Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-30
A HUMAN FREAK.
A VISIT TO THE WILD MAN or cLlN-
TON TOWNSHIP, ONT.
90. Ia stark Naked. but Not Stark Mad
Hop. About Like Frog-iives In .
shack with His Father.

INT out on Tuesday last 70 investigate
,be case Of the man zimmerman. who was
sad TO be running about naked and desti-
s,fe on the mountain SIX miles southeast
cfGrmshv. The trip revealed one OF the
,,ost astounding cases OF human depravity
erc- econ in a Christian country. The idea
40 human beng living for over thirty-six
years IN log shack, stark naked. hopping
sbort Ike 9 frog or kangaroo. and stealing
80 ina the twilight like wild beast 20 get
car IS something that well might mako
a. people smile with increduiity; but an
i,rc,teation Of the case proved that tho
f,.t- a, already briefly published were not
r.,,-erated. The reporters found the man
s.a bad q talk with him after considerable
.Nt.ItY.
rvas known that such n case existed
s.utwhcrc. vaguely designated rs " back
l,a- the mountain" but only few per-
ans bad ever heard Of It. and fewer still
h.l ever been in the locality. The rain
g.s CON nr down in torrents az Grimsby's
-r. or two Of handsome summer resi-
I.-.r> we're left behind, and, going up the
r.untan four miles east of there the
f-..s lid about on the siimv red clay that
...v.. tle road its name, and It was only
eL lr,at difficulty that the top was
~..IrI Though the Ta'D was very I'M
ant i. was regarded as a specially
r.ue time 10 find thu man in. Half
milo lark from the concession, on n side
r.s3. the shack was sighted. IL stood in
clsarinc. with woods all around, and was a
r,-.rfcl-lo0hiug LOG hut in q very dilapi-
5ta condition. Bushes grew rankly
s1rnd tlc sides. choking up tho doors and
V.ralws. and the low roof was sagged IN
s-f fgli AZ holes hurried advance was
r.e on the place lest the man should
t..-o tl0 wood but subsequently u was
discovered that there was no occasion for
t.9.,laueion on that score. The 'front.'
- vas boarded UP and tho back door
81. barred inside. but an old man opened
90 cautiously and dragged II back on ita
h..-- ru'-i 10 saggei over enough 20 allow
Gill. rsTsuap r-m8n 70 get inside.
D f.egttrrIOr OF tho shack was diapl-
4...I. 10 al least gave a favorable first IN
r....r n- compared with tho inside. In
t.frt room. which was the living apart
ft nni kitchen, the rain was pouring
rrG hundred chInks, cxtnguishlng
t tra. dripping with a tattoo on the
tsH0. and sotting tho floor Gwasb, as the
S. rmou say. The wind came IN one slde
tI sent out the other. No humane
g., would keep animals IN sCch
The only furniture besides
articles mentioned were three
e-. and a sort Of cupboard. One OF
t..aa.is was lower than the rest, with
wed seat, aud ia the bottom were
oil
fe.ru used a. table OF trough. Inc Oh
r.- va. alone in the room, but in an inner
g...ufut there was rusthng movement
...4 auual shifting about. One OF tho
....r..r4 nut on professional ar ana an
-r-r.i that he was q doctor and Aad
EN-. np Go examine tho condition OF the
nai the crazy man VINO was reputed
.ys there. The old man, who sald that
t.v.etre father of the person inquired
IA g Il
r-..f him ~ Doe seen, but altcr Iong
r-oW old COrberus sat down IN dry
and u0iutIu0 to an inner apart
~.t 4.tI irIrHgautlv: He's in there.
4f.,.el,-s door Was llfl 4 aside and with
s.... creepy feeling me VISITORS slep-
-ntoa gloomy. low-ceiied room INTO
.h thc i.Lt Struggled through the
t.l FOLIAGE tAlt filled the window. over
ItfUsp.ru.r Wasa broken bcdstead Win
..-r,.l ID. dirty roys on II. The report
e.. pulled them partly ASIDE ana there was
INNS face. staring with blinking, shining
,.... i1., 0r- Oi tie dusk. It was pale,
rou,, tutrltlrr hand 0mc face, notWltn-
stfI.u- fh. dIIt and uukempt hair ana
beard and tire fact was far more startling
,.4ur[-le pOuuttuuuco had been repul-
er. IT ld.o.c. ,o,
"Iou can; he very comfortable here|
p, .l one Of the reporters.
