The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1885-09-09
A FRlGHTFUL EXISTENCE.
THE BvAsT-LrKE LIFE LED ny
FARMERS CRAZY SON.
Fastened 60 n Tree by n Collar and
Chain-ApP only by his
Mother


/
Fastened 60 n Tree by n Collar nnd
Chain-ApPrOached only by his
Mother.
A Speuyville Cva.) letter to the New
York World says; For years there have
bean stories told of wild man living in
the fastnesses of the Blue Ridge noun
tains, the son of one of the small noun
tain farmers, who IS jealously guarded
and protected by him; but the description
| given of the monster have been so vague
that | determined to test their truth for
myself A rough ride of several miles
directly up the mountain from the viii
lage Of Sperryville brought our party to
a little farm which had been cleared on
the mountain side. In the field an old
man, evidently the farmer himself, was
at work. AS we stopped to speak to
him our ears was startled by series of
the most appalling and unearthly shrieks
and yells coming from clump of trees
which surrounded the log farm house,
little distance off. For some moments
the quiet country roadside seemed a
veritable pandemouium. Only those who
may have visited what are know in q
mad-house as the ''hollow squares, -
were the more violent patients are con.
fined, can form any idea of the horrible
impression made upon the mind by the
demoniac yells and howls which filled
the air. The old farmer informing us
that it was his son that we heard, led the
way to the house ''There he is" said
he, pointing with his long. bony finger
to large oak tree, little ways removed
from the house. l looked and saw
81, II "a
would be mockery to call man, under
the tree, to which he was fastened by
collar and chain. He was the veritable
impersonation at last, of Caliban, a
strange, uncouth monster, neither man
nor brute, but with the characteristics of
both painfully blended. He was entire
ly naked, though his body was covered
with short growth of shaggy black
hair. Around his neck was a heavy iron
collar of homemade manufacture, and
to this was attached a heavy chain, fast
ened in the tree trunk by staple. From
the constant attrition of his neck the
collar had been worn perfectly smooth
and bright. He kept up a steady walk
the monotonous, unreasoning trot of
Gagged animal, In his hand he carried
his chain to keep the weight of it off his
neck, precisely as a monkey may be seen
to do. Now and then he would stop for
q moment and give vent to succession
OF piercing screams, accompanied by such
horribly grotesque contortions of face
and limb that one was forced to turn
away in very horror from the sight
Around the trunk of the tree was
path worn bare and smooth by his
restless feet. He did not take the
slightest notice of our presence, and we,
OF course, stood at a respectful distance.
The old man was not at all averse to
talking about his unfortunate son. From
a child it had never shown the slightest
spark of intelligence, and at its birth it
was scarcely even of human form. 1t was
hardly possessed of even the instincts of
an animal, for it never evinced any de-
sire or made any signs for food or drink
1t had never manifested the ordinary
emotions and sensibilities of brute; it
seemed absolutely indifferent to every
thing. Food is placed within his reach
by his mother, who is the only person
who dares approach him, and he eats of
it, although never seeming to care for it.
He only sleeps when utterly worn out
by his unceasing tramp up and down un-
der his heavy chain. In winter he is
kept in the house, but chained to keep
him away from the fire. Clothing it is
impossible to keep on him. He is short
but heavily built, and possessed of a
powerful frame. His arms are of ex-
traordinary length, and of unusual mus
cular power; his hands are large and
powerful, and armed with long, claw
like nails. For forty years has this
frightful object lived, constant solici-
tude and terror to his parents. Strangely
enough both his father and mother are,
if anything, above the ordinary intelli-
gence. His health is good, and to all
appearance he may live chained to the
big tree for years to come.