Tipton, Ind., August 26. – His faithful dog was all that prevented Frank Tomlinson, 11-year-old son of Harmon Tomlinson, residing southeast of Tipton on the Rolla L. Hobbs farm, from being torn to pieces by a strange wild animal which attacked the lad when he was driving the cows from pasture to the house for milking Monday evening [August 25].

The boy is suffering from a broken collar bone and numerous bites and scratches as the result of the attack and his clothes were nearly torn from him in the encounter.

The strange animal was described by the boy as having the appearance of a darkish yellow dog, similar to an Airedale, with hair standing up all over it and ferocious in appearance. It is believed to be the strange animal seen by several persons in Madison township last season and seen by C. C. Boyd, Tipton barber, who was driving after night and saw the animal slink across the road.

Beast Makes Attack.

Young Tomlinson, whose mother is dead, resides with his father and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Harmon Tomlinson. He had been sent to the pasture for the cows and had taken a strong stick and his dog along. While passing through the woods he met the strange beast which rushed at him, knocked him down and tore at him with teeth and claws. It was then the dog attacked the beast, grabbing it by the leg and keeping up the attack until the animal turned and fled. It jumped over a five foot woven wire fence on top of which were three strands of barbed wire. The beast cleared the fence easily and disappeared.

This strange animal[,] which has been seen by several persons, is said to resemble a wolf and yet is unlike a wolf. Some believe there is more than one such animal abroad and wolf hunts have been started to capture the animal or animals. It is thought by some that the beast may be a dog reverted to a wild state.

While extremely painful, it is not believed the boy’s injuries will prove serious.“Tipton County Farm Boy Is Attacked by Strange Animal; Saved by Dog,” Kokomo [Indiana] Tribune, Kokomo, Indiana, August 27, 1930.

Thanks for this historical item from

Jerome Clark.