Newspaper Clipping of the Day

Via Newspapers.com

Who doesn’t love a good Demon Cat story? The “Harrisburg Telegraph,” July 30, 1902:

Lancaster, July 30. Mrs. Augustus Stiffel, wife of an ironworker, says she is bewitched and lays the blame for her condition on a big black cat.

According to her story, the cat, which is as large as a good-sized dog, with eyes like balls of fire, visits her house nearly every night, and after it has gone a note in the handwriting of a woman is found, the writer starting she is jealous of Mrs. Stiffel and will have her husband at any cost.

Last Friday night Mrs. Stiffel threw a cushion at her visitor, and suddenly a ball of fire shot from the cat's hide and burned her in the arm. Mrs. Stiffel is prostrated over the affair and her friends say that unless the spell is removed it will kill her.

But wait, there’s more! From the August 28 “Leon Indicator.”

Lancaster (Penn.) Cor. Phila. Times.--According to the story of Mrs. Augustus Stiffel, her husband and her neighbors saw a witch in the form of a great, black cat with huge, shining eyes, who had "put a spell upon her."

Until short time ago Mrs. Stiffel was in good health. Now she lies in her bed wasted with illness. For this unfortunate condition the witch is blamed.

Two weeks ago, Mrs. Stiffel declares, an immense black cat made its appearance by her bedside, with a note in its paw. This note contained dire threats against her. Almost nightly, thereafter, the feline returned, each time bringing a note. Once, she says she threw a cushion at the animal, when a ball of fire struck her, badly burning her dress and the flesh of her arm. The burned garment and scarred flesh are shown in proof of her story. The cushion, she explains, was entirely consumed.

The woman's husband, who is employed at night, stayed from his work to watch for the cat and he, too, declares, he has seen it.

Efforts have been made to shoot the cat with ordinary bullets, but they have had no effect. Silver bullets will now be tried, as they are said to insure a witch's undoing.

Unfortunately, I was unable to find anything further about our little tale. Perhaps Mrs. Stiffel managed to rid herself of this pesky feline visitor.

But from what I know of cats, I doubt it.