Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-06-30
REMARKABLE MEN.

Among people who nave become re-
markab.e bv their differing from the
ordinary run of humanity, Charles
Domerv. called The Voracious Pole,
excited great wonder in his day. He
enlisted in the French service, and
was captured by the English in 1893
and immured in Liverpool prison.
When in camp, if bread and meat
were scarce he made up the deficiency
bv eating four or five pounds of grass
daily. In one year he devoured and
skinned ia cats, dead and alive.
When very hungry lie did not wait to
kill them before eating. He also ate
dogs and rats, and even their entrails
if food was scarce. When the ship
surrendered on which he was on board,
finding nothing to eat but a mans leg
that had been shot off, he began to eat
it, when a sailor snatehed it from him
and threw it overheard.
In the Liverpool prison, although
double rations were allowed him, he
deyoured everything he could get from
the other prisoners, and would even
swallow their medicines. He daily ate
raw bullock's liver, three pounds of
candles and several pounds of raw
beef, and all that they would give him
of beer or water. His stomach re-
volted at nothing and retained every
thing. The doctors, wishing to try
how much he could eat in one day,
tested him. At in the morning he
broke his fast by eating four pounds OF
-
which was hot, 1ld his appetite poor,
he consumed in all: cows udder, four
pounds; raw beef, ten pounds; candles,
two pounds. and five bottles of porter.
He restrained his appetite on this test
occasion because the other prisoners
frightened him by telling himthe doc
tors were going to experiment upon
him.
The greatest eater that ever lived
existed in the days OF old Parr, in the
beginning of 1000. His name was
Nicholas Wood, OF the county Of
Kent. One Of the writer's of the time
says:
"IIe did eat with ease a whole sheep,
and that raw at one meal; at another
time thirty dozen of pigeons. At Sir
William Sedley's banquet he did eat as
much as would suffice for thirty men.
At Lord Watton's, at one meal, he
did eat four score and four rabbits
On one occasion he devoured eighteen
yards of black pudding. He made an
end of whole pig at once, and after it
three pecks OF damsoDs. At another
time he ate six penny loaves, three six
penny veal pies, one pound of butter.
one good big dish of thornback, and
a peck loaf in the space of an hour"
Neither of these men were of ex-
traordinary size, nor in other respects
were they different from other indi-
viduals.
.Old Boots was an object of curl
sity in the last century. He was
bootblack and servant at an inn in
Ripon, Yorkshire, and was called
sold Boots of Ripon." His nose and
chin were 50 long and so close together
that he could easily hold a piece of
money between them, and visitors
were usually 50 tickled at the oddly
Of the feat that they seldom failed to
witness it, and customers thronged
from far and near to see "Old Boots"
Peter, the wild boy, was found in
1925, in a forest near Hanover, walk
ing on his hands and feet, climbing
trees like a squirrel-nude. and feed
ing on grass and moss. With difficulty
he was caught and taken to Zell, Han
over. He was undoubtedly a human
being, and was supposed to be about
thirteen years of age, but could not
Speak, consequently no information
could be obtained from him as to how
became to be living among wild beasts.
After several times escaping to the
woods, Peter, as they named him, was
taken to England and exhibited. He
had hardly any ideas, could scarcely be
induced to wear clothes, and would
not sleep in a bed, but slept crouched
in a corner, which led TO the suppose
ton that he had always slept in tree
for security against wild beasts. He
could never be taught to converse,
though he would get out few words.
George ]. gave him a pension. and
placed him with a farmer to live.
Peter was giant for strength, though
his height WAS ony five feet He ac-
CURED many civilized habits, such as
oveIweening fondness for liquor lie
was of gentle disposition, Dotwith-
standing the savagery of his early life,
bus could neye- be induced to notice
the fair sex. He died at the supposed
age of seventy-three. How human
bei1g came thus deserted in the woods
has ever remained a mystery.