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

man, between go and 30 years of age,
by the name Of John Starncs, com
monty knowh as ovid John He is
the son OF "A highly respectable farmer,
Of the same section Of country, BY the
name Of John Starncs.
From early childhood John showed
Il disposition to shun the society of
his youthful companions. That dis
position grew stronger and stronger,
until u day, when about the age Of
20, he disappeared. Some time passed,
when it was discovered that he had
gone cut in the woods, dug a hole,
covered it with brush and poles
and was living in it. What prompted
him to take such a step is not known.
There are numerous reasons suggested
for his leading such a life, some Of
which are: Failure in love. an acct
dent when a 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 a life,
and offered him a house at the CASTOR
mill, but he spurned their offer, and
continued to live in the hut. About
1893, during u very heavy snowstorm,
lie 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-
tcrmined to kill him, and. in spite of
their earnest %cntreatics, returned to
his hut.
y young photographer at this place,
by the name Of Gold, was anxious for
a picture of John, so he went to see
him, and finding him in his hut,
induced him to partakc Of somc Of the
dispcnsary's chemically pure (0'
S0-proof. That had the desired eff
feet, and Il picture was obtained. In
fortunately'it proved a failure. Mr..
Gold determined to have a good pic
turc Of this freak of human nature,
went back again some time after
wards. This time he obtained a re-
markably good picture. He sent a
copy, in u beautiful frame, to John.
The recipient showed his appreciation
of the gift by getting wilder han
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 end cunning.
His complexion is sallow. and his
black hair long and unkempt.
His abode beggars description. lie
sleeps in an old dry goods box, which
only covers the upper part Of his
body. His food is cooked on a fat
stone. When he leaves his home on
a hunting or fishing trip, he never
fails to lock his door, which consists
in the placing of a board a ross 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 dislikcs for anyone &c
visit him. Whenever he sees q per-
son coming he endcavors 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 a omar To him the
female is the incarnation Of the world,
the flesh and the devil.
Of the outside world he knows
nothing. OF its pleasures and trou-
blcs he has no conception. Money
and it's value he has never seen or
learned.
On one occasion some gentlemen,
while out hunting, discovered John in
his "castle." 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
Il piece of silver money on his door
sill and then departed. y few min
utcs later John arose. and satisfying
himself that his unwclcome guest had
departed, he picked up the coin gin
gcrly, examined itdubiously, and then
carried it some distance from his hut
and placed it upon z stump.
When asked once why he never Wis
tied Blacksburg, he replied that he
owed some people there, and that they
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