Richland beacon., 1888-06-23
A Wild Man OF the Mountain.

A special TO the Times Dcmocrai
from Atlanta, Ga, OF Juno list, says:
Harrison county is absorbed III IA
sensational mystery which was un-
earthed hear there yesterday.
Half mile west of Hamilton, Cd
u high and rugged peak Of Pine
Mountain, il an old Indian fort. built
of stone, and owing to the rugged
ness of the mountain appr0acllabIc
only on one side. It's high thick
stone wall and its peculiar situation
made it quite stronghold for the
Indians in time of war For many
years it has been remembered by
only few hunters and old settlers,
so deel ly was it buried in tie noun
tains. Recently, however. the neigh
bors, who had been attrihuting the
loss Of live stock to the sheep dog
and deft handed darEy, have had
cause to suppose the old fort to be
inhabited by thieves.
Tuesday night Mr.. =. G. Written
passed near the mountain on his re-
turn from neighbours house, and
heard the piteous cries of one of his
goats. as it seem to be carried up the
mountain side to the old fort on the
summit. An investigation disclosed
signs Of habitation, and resulted III
a band of half dozen neighbors
yesterday forcing IN entrance and
capturing a man in the most abject
state of barbarism. He showed fight
and was felled to the ground twice
with the butt of gun. With great
difficulty his hands and feet were Sc
curely tied. He had 10 weapons,
and was dressed in natures garments
and thick stubby hair was grown
all over his body, his full black beard
reached to his waist, and his long,
unkempt hair hangs down his back
and about lis shoulders. He has
keen black eyes. that seem uuaccus-
toned to the light of day, and since
his capture he has not uttered a
sound. He seems to be man forty
years old, six feet two or three inches
in height, and weighs about 200
pounds. There is not a pound of
surplus flesh about him; all is bone
and muscle, and his strength Is mar
velous. His hands are talons, aud
his feet scarcely resemble those of
human being.
He was carried by tho sheriff this
morning to Hamilton, where it is
thought Ordinary Williams will adj
judge him insane and have him sent
to the asylum.
Who this mysterious person is or
how long he has been cut lose from
civilization no one knows. Some OF
the older settlers tell of a young man
who dazzled this part of the country
away back in the sixties. lie is de-
scribed as tall, slender md straight
with intensely black hair and eyes
silken black moustache and soft white
skin. His dress was unscrupulously
neat. and lie was the picture Of
a handsome man. He was a man Of
leisure. and had no visible means of
support, but was never without
money. He claimed to have a plan
tation and slaves in Virginia and one
in Mississippi. For two years he
was the star of the aristocratic society
that adorned this section.
One afternoon lie called to see
lady for whom he had many times
showed preference. For two hours
the interview listed, and he Left,
wearing stony look of despair. His
landlady noticed that he refused to
attend supper as usual, and that
night he disappeared. and was nsver
seen by the people of this place any
more. Those who remember the
young man are inclined to think that
they have found him in the person
OF the prisoner captured yesterday
at the old fort.