The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1886-04-23
CHE Demorraf- STIR
Tie Wild Man Of Lake Chicot.

A corresponding of The Jean,
rette Item, of April 10th, furuishe
the following:
West of the Mississippi RIVER i
the State OF Louisiana, ia til
parishes OF ST. Martin, Iberia au,
st. Mary, lies an undesirable sys
tenn OF lakes, passes aud bayouS
Intercepted with ii vast + O
swamp lands. This country ha,
been, aud continues TO be til,
source of timber supply tor til,
Teche region, winch is sometime.
called the sugar Bowl" OF Loaisi
ana.
Since the year 1880 II solitary
individual has lived on aud neal the
borders of Lake Chicot. This mys.
FERROUS hermit would have no ION.
~Versation with persons who would
chance to meet him. His equip.
age consisted of a rude boat, an
old musket, Il spear aud some fish.
ing tackle. He was never known
TO visit the babitatiOn of man un.
less be needed ammunition and this
he procured at Bayou Chene. He
has been here so long that he is
almost naked, and presents a hor.
rid aspect with his shaggy beard
and disheveled barr, now grown to
an enormous length. Surely he is
a queer citizen and has become one
OF the chief topics of the Swamping
camps. AS the swampers while
away their time by their camp fires
when the day is done they often
Tegale strange visitors with fantas.
tic descriptions of the ''Nild MAN."
as he is termed by common custom.
here are various ideas as to the
motives of this individual tor thus
banishing himself from the world,
ana 1t is a mystery as to how he
sustains life or endureS torments OF
mosquitoes and the changes often.
perature. He is about 40 years of
age, rudy complexion, with dark
hair. 1t is limited by some that he
is a mai that murdered his wife
u children near New Orleans.
some years ago. He may be the
man; yet if justice sleeps thus near
her duty, doubtless fate is punish
ing her victim with torrents that
tienGS only can endure.
The wonder about the matter is
that the authorities do not ascertain
who this incOgnitO is the assessor
is letting this citizen 90 by default.
This "wild mau7 seems to be an
object of distant curiosity TO the
majority OF the sWampeTS; they
give him a wide berth. His Gun
and bis boat are his constant com.
panions and his silence is his chief
popularity. Very few men eau Z
even get a m~OnosylIable from him. .
Is truly the great unknown OF
this section. Since writing the
above the terror OF the swalnps las
been captured by a small boy by
the name of Semones. Exposure
and disease contracted by his long
battle with the elements has quite y
VaDquiShed him. L
On the 10th of last month he
padded his boat to Mr.. Cassidy's
lamp on his timber in a starying wi
condition and begged for the neceS. Ian
'arieS OF life. He is truly IA horri-
Die looking specimen +; he has the pu
eg OF ii pair of old pants tied at Ba
me end and stretched over his Pa
lead as a substitute for a hat !; his ,oIn
'ody was an alternative of rags and !
.Iakedness. MIR. George Walker, a ZeI
ltlzen OF this place, Glanced to FIRE
lteview him. He says he speaks fnE
God English, that bis name is John rae
.liller, aud was born and reared in {
'enaca county, Ohio, near Tifin. -
It the age of Is be went with a u
old hunting expedition to COlora. 4
aud drove an OK team across the
lalus. He remembers nothing Inv
bout his age, but lie INST be forty ssey
/ more. wv
He says be came to this country
a boat ; does not know date, Of
Ionth or nothing; he merely n ri !
nOws the change OF seasons by nI
leir visable effects. He has the
Dpearance OF a mai who has had =
S intellect dwarfed by long strlfes Rim
18th the elements. His h ir has Co
rown to an enormous length, aud -
IS shaggy beard reaches his waist. tnre
is color, when captured, resem. az
ed the earth upon which he lived. -
is bands q also of the same fact,
'lor. He always hesitates and =,
H"N' ard
Sterl
Walker asked him if be did S.I
It want to be taken to town where
could be taken care OF. lie sad az AIs p
at he thought that lie was living case,
a very healthy place, and would for
all right soon. He states that Bri,
lizards are better to eat than TIL
lis he believed. His manue of perft
pturing them is very Ingenious. work
Q drives three stakes out in the Sel
ze and sets a steel trap on top of -
EN-, then proeures a Iimby twig
q ties a bit OF putried fish on the
d OF 1t, then be secures 1t in such
manner that when Mr. Buzzard
his on it it sinks down in the Flu
ter. DisiIkiug it be flies up on
trap and Is caught, and devOur-
by this human hyena. Our Pn
rye rises in such a manner that ne
give DER the task of further