The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-04-06
The Wild Man Of Cherokee.

| man, between OU ana % years ol age,
by the name Of John Starncs, COM
monty known as sWild John. He is
the son Of highly respectable farmer,
of the same section of country, by the
name Of John Starnes.
From early childhood John showed
a disposition to shun the society of
his youthful companions That dis
position grew stronger and stronger,
until one day, when about the age Of
20, he disappeared. Some time passed,
when it was discovered that he had
gone out in the woods, dug a hole,
covered it with brush and poles
and was living in it. What prompted
him to take such step is not known.
There are numerous reasons suggested
for his leading such life, some Of
which are Failure in love. an acci-
dent when child which impaired his
mind, and fear Of being required to
enter the army during the war between
the States.
However that may be, his relatives
tried to get him to give up such life,
and offered him house at the Castor
mill, but he spurned their offer, and
continued to live in the hut About
1895, during very heavy snowstorm,
he was found in his hut frozen near
unto death. He was carried to his
fathers house. After recovering, he
fancied that his relatives were de-
termined to kill him, and, in spite Of
their earnest entreaties, returned to
his hut.
A young photographer at this place,
by the name of Gold, was anxious for
picture of John, so he went to see
him, and finding him in his hut,
induced him to partakc of some of the
dispensary's chemically pure (9'
SO-proof. That had the desired eff
feet, and picture was obtained. I'm
fortunatelyit proved failure. Mr..
Gold determined to have a good pic
ture of this freak of human nature,
went back again some time after
wards. This time he obtained re-
markably good picture. He sent
copy, in a beautiful frame, to John.
The recipient showed his appreciation
of the gift by getting wilder than
ever and tearing it to pieces amid soft
and delicate expressions Of love and
affection for the young artist.
"Wild John" is of average height,
extremely thin, and dressed in rags.
His features are bold, resembling
those of an Indian. His eyes are
bright, and show slyness and cunning
His complexion is sallow, and his
black hair long and unkempt.
His abode beggars description. He
sleeps in an old dry goods box, which
only covers the upper part Of his
body. His food is cooked on fiat
stone. When he leaves his home on
hunting or fishing trip, he never
fails to lock his door, which consists
in the placing of board across the
opening, with stones and chips upon
it, SO that should anyone attempt to
remove the board and enter, he would
know it by the chips and rocks having
fallen off.
"Wild John" dislikes for anyone to
visit him. Whenever he sees per-
son coming he endeavors to hide in
the woods. Sometimes he succeeds:
and sometimes he does not, but he has
never been known to fail in his at
tempt to secludc himself when the in
dividual was woman. 10 him the
female is the incarnation of the world,
Che flesh and the devil.
OF the outside world he knows
nothing. OF it's pleasures and trou-
bles he has no conception. Money
and it's value he has never seen or
learned.
On one occasion some gentlemen,
while out uthunting, discovered John in
his "castlc. He would not. talk
with them. They hunted around his
place and on their way back passed
his hut. John was still there, but as
uncommunicativc as ever. They laid
a piece of silver money on his door
sill and then departed. y few min
utcs later John arose and satisfying
himself that his unwelcomc guest had
departed, he picked up the coin gin
scry. examined it obviously, and then
carried it some distance from his hut
and placed it upon Il stump.
When asked once why he never Wis
tied Blacksburg, he replied that he
owed some people there, and that they