The record-union., 1892-04-05
PLACER'S WILD MAN.
A Bear River Hermit Who is Not on
the Register.
Almost Naked and wild as a Deer
Strange Discovery Made by
Some Boys.

The Placer Herald of Saturday tells the
following interesting story: "a gentle
man by the name of S. Noman was in
town the other day and told a rather SEN
sational story about wild man, who has
been discovered out near Bear River, iii
this county, in the wooded region be-
tween Gautier's and the McCourtney
crossing. His den WAS first, found by
some boys who were cut on foot after cat
tie. On the south side Of Bear River, al a
point where the bank consists of large
powders for some distance up the side Of
the canyon, there is enc place where
rocks the size of houses have 50 lodged us
to form a natural cavern. The boys III
climbing over the rocks saw the opening
and concluded TO explore il.
LAS they neared the place they noticed
in the bottom ola small rayine leading to
the cave evidences OF a trodden path and
the plain signs of human footprints. This
further excited their curiosity, and they
concluded that some Indians had been
occupying the place temporarily On
reaching the opening they were further
surprised TO find, short distance from
the mouth, the live enbers of Smould-
ering fire. Bones were numerous near
the cave, and on a ledge of rock rested
aDOut Nall Oh Sindll-SiEeu HOS Wnlcn
had been dressed by sllinning. Well
back in the cave was lot of old sacks,
rags and leaves, so impressed as to indi
cate that they had been used for bed.
All the signs showed that the occupant
or occupants were human, and that the
place had not been long deserted.
They got to specializing as to what
might happen II the owner or owners,
whatever it, he, she or they might be,
should find them there, They prudently
concluded to retire a short distance and
from behind q pile of rocks where the
cave could be seen by them watch u
while at least for developments. With
this idea in view they started to climb
over the rocks, but had not gone more
than fifty yards when they were startled
by an unearthly screech followed imme-
diateiy by the Whlzzlng Of rock past
their heads. They turned, and looking
in the direction whence came the noise
they saw standing on large fiat rock
about seventy-fye yards distant, and on
| the farther side of the cave from them a
yeritable wild man of the woods or q
'cave-dweller of the foothills He
hurled rocks at them at such lively rate
that they found it necessary TO take shell
ter behind the powders, and by lodging
from one to.another they soon got away.
They describe him as stalwart in fOrIa,
bronzed IN color, naked except some
Z
hair rough, ragged and hanging to his
shoulders. The boys reported their dis
covery. and the neighborhood, as may be
supposed, has become considerably eX-
cited, and while everybody is anxious to
know more OF the strange cave dweller,
there arc few who care to take the re-
sponsibility Of visiting his habitation.
There is talk of organizing an expedition
for the purpose OF thoroughly investigat-
ing the case and capturing the wild
creature.
"'rhe loss of many a pig and calf, the
mysterious disappearance of which has
been the cause of ugly suspicious among
/ the neighbors, is now accounted for, and
the feeling in that section is that the wild
man must be captured or driven away,
or the people there continue to stand
the loss of such of their animals as he
wants TO eat. Who the man is or where
he came from nobody in the neighbor-
hood seems to know. HIS appearance
and the signs about his habitation indi-
cate that he has been there a long time.'