-a.. va- asa. - responded the head.
...rt.e interchange Of a few remarks
f.a. Imam .at up and threw the cover
!rrl. ..w. Tie was Gs naked as the day,
fe-..t wears AGO, when he was born, and
b.v.sr. rlre ashamed of 1t than he was
W.e. U.l1d a finely shaped head. end
Ghost v.s well developed, but his arms
v.-. t.1 and long and his hands claw
a- les We're shfunken to skin and
ll. and crooked up under him IKE tho
.D.s of All animal. lis BODY was not
i.r.. Uut the breast and front OF the body
81. badly burned cailCuswlth crouch
I'D against the stove IN winter. Ills
eos, too. had suffered ia the same way
With the aId ot some diplomacy he was
.r,l 90 get ont and strike giant.
..a hc hoppcd OF the bel and jumped
s-.-- t.o floor on his hands and feet,
rrr Ike a cross between kangaroo
a.l vgrv scedy bulldog. Then be
ire.l on 10 the bed again. II was the
-. lela~ad and revolving libel on Gods
.... tIat ever threw q shadow IN tho
...... of talk, during which the strange
. t.r. sat au the bed huCCing his bony
. be- howed that he was possessed OF
L... arr OF intelligence. and seemed 70
t.. clear on al points except the
n .hr bee goes abOut N such an eN-
.-.r,.r mnle costume.
.ut -t,Dd up' hc SAID. " I've lost
,e.h 80 NV legs 10y going about hk9
.Ia.. IA I practice on thcm for
a. could. land up. ] can read, but
INVOICES lave been So bad lately can't see.
Ia.. ..ae naked Ike tLls since l was
...... tuu1tyyoars old, about thirty
f.... altogether. 4 u ed g. 20 outside,
...I.. gll & been away from The house Tor
C.r. .,tr. 1 don't know why ! don't
t.. Clothes. Guess III have 20 come TO
t. ... ~ those Gtys. Sly mother tried
'. To- DO. but / wouldn't ! never
ar..'
r-. perhaps. it was some form OF
ra. he was questioned about
.. .r-wnfcd vrrv lnfelhgentiy tnnt
l.. ts bible and believed in God. and
n- belonged To the Presbyte-
r.... r..4ol. though no minister las
s-...lu tear. Ilou % tried on vari-
eccmtd sound enough. ex-
.. .ulI give no reason Tor the
vs. .r. Beside him was violin
l.u 'ltlousiy ont OK place IN the
cl .t ...- ue can play u, but as there
l.I... ID the bow the visitors didn't
l.. a a.. 10 hear him play. lie
r.. of TIE instrument aud kept
Nr.. .l..4 newspaper. There was no
.- place and IL was Is bare
t.. -re outer room, except that
q come through the roof
a were large holes IN the
ha ..f and 10 was no wonder ne
lself over the fire IN winter
gram was quite talkative when
ftt.. ..ue out. tic said his name
zimmerman and he was eighty
. Nis sons name IS William
De-. su.
cutie an active lad, and could
te best of them until he got TO
&C twenty,n lac said. Then
Scout his clothes and sew them
r. untl al last they We're so
't tacy would not go on. Then
.oul in ms shiIt uutil that all got
81. .. tut the collar. and when that
IL. w.s lcft as you see him. We've
iI ..i TINE here. and the place IS bad :;
t.st can l dog ! formerly had ten
. aui. but | decided II 70 my son,
h. L4rcrman. and ne was 10 keep
aries. but he does not do IL.
.... .r.oo.hcr sonsand two daughters,
lar n,ar nere don't want TO 90 TO
....- pa 81. Calharines. We get along
Ugh here and like the place be-
G. ave lived here SO many years"
i.t uN-sv gong country authorities have
,he place recently, and II Is likely
tine VIII be done soon to care for
lto ue n, but II IS q shame that such q
'ro ~ Sings should have existed 50 long