The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-04-08
HooslER GORILLA.
Recent Discoveries 1Iads i'm n Cave In Jen.
nings County.

-
nings County.
VERNON, April Especial This is
one of the oldest towns in Indiana and is
surrounded by rock-rlbbed hills. Years
ago a subterranean cavern was reported to
have been discovered by a man residing
near here named Barnes, which, he
claimed to have explored for a short dis
lance, discovering a large. tall form, some
what resembling human, but appearing
to be naked and covered with a tuft, or
growth of hair. Barnes was so frightened
that he fed from the presence of the
image, whatever it was, and was so ridi-
culed when he told his story that he never
revealed the secret of the location of this
cave.
The story has now been revived by a
startling discovery made yesterday by
Alexander Shepherd, real estate dealer,
who was showing a farm to prospective
purchaser.
Going up deep Iavine, whose bed is
covered with stone for long distance,
they accidentally discovered small en-
trance, or hole, that went underneath a
large hill. Procuring a lantern from a
neighbor, they entered the opening, with
some difficulty. and soon found themselves
inside large and lofty cavern, the rooms
glittering with stalagmites and staactites,
like other caverns OF its character abound
ing in southern Indiana. After passing
through numerous chambers, each more
elaborate and beautiful than the one Just
gone through, they stopped to gaze on the
magnificent spectacle that greeted them
on hand hnf ct11anlxy fhair al
ration turned to horror, and their hair
stood on end, as they discovered only a
few feet from them the huge form of what
seemed to them TO be a gorilla. or some
being resem bling a wild man, naked, and
covered apparently with rough coat of
brown hair
After gazing on the intruders for a mo-
ment, it gave low. cultural snort, and
went ambling off into the deep impene-
trable darkness of the cavern. 1t APP
peared to be over six feet in hight.
After this strange being disappeared,
the explorers turned to the right and dis
covered what appeared to be a store-room,
which was found to contain piles OF pota-
toes, corn and wheat, and bones of fowls,
and in another room, adjoining this one,
was found numerous bones dry with az :.
For a long time, almost nightly, strange
noises have been heard in the locality OF
the deep wood surround ng this subterra-
mean cavern, and all attempts to iathom
the mystery proved a failure. No one
could ever discover the source of the
noise and dogs refused to investigate it.
Farmers in the locality We're losing their
products almost nightly, AMI no one knew
where they went. Ii seemed that In
making its nightly incursions it always
followed the stony pathway of the stream
leading to the cavern, and this accounted
for failure to trace him to his hiding
place.
Years ago, a wild man, or similar per-
sonage, inhabited TrImble county, Ken
lucky, and later, Jefferson county, this
state, adjoining this (JenningsJ county
and for some years. now, no trace of him
has been known. This being is believed
to be the same.
4 large party is being organized tc ex.
plore the labyrinth of the mysterious cav.
ern, and discover the character OF its occu
pant.