New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1878-05-01
The Madman Of the Woods.

1iAOdG dUOuL d IdViuS zluduldCs 5eSCdpcu
from some asylum, who, it was said. had
taken to the woods, and was committing
|depredations upon the farmers.
He was described as a very large and
powerful man, armed with huge blud-
geon, SAID to be larger than three-years
sapling, with which he had killed several
oxen, and desperately wounded one man
who had had the hardihood to attack
him.
The day before we started for the log
ging camp we were startled by the in.
telligence that man answering the de-
scription Of this supposed myth had been
seen only ten miles distant, and the
morning of our start, messenger from
our next neighbor, three miles away.
summoned us to aid him in the capture
of this creature, who, just at dusk, the
evening before, had, in full sight of one
of his men, stolen sheep and rushed in
the forest with it uttering wild yells.
A fierce mastif had been set On him,
which he instantly killed by blow from
his heavy club, and entered the thick I'M
derbrush, into which no one dared follow
him. Here he uttered such terrible
shrieks as startled the bravest among the
men who had started in pursuit.
Although 1t caused great disarranse-
ment OF our plans, we responded to the
call, and twelve men, among them, start
ed the next morning on snow shoes (for
the snow was two or three feet deep) to
the aid of cur afflicted neighbour.
Arrived there, we found everything in
confusion, for the mailman had entered
the stable during the absence of the men
at breakfast, and ridden off horse at
full speed up the road, which had after
ward returned. covered with foam, and
SO thoroughly scared that every slight
noise caused him to cover and tremble.
We all adjourned to the stable to look
at the horse, and then started in the di-
rection the 6 destroyer Of our peace had
taken. We each Wore. snow-shoes, and
carried gun: though we were strictly
forbidden to use them unless it became
absolutely necessary for our own safety.
A supply of rope was also taken, to be
used IN case of his capture.
We had proceeded up the road for
half a mile or more, when we came to an
indentation in the soft sRow by the side
Of the ,oad, where the maniac had evil
IDENTIFY been thrown from the horse.
A rail fence near had been dragged
down and evidently hurled at the retreat
ing figure of the animal
From this place we could easily follow
the trail of the man, who had sunk deep
in the snow at every step, and entered the
woods but a short distance from the
road.
Hither we eagerly followed, and very
shortly were painfully made aware Of the
presence Of the object of our search, who
had secreted himself behind large pine
stump When the first man passed him,
he spraug upon him and bore him into
the snow. We all together dragged him
off, but tried in vain to hold HIM down
He threw us all off, and, knocking two
or three men down. disappeared into the
thick forest.
The man whom he had so savagelv at
tackled was not seriously hurt, but we all
agreed that it would be useless to follow
the wild man, as we could not effect his
capture without some of us being severe
ly injured.
We accordingly returned home and
carried out the programme of the day,
and by three o'clock had arrived at the
lumber camp.
Here everything went we'll for awhile,
and we were just getting we'll under way
with our logging, when the wild man
again made his presence known in an
unexpected, and, as it proved, fatal way
We had though it barely possible that he
might visit our camp, but as two or three
weeks had passed, and we were eight or
nine miles from where he had last been
seen, we had entirely given up the idea.
! Our method Of logging was to cut a
road from our timber to the nearest
creek, and haul the logs on to the ice,
there to wait for the spring freshet The
snow on the sides Of these roads often
became six or eight feet high, and it was
then impossible to turn out on either 81 lie,
hence we had Switches at regular in
tervals, where each empty team waited
till the loaded sled passed.
1t was about four o'clock, and already
becoming dusk, on Thursday of our third
week, that I was taking my last load
down to the ice. A short distance behind
came Jim Hayden with another load. l
was but few rods from the "switch y
when heard a terrible scream Of bolster
Gus laughter.
The thought that it was the mailman
instantly forced it self upon me, and upon
looking around, saw the six yoke of
oxen tearing madly down the road to-
wards me. ct was down grade.) They
were heavily loaded, and atop the logs
stood the mailman, plying the whip ann
uttering such fearful yells as fairly made
my blood run cold.
/ / immediately perceived that if / did