The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-09-19
A WILD MAN.
Belief That 1t Is Murde rer Sim Well

Belief That 1t Is Murderer Sim Well
Ing
Twenty young men of Williams and vicin-
ity went 10 the mountains recently for few
weeks recreation. They pitched their camp
on the east side of Snow Mountain, where
Paradise Creek plunges down the green
walled mountain side, while they lured the
shy trout, the innocent deer and the fierce
bear from their haunts in the unbroken
mounta fastness. The boys enjoyed the
alurements of the wilderness, and the
wild game furnished their table with an
abunda nee of the most delicate vlands.
During the evenings when all were about
the campfire they at various times paused
in the telling of mirthful tales. thinking
they had heard an intruding footstep near
the camp. At last, however, in the middle
of the night, when all was still about the
place and wrapped in slumber, one OF the
young men was awakened by an unusual
noise, and upon opening his eyes his vision
rested for minute on the face of strange
man, whose beard and hair were unkempt
hatless and in taltered clothing. As soon as
the stranger found that he was observed he
disappeared into the faSlneSs of the jungle.
There was no more sleep for the young
man although he remained In his bed. In
about two hours the strange figure returned,
his long hair floating in the midnight breezes,
his chin almost resting on his sunken chest
his bony fingers bent like cats paw when
about to spring, and from his eyes shOne an
unnatural light. Breathless did the young
man, who had the day before bravely faced
an enraged BEAR watch the approaching fig
ure, whose countenance looked ghOst-like in
the light Of the moon. This strange man
approached the impr 0vised table of thecamp,
where meat and bread from the last meal
remained, and he ate ravenously, more like
a wild beast than human being. Presently
the young man saluted him with a friendly
greeting. Had an electric shock passed
through his system he could not have acted
more quickly. In an instant the wild man,
for such he really appeared, sprang up the
almost impas sable mountainside as fleet as
deer. Excited and hardly knowing what he
did the young deniZen of the plains, who
had conquered many fair heart and broken
scores of fractions mules, sent rifle ball in
the direction of the departing Elan. Hardly
had the smoke of the gun cleared away
when great powders came rolling down the
precipitous side Of the mountain, evidently
loosened by the wild being which had passed
up.
The boys from that on lost their appetite
for the juicy venison and delicate trout.
They only remained day OF so after, but
during that time the strange figure was often
seen skulking near the camp like wild an
imal, but invariably upon being discovered
he would swiftly disappear into the almost
lmpeDetrable jungle.
The description of this wild man of the
hills" tallies exactly with that OF Sam Well
ing who murdered Stafford near Willows
three years ago 1t is presumed that it is
the murderer. who escaped and went into
the mountains, and that his crime, ever eat
ing at his mind, together with the loneliness
and hardNhips of such life. drove him in
Saue,-Orland News,