August 25 – Residents of the Knobs section, near Union, [West Virginia] report the presence of a strange, bewhiskered animal having short forelegs and a long tail which curls at the end.

Garfield Seers, an employee of the George Irons farm, said he saw the animal emerge from a deep undergrowth and vanish into adjoining timber a short time ago. He described it as being considerably larger than an average-sized police dog [German shepherd]. Ernest Bowyer, Knobs resident, and E. E. McGinley, Narrow timber agent, also reported seeing “the beast,” giving a similar description.

No loss of stock, however, has been reported in that area.“Strange Animal at Knobs,” August 25, 1940, Charleston Gazette, Charleston, West Virginia.

Thanks for this historical item from

Jerome Clark.