Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-11-16
A MODERN NEBUCHADNEZZAR.
y Pennsylvania Tramp who Would
Eat Only Grass.

y Pennsylvania Tramp who Would
Eat Only Grass
AN herbivorous tramp was sentenced
to the county Jail last Tuesday by a
justice of the peace of Philadelphia,
tor threatening to burn farm heuse'
He was brought to the all and dely-
cred into the sheriti's custody. He
wore no shoes, and his feet were brown
and grimy, and were armed, like his
hands, with long, clawlike nails. His
face ard neck were covered with a
short, stubby g,ewth of hair, and his
cranium was adorned with the strangest
mass of hair that ever grew on human
head. 1t was not unlike an ourang-
outang's in color, but it was thick and
matted, aud twisted into cone like a
beehive. 1t had TO be severed from
the scalp with tinsnito's sheers
When that had been done the man was
taken before the sheriff and questioned
as To ais name and residence. He re-
fused TO tell, and no persuasion could
induce him to diyulge his name, age or
birthplace. He was glazed in CELL
and the prison break fast of bread and
moiasses and coffee was set before him.
1t was left untasted, and When the turn.
key locked the cell the prisoner threw
the bread on the door and upset the
coffee. When a dinner of meat and
bread and soup was brought to him he
hurled it in the turkeys face with a
curse, and said, with marked German
accent; That's no dinner; bring me
something fit to eat-bring me some
grass The prisoner went TO bed
supperless, and refused TO eat when he
awoke.
Sheriff Heist was informed of the
strange conduct, and ordered the turn.
key to Tempt the prisoners appetite
with sweetmeats. This was done, and
n dainty meal Yves placed before the
tramp, who had tasted Tor nearly two
days, but he thrust it from him. The
turnkey was at a loss to understand the
mans seeming iastidiousness, and
thinking that 1t arose from want of ex-
ercise, he opened the cell door and al
lowed the fellow to enter the broad
yard OF the prison, AS soon as his eye
rested on the luxuriant grass that grew
in the yard he ga vent To n loud
whoop, and, falling on his knees began
to pull 1t up by the roots and eat it,
The turnkey looked on in amazement,
while the man devoured the grass
When ne had finished his strange re.
past he arose and asked the turnkey
for "von glass of milk" A quart pitch
| N ,At III hrntnht 4 - hun, ,,,I Ia.
drained it to the last drop, and then
stretched himself out at full length on
the grass and went to sleep. Ia about
an hour he awoke and ate more grass
with chickweed for desert. lie sat on
the ground and plucked the weed by
the root, stripping the stocks of the
seed, which he ate with evident relish
At supper time he again RECALLED
himself with grass, and partook also o.
liberal quantity of sharp, pungen
weed known as pepper grass" lie
ate only the leaves, throwing the stem
away. He drank about a pint of mill
during the repast, which he WASHED
down with white liquid. After he haC
swallowed enough grass to satisfy
county fair COW, he fell on his band
and knees ana crawled about the var,
lpeering into the grass with his keei
eye, AS if in search of some toothsom,
morsels.
"What are you hunting for
Dutchy?" asked the turnkey, who hac
been watching him.
81 look for dot yoit call clofer," sale
the herb eater, looking up, "but | fine
him not. Gif me some more milk"
Another pint of milk was given to
him, and he wag then led back to hi
cell. On the following day he break
tasted again on grass and chick weed
and ate mt frequent intervals during
the day. All attempts to induce hin
to substitute more substantial looe
were useless, and he adhered to hi
bovine diet, and sat on the grass from
dawn till dark, chewing his food con
tentedly, and grinding the seed to pull
with his strong white teeth. He con
tinued to suhsist IN this way, and ap
peared to thrive on his strange diet
He gained flesh, and his checks haC
better color than before. The turnkey
says that he passes his time in eating
drinking and praying. He sleeps little
ia irregular IN his habits, and eats at al
times and at all hours. The name o
the man remains mystery. lie IN {
stranger in Bucks county, and wal
never seen there until about two week
ago, when be suddenly appeared il
Bedminster township. Physicians ant
gcipntitiC men Who have visited him
are inclined to believe ,nat he is weak
minded, but the jail. keepers are of thu
option that his mind is perfectly Gear
The case is one of considerable interest
and prominent physicians from al
parts of the state are flockipg to tn
Ijail to see The great grass-eater as he i
called.
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