The West Virginia News (Ronceverte, W. Va.), July 21st 1923

The Tyler County Ape.

The Tyler county ape story, buried two years ago, has been revived. The mysterious brute which stalked thru dark places in the wilder sections of West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania, is still stalking, two citizens of Tyler county say.

The yarn comes from the heart of the county, in the region of Muddy Creek. Two men, C. C. Clarke and John Ferrell, of the Manufacturers’ Light and Heart company, say they saw the sight which made their hair and stand on end and declare the story is the “gospel truth.”

Clarke and Ferrell told how they were rigging up a baleing machine at a well close to the thicket. Suddenly their attention was attracted to the edge of a precipice by fenzied screams. The men looked. They saw a mother ape with six little ones clinging to her side, while in her mouth was another, dangling over the edge of the cliff.

Dropping their tools, the men ran. They ran until they reached their foreman, M. G. Sherwood. With James Henderson as their leader, a posse was organized and started in search of the ape family. No trace of them could be found, but it is said that footsteps were in evidence on top of the cliff. Latest reports from the posse is that the animals are still eluding captures.

Disclaimer: This 1923 newspaper article was published prior to 1931. Under United States copyright law (specifically the 95-year rule), this work has entered the public domain and is thus free to use or republish. It is presented here as an interesting and folkloric newspaper oddity.

Note: This newspaper article was followed by a similar South Bend News Times article from August 5th 1923 entitled “Posse Hunt Ape; Footprints Clue”

Source(s): https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn85059663/1923-07-21/ed-1/?sp=1

Categories: Newspapers, Out of Place Animal, West Virginia (WV)