THE COLUMBIA EVENING MISSOURIAN — AUGUST 12, 1922
BELLED BUZZARD IS BACK! ♢ Precursor of Disaster Is Seen in West Virginia
By United Press.
MARLINGTON, W. Va. (By Mail).—The far-famed “belled” buzzard is claimed by pioneer residents to be back in Pocahontas, Monroe and Mercer counties.
Superstitious residents fear a disaster is imminent, in which there will be a great loss of life. They point to past occasions when the buzzard made its appearance, which were followed by calamities.
For three months prior to the Cabin Creek strike, nine years ago, the buzzard circled the territory in a radius of 100 miles. Later it was reported to have been seen on the Mexican border when there was fighting between the U. S. troops and Villa’s forces.
The bird returned to West Virginia several years ago when there was loss of life by floods. For a year it was in Mingo County.
A Wolf Creek resident said he saw the bird a few days ago. He could plainly hear the bell.
Local history has it that the buzzard was captured by pioneer residents shortly after the war of 1812. The story goes that two men captured the bird, tied the bell to the buzzard's neck and allowed to escape.
No one has been able to approach the buzzard, and residents are afraid to shoot it.
From— The Columbia Evening Missourian. (Columbia, Mo.), 12 Aug. 1922. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
