The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1878-11-07
THE cANEY FORK WONDER.
A Wild Tennesseean with Fish
Scales fer a Skin.

Louisville Courier journal OF
Wednesday: The wild man broug ht
TO the city yesterday by DR.. o. @.
| Broyler, of Sparta, Tenn, is truly a
mysterious and wonderful creature
He will be exhibited Throughout
the country by Manager Whallen,
OF the Metropolitan, who is a third
owner in this remarkable being, who
promises to successfully battle al
scientists who desire to give sat
isfactory explanation of his unnatu
raj appearance. Before entering
into the details of his capture, which
form quite a thrilling and interest
ing episode, a description of the Gu
riosity, which promises to excite
more attention than Barnum's
what is it9" will be given. At
distance the general outline Of his
figure would indicate that he is only
an ordinary man. Close eXamina
tion shows that his body is covered
with a layer of scales which drop
off at regular periods, in the spring
and fall, like the skin of rattle
snake. He has heavy growth o.
hair on his head and dark, reddish
beard about six inches long. His
eyes present a frighttul appearance
being at least twice the size Of the
average sized eye. Some of his
toes are formed together, which
give his feet a strange appearance,
and his height. when standing per
fectly erect, is about six feet five
inches. A nervous twitching of his
muscles shows Il desire to escape,
and he is constantly looking in the
direction OF the door through
which he entered. His entire body
must be wet at intervals, and should
this be neglected, he begins imme
diately to manifest great uneasiness,
his flesh becomes feverish, and his
sutferings cannot be alleviated until
the water is applied. At times he
is dangerous, and yesterday morn
ing when Mr. Whallen attempted t.
place him in a wagon, IN which he
intended to bring him to the thea
ter it occupied some time. The
strange creature acted in the mosl
mysterious manner, refusing obsti.
nately for some time to get into The
wagon. He hiss quite a sharp appe
tite, having eaten a meal YESTERDAY
morning that would have fully sat
isfied at least four men. With the
exception of fish, his meals are all
prepared in the ordinary way, but
The fish is eaten entirely raw. DR..
Broyler says that when alone he
will sometimes mutter an unintelli-
BILE jargon, which it would be i'm
possible Tor any one to understand,
but that, in the presence of visitors,
he remains perfectly silent. Yester-
day afternoon, from one to tour, "a
private exhibition was given, and
pumbe of physicians were present,
among them Ors. Brady and Cary
Black burn, who said that he was q
great curiosity. DIR. Blackburn said
that his scaly condition could not
be attributed to any skin disease
but undoubtedly he was born in that
condition. He will be on exhibition
in one OF the private rooms OF the
Metropolitan Theater this after
noon between the hours of one and
four O'Clock. Only physicians and
those specially invited will 6e al
lowed admission. His exact age l.
not known. but for the past Gig
teen years has been running wild in
the Cumberland mountains in Ten
nessee, near the Caney Fork and
Big Creek. He has been the con
slant terror of the community, al
though he was ney0r known to at
tack any one until the day of his
capture DR.. @. @. Broyler says
that since the surrender OF the Con
federate army it has been his inteu-
ton to capture this creature and
exhibit him throughout the country.
The doctor says the parents of the
wild man are respectable citizens OF
North Carolina named Croslin.
That their son is unquestionA-
bly, a mysterious freak OF nature
they did not deny, but they could
not account for his scaly skin. AT
the tender age of five years, having
always been possessed with a row
ing disposition, be lett home and
plunged Immediately into the noun
famous district of Tennessee. Here
he lived as best he could, subsisting
on the products OF the country,
such as roots and herbs and small
animals that he could capture
When in the water he was in his ell
eTnent. He would dive down into
the depth OF the island lake, re
naming under water for a consider
vble length of time, and finally
emerge with both hands filed with
small fish, which he would devOur
at once in the rsw state. d..
Broyler says that not until about
eighteen months ago he had net
asos<nYted the capsures although be