Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-07-04
Massachusetts Furnishes Man who is
an Idolator and Oannibal.

The prevailing sensation of Southern
Berkshire is the discovery of cannibal,
who for the past four years has lived in
the Town of Otis. In an unguarded
moment he told the story of his early
exploits, and thus has acquired wide
reputation. Travelling three miles east
of Otis Centre, up steep winding
route, passing in full view of Otis
Pond, one comes after numerous turns
in the highway to the end of the road,
the remainder of the county road I"
having been abandoned long since.
The rest of the journey is on foot up a
high hill, from which one can see the
finest of Berkshire scenery for twenty
miles in all directions, through meadow,
pasture and wood, following a mere
path in places, and thence down an
other steep hill. At last one discovers
farm of several acres, and here, in
the seclusion which such man might
desire, lives Henry Smith, the confessed
cannibal. He is about fifty years of
age, with big, bushy whiskers, and a
laugh which. although not demoniacal,
Is yet far from being smooth, and one
not easily forgotten. The farm is own
ed by a North Berkshire cattle raiser,
and Smith has the rent free for his serv-
ices as herdsman, in which capacity
he has served for the past four years.
His wife is French woman, who does
most of the manual labor, and can plow,
plant, NOW and do, in fact, all kinds of
farm work, while her husband spends
his time ether in fishing in the pond
below, walking from four to eight miles
fC ha hi NIL I'm
his cattle. He has been married eight
years, but has no children. A more
desolate place than his surroundings
could hardly be found in Berkshire
County.
The man eater says that he was born
near Rhinebeck, N. Y, but where he
does not know, and he has little recol-
lection of his parents, for early in life
he ran away from home, and at proba-
bly, fifteen went to sea. His wander
ings have been so nearly all over the
world that he knows little of country,
kin or restraint. He was early ship
wrecked on one of the South Sea
Islands, where cannibalism was prac-
ticed and idolatry was the worship of
the natives. The presence of tobacco
upon him rendered him unit for the
cannibalistic palate, and he was spared.
How long he remained there he does
not know, but he learned to enter into
their savage rites with a good deal of
zest, and he cOnfesses TO have acquired
a taste for human flesh, and raw Iish,
toad, or even snake he can relish with
a good deal of satisfaction. The report
that he had eaten man in New Jer-
sey he pronounces false, but he has, as
he thinks literally, been willing to
work six months for Blandford man
in exchange for 0ne of the Tatter's
daughters to eat. In regard to. his
ability to chew crockery, it is said of
him that, when offered drink of whis-
ky from a glass bottle, the other day,
he easily bit off and chewed up the neck
and cork, and drank the contents with
evident relish. During the war Smith
was in thenaval service, attached to the
st. Louis, which was cruising through
the Mediterranean Sea, in pursuit of
the Rebel privateer Alabama, and
claims TO have been in the service for
three years. His religion seems to be
a mixture of idolatry, Mohammedan-
ism, and such other strange rites as
have come to him in his travels. Re-
Gently, part way up the mountain side,
he has erected an idol, which he calls
Boudish," and before it, every Sun
day morning about ten o'clock, he
bows, sings, dances and offers up his
prayers, the ceremonies occupying
about an hour. and any striking de-
formity of nature he holds IN awe,
rather than something to be worshiped.
Three gods, OF Boudish," which he