Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-01-08

=. deer skins. raw and
bloody. his feet and'legs bound with straw,
his face half covered by hair from his
beard and head. and swinging a long club
In his hand.
Somebody playing Santa Claus" they
Stole C%hiIdren's Luncheons.
But a few days later children going to
school through the forests returned an hour
after they had left home breathless and
wild man. Breaking from the underbrush
at a lonely spot, he had laid hand on them,
not violently; but in a terrifying style.
roar that issued from the wild mans lips.
The children were not slow in %denuding
their pockets and baskets Of their lunch
their earrings and other petty valuables.
But the wild man magnanimously refused
the gold and lucre. threw the victuals in a
Now the wild mans reputation was fully
established and In the course of weeks and
m Ieeends that he 0e @jll pro dhe hero bs Of nnmeTo Jus
lovers of folklore for years to come. The
robberies continued Internationally Not
iuncheons. but sturdy market women and
market men alike had to part with their
wares. The wild man appeared to-day
aided save for a cracking in the woods.
He seemed to prefer to forage when there
was only a single person around, but in
him than a bunch Of school childrea. AS a
matter Of fact, all forest wanderers paid
their tribute to the unknown without much
rible deer skin. his awful club and in his
Robinson Crusoe get-up--as soon as ne
leaped from the thicket. filling the air with
set their contributions of eggs. sausage,
butter. bread and ham upon the ground
real craze for ham. for while his speech
grew more and more confused as tile
months went by. his demand for schinker
| ord whenever he met people.
summer came. but change Of Season
ton Of Biilach forest. Children no ionse,
frequented the woods and the market PEG
pie went about their business trembling
and fearful of the losses they were bonnt
to sustain II the unknown caught them
The aid of the police had been invoked
but to no avail.
Clad I'm His Beard.
AS the warmth increased the wild mar
| gradually discarded his Robinson Crusoe
uniform. and in the dog days he was al.
most naked save for a loin cloth, or rag
and a two-foot beard and locks. Then il
was that the scientists aforementioned
took up the case and formulated their va
rious suggestions: The learned men ap.
catch this rare bird for them Sin the inter.
ests of humanity" and the kind-heartet
/ OHlCldl WHO Ddu looked on Calmly Wn1lc l1e
people Of his province were robbed anG
frightened out of their wits concluded tina
at last something must be done. So at the
beginning Of this month he dispatched q
posse of gendarmes to Billach, who were
to cooperate with the local authorities
| This little army remained in the field three
days and three nights. beating the bushes
and ransacking the caves. Finally OF the
morning of the fourth day they found theil
prey innocently sleeping on the top of q
big oak tree. In the branches of which he
had constructed for himself an impro nptI
couch of skins. rags and dry leaves. The
| gendarmes cautiously surrounded the cam
OF the wild man. passed a rope over hi:
breast and feet and then awoke him..
Called for Ham and Beer.
Ten minutes later the soldiers laughed
heartily about their dreadful anticipations
for their prisoner proved to be the meekes
sort of a being. Though seemingly unable
to speak. he doubtless understood human
language, for he followed orders ike a re
cruit. He also called for schinken ant
gleefully partook of a drink of beer of
fered by one of his captors. His transporta
ton to the town was n sort Of triumpha
march-for the gendarmes at least. Th,
country people blessed them and the chill
dren kissed their hands for Kidding the dis
trict of the dangerous Moloch.
Imprisoned. the wild man kept up hi
silence for a whole week; he refused t
answer questions and would not toucl
cooked food, so that at last the prisol
physician ordered that nothing but col,
| vfct1alS such as he