One of the strangest incidents that has ever fallen under our reportorial observation, transpired at the Virginia hotel in this city last night. Mr. French, a member of the Thorne dramatic troupe, playing an engagement in this city, was the victim. He retired to rest at an early hour last night and soon fell in to a deep slumber. After the lapse of an hour or two he was aroused by a feeling of overpowering oppressiveness and suffocation, and was horrified to find that a huge cat was sitting on his breast and had its head inserted in his mouth sucking away his breath. He found himself in an almost exhausted condition; so much so that he was unable to shake off the vampire fiend attacking him. Struggle as he would, the cat only fastened its claws the deeper in his chest and went on at its horrible feast. His groans and cries of agony, however, fortunately brought some neighboring lodgers to his relief, and he was rescued from his frightful position. Even then they were compelled to turn him out of bed and roll him over and over on the floor before the cat could be made to release its hold and abandon its purpose. Mr. French's face and chest this morning bear frightful evidences of his terrible battle with the monster, and he will probably hereafter make special inquiry at his hotels as to the character of the cats belonging to the establishment.
