The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-13
TIE WILD FAMILY AGAIN.
MURDER or THE am ny HER
BRCTISH BROTHER.
The Murderer Captured and sent 10 the In !
snue A-Slnm-An Unparalleled story Of |
savnscry md nnrbarity in PENNSYLVANIA.

pITTsToN, Pa, Feb. Sin the fall Of 1871
quito sensation was created In this neighbour
hood by the discovery In tho wilderness OF
Wyoming county Of family Of wild people,
consisting Of a man and ms two children. The
latter roamcd the woods In nude condition,
cub listing on nuts, roots, sc. The man lived In
miserable hut, whore his children sometimes
slept. He was possessed Of a good education,
and clothed In rags and surrounded with lith
he spont his time in studying m old nble
He seemed 10 have profound knowledge Of
scfiptural subjects, and was well versed In
ancient and modern history. He possessed,
also, extraordinary elocutionnry powers, aud
had invented a system of short hand which he
wrote with remarkable speed, and re d with flu
ercy. Soon after the dice very OF these strange
beings man named Robinson sought to make
money out Of them by exhibiting them about
the country. To obtain the children he was
Obliged to kidnap them. and by a course Of most
cruel treatment compelled them to submit to
be partially clothed. when clothing was nrst
put on them they tore It to shrcds The father
was induced to accompany them, and served as
lecturer, render, and shorthand writcr.
The children were a boy and a girl. They
were named William and Mclvina. The latter
was - wears old. perfectly developed, but some
what dwarfcd In appearance. The hoy was 10.
There was remarkable resemblance between
them. Their heads were small, with rtcedinu
foreheads, and were covered with long, matted
white hair. heir noses and mouths were very
large, and their eyes small. The EXPRESSION Of
their faces was idiotic. They were mutcs. 80
far MS emitting Ineligible sounds was con-
cerned, but they had strange, n tr,li ribberi ii
in which their fathor insisted thcV cummuuic It.
ed undcrstandney with one another. The ex-
hibitions Of this degraded family were 20 shock
exhibitor was compelled t. abandon his specula-
ton, and the wild mutcs." as they were
termed, were returned to their retreat In the
wilderness, In the winter Of ls,2.
THE KILLING or THE GIRL.
-. They. were gradually forgotten. hut in ls73
Their ither appeared at Turkhannock and
made the charge that his son had killed his sis
ter and attempted the llfe Of his father. and
asked that lie he taken in charge by the author
tiles. The Wild hoy was arrested with great dill
nculty and lodged IN jail All efforts to get him
Co wear clothing were une uccess1ul, and he was
SO violent that no one darcd TO enter his cell
unprotected. Nothing could he done With him,
and some weeks after ho was secured he was re-
turned 10 the woods. Ever since he has been a
source Of ANNOYANCE to the authofities, aud he
Ia. at last been disposed If hy being captured
and incarccratcl In the Insane Asylum az Dam
vile by order 81 court ~" cXtraordin ~ story
a. follows. II has NJ parallel in moGcru times (:
49, TIE name 81 TIE father ~ The wll mutcs Is
Thomas Wells pnrke. H. il - YEARS. old. and
was born in Exeter, Lnze.nc county. lie lived
~ Oh place until lc va D. years OLA. ob;lirin-
the rudimcn'. u AN En.'i-h ,du Niou. Be-
yond tur fact That WHOM ho was thnf ugo DIS
Parents moved into the vid.rnr.s Of Wyoming
county. 10 the spot whore ho $50. discovered
with his mily lu i.ii afi thtt they died there,
and were buried IN the wood by his own hands.
nothing : known about his antccrd"nts. HIS
father LEFT nffv acres II land. on wuI,i parke's
hut now stands. When he Was "f va1rs ul1 he
married a clrl 10 20. named Many Senres She
was s'chS, and subject 90 insane SPELLS. 1hc
giil, NeNina. was bonn IN lciH. and The boy near-
Is threc NcHrs later. Their mother never rave
them an} attention. from the time they
were old enough to get about they were com-
PEELED to look out for themselves. They never
spoke urd IN their lives. nor had garment
o. ny KIND on them until the Snowman took
them away. They trly took TO the woods, and
grew NJ Ike the animals th.t Infested the re-
gon. From digging Tor roots and bunting nests
thev acquired the habit Of going on ell fOura,
and were almost as fleet as deer. They were
sisted on nuts, roofs, bark &C.. and also svs.
