from our neck of the woods are not unheard of. The oldest panther story that I’ve been able to find in old Monroe Journals was in the June 16, 1879 edition. Published under the headline, “Panther Story,” that article said that Mr. Jno. Randalson was hunting on Limestone Creek on June 13 when he suddenly encountered a “strange looking wild animal which he supposed to be a panther.”

Randalson and his dog gave chase and eventually treed the large cat. “When almost immediately under a large tree near his dog, he heard a terrible and startling noise above him, and looking in the direction from which it came, he saw the animal jumping from the tree to the ground in the opposite direction from him, and it disappeared into the swamp. This is supposed to be a panther, or wild animal of some other kind, which was seen and heard near Claiborne some time ago.”

While I have never personally seen or heard a panther, over the years I’ve talked with many people who have. State officials nowadays generally deny that there are any large cats in the state, but many trustworthy people say that they have seen them. In the end, I’d like to hear from anyone in the reading audience who has a “Panther Story” they would like to share.

Monday, July 1, 2024

The Monroe Journal's News Flashback for July 1, 2024

34 YEARS AGO
JULY 5, 1990

Alabama River Newsprint mill is cranking up: Alabama River Newsprint Co. is expected to start producing paper this week. Next week, The Monroe Journal will print a special edition on some of that first paper.
ARN’s 150 employees have been working 12-hour days almost seven days a week for the last four to six week, Charles “Russ” Sirmon, ARN’s employee-relations manager, said.

South Monroe all-stars: South Monroe’s Babe Ruth all-star team for 14- and 15-year-olds will begin play in the District 1 tournament Tuesday in Bay Minette. Members of the 1990 team are Wontwyn Montgomery, Shane Qualls, Jackie Ray Brown, Patrick Redditt, John Jay, Jason Sanders, Eric Williams, Gene Ryals, Tony Gibbs, Rusty Lilley, David Jones, Marcus Kemp, Bart McCrory, Brian Johnson, Adrian Bullard, Derrick Crayton, LaDerek Odom and coaches Paul Akins, George Gibbs and Mike Qualls.

Hollingsworth takes over: Sam B. Hollingsworth was sworn in as Monroe County’s Superintendent of Education at 10 a.m. Monday and immediately went to work with school board members.
Hollingsworth was principal of Monroe County High School until a year ago, when he was selected to replace Bobby Grissette on his retirement as superintendent June 30. Hollingsworth served as Grissette’s assistant during the past year.
About 40 people lined the commissioner’s room and hallway to watch as Probate Judge Otha Lee Biggs administered the oath of office in the Monroe County Courthouse Monday at a special meeting of the Board of Education.

59 YEARS AGO
JULY 1, 1965

Chipper Hare Tours Spain; Studies Spanish At Santander: Nicholas S. “Chipper” Hare Jr. will study at the Universidad Internacional Menendez Pelayo. Santander is the famous summer academic and cultural center on the Costa Verde. Mr. Hare is the son of N.S. Hare Sr., Monroeville and Mobile, and the grandson of Mrs. F.W. Hare.

William Finkley Goes To Germany: Army Specialist Four William C. Finkley Jr., whose wife, Ann, lives in Franklin, was assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division in Germany, June 19. Specialist Finkley, whose parents live in Monroeville, entered the Army in January 1964, received basic training at Fort Polk, La. and was last stationed at Fort Benning, Ga. Finkley attended Monroe County High School before entering the Army.

Frisco City Masons Name Officers: New officers of the Frisco City Masonic Lodge were elected at a meeting recently.
Names to serve for the coming year are: M.F. Carpenter, worshipful master; John Youngblood, senior warden; W. Brooks, junior warden; C.P. Wilkerson, treasurer; Elliott Hendrix, secretary; C. Barnes, senior deacon; Sam Brooks, junior deacon; Bill Cobb, tyler; G. Barnes, chaplain; W.C. Majors, senior steward; Buddy Matchett, junior steward; Charles Ikner, marshal; John Sigler and W.C. Majors, auditing committee; M. Carpenter and Clayton Barnes, refreshment committee.
The members also voted to change the meeting date to the third Saturday of each month.

