The Monster of Swatara Creek

In October of 1910, a strange creature was spotted in Swatara Creek by numerous witnesses. Some of them attempted to kill the monster by shooting at it, but to no avail. The following story appeared in the Harrisburg Telegraph on October 15, 1910.

Bindnaugles Church, Pa. Oct. 15.-- Last night a party composed of fifteen men and boys, all of them armed, set out in quest of the strange animal that is alleged to have its lair in a cavern along the Swatara creek. The net results of the expedition is that one member of the party claims that he got a glimpse of the mysterious monster and fired a shot at it and missed. That is, he presumes that he failed to hit the beast, as he claims that it shook its head savagely and ran away. Another member of the party verifies this story and says the animal disappeared in Adam Bolt's meadow.

This morning another party, comprising twenty men, visited the vicinity of the cave. While several were watching the place a cry was heard and the watchers turned and saw the creature bathing in the Swatara a short distance south of where they were standing. Several shots were fired but all were without effect. Members of this party describe the creature as an animal weighing between 200 and 300 pounds, light in color and having a sandy head.

Mr. Maulfair, a reputable citizen, asserts that he has seen the mysterious visitor running about in Mr. Rasp's meadow, between the Swatara and the Quittapahilla. At one farm in the vicinity heads of twenty-three chickens were found. Some lay the slaughter to the beast and others say it would not take the bodies and leave the heads. Others claim that they have watched the cave on the Swatara and have seen nothing in the shape of an animal in that vicinity except chipmunks.