temattcalv hunted mice, rats, RABBITS, ground
moies. and q her bnrrowing animals, which they
devoured raw They, climbed the highest trees
OF which whether eggs or young birds, were
choice food for them. They wandered about In
the most rigorous winter weather. and some
times remained away from home days at time.
Their skin became almost black from exposure,
nd at the time they were discovered 10y the
hunters their flesh was covered with scars made
10y cuts and scratches In the woods The skin
on the palms OF their hands and solos Of their
feet was thick and as hard IS horn. The dspo-
sition OF the boy at that time was ugly and
vicious. lie had made several assaults ON his
sister woundng her badly. and had attempted
10 KIN his mother, who ran away from the hut
In March, 1871, and never returned.
STARVING AND FIGHTING.
Left alone with his wild oIspung the father
noted with alarm the increasing Zero 'iousness
OF the BOY and, when he could control hiV, he
tied MIN In the hat for the safety Of himself and
the Girl; This increased lis fury, AMI lie was
released. The disposition Of the girl was gcntler,
When they returned from their short tour
with the showmanit was In the midst u the
severe winter ~ lHi2 PaTka had left home at
the time he usually gathered his crop OF pOt,i-
toes aud turnips, all he raised on his land and
when he came bnck there was nothing for him
to subsist on. His chiltren betook themselves
al once TO the woods. Tao snow " = very deep,
and they could find but little to eat IL mad
been their custom previously to make out their
winters subsistence by sharing their fathers
potatoes, when he cooked In hole dug 10 the
hausted they suffered terribly from hunger.
Parke obtained occa siousl relief from the sur
enough that no move was made 10 denl perma-
nently with this wretChed family. The mutes
stripped the bark from trees. and even ate the
corner OF the hut. They fought each other ike
wild beasts, and their father lived IN mortal ter.
ror for nearly three months. Near his hut il a
swamp, which Is the home Of myriads Of the
smaller reptiles When spring opened. the wild
ana almost. famishcd children secured TINS
swamp. and caught and devourcd with the
raNenous AZ pelites Of hglf-staryed wolves the
creeping occupants Of the rire. THIS i not
only testified 70 by their father, but by oth,rs,
Who declaIe that they saw the boy eaten aud
eat water snaae.
TERRIBLE REVELATIONS
Parke SAYS that this horTtd diet increased
tue lerOcllN OF MS chlureu. One day the brother
and sister came into The hut, ana fight en-
sued between them; ParEe was compelled to
ny. BIZ, as the boy was called, attacked
his sister with an old case knife he had
picked up in tue howell lie stabbed her IN the
breast and In othGr places. She ran bleeding
into tho woode. Her father found her after
ward lying at the foot Of n tree dead. He ca
rled her body long distance into the Woods
ana buried IL.
Parke continued 10 live IN the hut, but was
frequently compelled to leave IL To escape the
FURY OF hiS eon. Finally, early in 1873. ho made
the complaint against MIN, and hes at last had
his bIutish child safely disclosed OF.
Parke IA thin, wiry man, ragged and slOvcnly.
His head Is covered with long white. unkempt
hair and he hos flowing white beard. lie at-
tributes the lamentdble condition OF his ohil-
dren 10 the incapaclty Of his wife To oversee aud
train them. saying that he WIS too much alb
soroed in mis- scientific and literary pursuits ~
notice their wants.
Shortly after the death Of Melyina he pub
li.hed a card asking for Information as 10 the
of his wife, and begging her TO
come and look after the needs Of her remaining
child. He Is by many considered insane. IL 10
reported here that movement Il to be made to
have him sent TO an Insane asylum.