MUIRHEAD`S MYSTERIES: A river monster which gobbled Chinamen

The following bizarre story appeared in the Omaha Herald  of Oct 8^th 1881

“ A RIVER MONSTER

The Creature in the Mokelumne River Which Gobbles Chinamen.

“Upon the highest celestial authority ,there is at the present time habiting the Mokelumne river; only a few miles from this place, a short distance above the Big Bar bridge, between Jackson and Mokelumne Hill, a water monster that has spread consternation and terror among our entire Chinese population. They assert that one day this week a number of them were on the river just below the old Boston mill site, when they saw what they supposed to be a large fish near the top of the water, and one of the party made  a leap into the river to capture the prize. But no sooner had he struck the water that the monster turned upon its would be captor and instantly drew him under, from whence he has not arisen at last accounts. The monster is said to have teeth like a dog,and to have powerful strength, as the man was as nothing in his grasp. The Chinamen who witnessed the tragic fate of their countryman concluded the thing was the devil, and fled for their lives. It is also claimed that another Chinaman lost his life in about the same manner near this place several years ago, and it is thought this is the same monster returned…”

Not so much the yellow peril then,but the yellow-fellow-eating-peril!

Another story from the Hartford Daily Courant of Jan 15^th 1870:

“ The Rock Island Argus has an astonishing fish story about a Mississippi river monster, eight feet long,with a head like a snake, a body about half way between a seal and a lizard,and possessing many other marvellous characteristics. It was captured near Gilbert-town by a couple of farmers ,but escaped from them.”