84 YEARS AGO
JULY 4, 1940

V.J. Elmore Store To Open Here Soon: Preparations are being made this week for the opening of the V.J. Elmore 5-cent, 10-cent and $1 Store in Monroeville. Several carpenters are employed in the assembling of counters and cases and as soon as this work is completed, arrangement of the stock will begin. Mr. C.J. Boothe, formerly of Atmore, is manager of the Monroeville store.

While at work in the swamps northwest of Fountain Wednesday of last week, Mr. T.A. Rumbley killed a rattlesnake with 17 rattles and the usual button. Mr. Rumbley states that rattlers are numerous this year.

Miss Alice Lee of Birmingham is spending her vacation with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Lee.

New School Trustees Are Appointed: At the last meeting of the Monroe County Board of Education, the following trustees were appointed: Weatherford, J.M. Williams; Perdue Hill, A.A. Jernigan; Eliska, J.R. Cole; and Mexia, Carvin Snider and Gillaird Jaye.

Mrs. H.R. Orchard has returned from New York, where she spent three weeks with her daughter and seeing the sights of the World’s Fair.

Messrs. Bowan, Spears and Scarborough were painfully injured Saturday when a pick-up truck in which they were riding overturned near Limestone Bridge on the Peterman-Monroeville highway. The cause of the wreck is unknown.

109 YEARS AGO
JULY 1, 1915

Monroe County Masonic Conference: The Monroe County Masonic Conference will be held with Blacksher Lodge No. 593 on July 19, 1915 at 10 a.m. Let every lodge in the county be represented. The above date was fixed by Grand Master Miller. – W.S. Nash, Secretary.

Local physicians report numerous cases of typhoid fever in the vicinity of Monroeville. No cases have developed within the corporate limits but many of our citizens are taking the inoculation treatment as a preventive.

The new Methodist church at Burnt Corn will be formally dedicated on the second Sunday in July. Bishop McCoy will deliver the dedicatory sermon and officiate in the ceremonies. A cordial invitation is extended to every one to attend this service.

LOST – In the grove in front of Judge McCorvey’s residence, a gold ring set with two opals, surrounded by chipped diamonds. Finder will be suitably rewarded by leaving same at The Journal office.

JEDDO: The many friends of Mr. J.C. Kyle were indeed sorry to learn that while at a ball game here last Saturday afternoon, he had the misfortune to be hit on the side of the face by a pitched ball, resulting in a fractured jawbone. He was hurriedly conveyed to Uriah where Dr. G.H. Harper deftly bound up the fracture.

Prof. E.B. Kay of Tuscaloosa was a visitor to Monroeville this week. Prof. Kay is a well known civil engineer who has been connected with some of the largest water power enterprises in the state. While here, he took occasion to inspect some of the fine streams in the vicinity of Monroeville.

135 YEARS AGO
JULY 5, 1889

Mrs. M.C. McLean, Monroeville’s new postmistress, entered upon the discharge of her official duties last Monday, July 1. Her first week’s administration has proven her to be a model postmistress. Mr. Seymour retires with the best wishes of our people, whom he has served faithfully in that capacity for nearly seven years, for his success in whatever business he may in the future engage.

Caterpillars have made their appearance in some portions of the county. Messrs. McCreary & Co. at Turnbull sent us a genuine specimen last week with the timely suggestion that the judicious use of a little Paris Green by the farmers would not be amiss.

Miss Joe Tucker opened a school near town last Monday with several pupils in attendance.

Mr. Hiram Smith died at his home a few miles west of Monroeville last Saturday, June 29, after a protracted and painful illness. He was about 70 years old.

BEUNA VISTA: Mr. J.J. Finklea, our enterprising merchant, is building a new store house, which will add greatly to his already attractive business location.

BURNT CORN: Capt. W.B. Amos and his charming daughter, Miss Mollie, who are temporarily residing in our town, attended the commencement exercises of the Buena Vista Academy and returned last Friday. They report a most enjoyable occasion.