The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-04-05

The WILD MAN CAUGHT AT LAsT.-It has
been the custom with certain Arkansas editors,
when they run out of the usual supply of "tre.
mendous excitement" "horrid murders" 'tdes-
perate affrays," &c. &C., to trump up the
'wild man of the woods" and chase him round
from one editorial tripod to another, until he
finally becomes lost amid the vast and impen.
etrable swamps that abound in those wild re.
gions. Many were the strange and marvel
Ious stories told about the modern Nebuchad-
nezzar, and while reading and publishing them
from time to time, we little dreamed that we
had a veritable wild man in our own populous
county of Lauderdale, and within five miles Of
our quiet little village of Florence. Yet such
has been the fact, and it now becomes our
turn to tell strange and wondrous tale, veri-
flying the oft-repeated adage truth is stranger
than fiction"
Something over three years ago, young
man, apparently about rs or 80 years Of age,
stopped at Bainbridge, anoted landing, situa-
ted at the foot of the Muscle Shoals in this
county. He gave his name as Coins or Cor.
ings, from Knox CO., East Tennessee. He
came with crowd of at-boatmen who annu.
ally descend from the upper waters of the Ten
nessee, and tarry season at the foot of the
Shoals. Coins remained long after his migra-
tory companions had all gone there way His
conduct was observed to be sometimes excen.
trio though always quiet, taciturn, and ap-
preaching to melancholy.
After time he took up his abode in one of
those numerous caves which are found in the
high and PERCEPTIONS bluffs skirting along the
Northern shore Of the Tennessee river, from
Shoal Creek to Florence. The one selected
by this poor outcast was situated few hun.
dred yards from the ferry, and near the public
road. He was often seen sitting at the mouth
of his lonely cell, or reclining on some project
ed rock, basking in the genial rays of an Au-
tumnal sun. He Stunned all approach, and
many were the heartless jeers cast upon him
by the passersby. Soon, however, he disap.
peared, and all traces of him were lost Two
long years had passed away-years long to be
remembered as having witnessed one, at least,
of the most dreary protracted and intensely
severe winters that ever frosted the bottom Of
our earth.
One day last December, two men were
hunting over the broken river hills attached to
the plantation of Mr.. ]. Craig, and discovered
Coins in the hollow of large chesnut tree
They knew him and conversed with him, but
he obstinately resisted all persuasion to 60
home with them, and warned them against
any attempt to coerce him. The men went
home and reported their strange interview, and
in company with several others, returned to
the tree, but Coins had gone. They watched
the place for several days but he never returned.
They then procured pack of hounds, which
had been trained to hunt fugitives, and secured
the hills
The dogs soon struck upon trail, and DASH
ed off under full cry for more than two miles,
to the North of Shoal Creek; but owing to
the rugged character of the country, the horse
men could not keep up, and the fugitive was
lost in the waters of Shoal Creek. All further
pursuit was then abandoned, and many believed
the whole story fabulous, until last Sunday
week, a boy belonging to Mr.. A. P. Nicely re-
ported to his master that he had seen man
upon the bluffs, near noted cave on the plan
tation of Judge Posey.
Mr. Nicely Immediately collected a number
of gentlemen and proceeded to the spot indca.
ted. The day was one of the most inclement
of the season. On nearing the mouth of the
cave they discovered the shvering form of the
poor wretch beneath covering of straw. He
paid no attention to their summons to come
forth, and one of the company (thoughtlessly
we hope) tossed in dog which, making fl-
rious assault, brought the hapless recluse to
his feet
He then came out in state Of almost per-
feet nudity, presenting picture Of abject
misery and squalid wretchedness which utter.
ly, beggars all description, and we shall not at
tempt it. lie appeared perfectly sane, but
gave no satisfactory reason for his singular
conduct, beyond general charge that the
world had treated him badly, and he had de.
termined to come out from it. He protested
that he had done no man harm and begged to
be allowed to continue his solitary life; but
he finally agreed to 20 home with MIR. Estrange,
which he did, and when we last heard of him
he was suffering from a violent cold, contrac-
ted no doubt by his sudden change from
worse than savage to civilized life.
The long detailed narrative which we have
felt bound to give to this singular and extraor
dinary case, forbids our indulging in any of
these moral reflections which it naturally sug.
gests, and to which our feelings strongly in.
cline us.
Whether this poor creature has been the
victim of sin, of sorrow, or of madness, he
has an equal claim upon our humanity and
compassion. We mean to 60 and see him and
write to his friends, (if he has any in East
Tennessee) and beg them to come and reclaim
him from his wandering life, and as he has not
lived, may at least be permitted to 1" die among
his Kindred" difference Gazette.
Punch says he once saw father knock down
his boy, and thought it the most striking picture
of sun down he ever beheld.