South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-02-15
CATCH WILD MAN
IN COLORADO
WiId-eyed ReCIuSe, CARRIED in
Animal Skins, Believed
to be Insane.

Dl RANCE. Colo. FEB li-Has
Colorado unesrthed counterpart
OF the famous wild Man Of Borneo?
That is the question puzzling Of
hoials Of Ia Plata county. In south
western Colorado.
The Wild Man OF Borneo was no
moro feTocious looking than the
Wild-eyed. staring caveman that is
languishing IN the county Jail here.
according 20 Sheriff Alexander who.
with the aid Of two deputies. cap
tured the gorilla-Hke human In a
cave in Animas canon. north of
this city.
Tall and gaunt. with long. un-
kempt hair struggling from be-
meath a ragged cap. matted whisk-
ers; his hairy body draped in skins
OF wild animals. with strips cut
from the hide OF a mountain bear
encasing his feet the strange man
was trapped I'm his isolated noun
tain cave by the county officers ard
brought here for investigation. The
aroma OF wild beasts eXuded from
his body when he was captured. the
officers said.
Captive Thought Insane.
The captive IS believed insane,
but how long he has been hiber-
mating IN the mountain den is a
mystery.
During lucid moments the weird
stranger SAYS that he has been
roaming the hills or the San Juan
country for years; that he first
sought solitude IN the canons and
caves because OF bitterness over
unrequited love for a beautiful girl.
A faded picture OF a young woman
and strands Of golden hair. found on
the wild man" lead authorities 20
believe his condition IS due 70 az
unfortunate love affair.
Efforts 10 learn his name have
been unsuccessful. and he invaria-
bly, reverts TO uninteIligfble cultural
sounds when questioned as TO his
identity.
Fantastic stories OF the presence
Of a wild man" IN the nearby hills
became current in the village OF
lockwood. For several weeks il
was said the wild man had been
sinking through the timber Of the
Durango national forest, but always
succeeded in evading pursuers from
the village.
Find Hermit In Cave.
When the stories Of the uncanny
activities OF the strange recluse
were brought 70 Sheriff Alexander
he Immediately started for the
scene with two deputies. After a
few days Vigil they located the cave
i'm which the man made his ualOvely
hermit home. The entrance was
skulfulIy concealed with brush and
rocks.
The officers recountered great
difficulty in reaching the cave. as
the entrance was at the top OF an
almost perpendicular path, and they
were forced carefully TO pick their
way along narrow lodges.
When trapped the man offered no
resistance No weapon OF any kind
was found upon his person OF in the
cave. but in the long. narrow tun-
mel where he had lived" for some
time were discovered many utensils,
and a quantity Of bear meat
Asst. Pros. Atty. John O'Rourke
Of Durango. has had several inter
views with the wild man." who is
confined IN the insane ward OF the
county jail. O'Rourke SAYS the
prisoner is never violent, but fire.
Quently grunts and growls like some
Wild animal At other times when
ne appears rational, he talks glibly
OF his nomadic esItstence-tellinE of
having fought wild beasts TN the
mountain Businesses some Of which
ne killed for food; OF being shot at
by hunters. who mistook him for
an animal: OF lying in lonely can
ons when his only food was rats
and chipmunks OF having spent
weeks i'm mountain cabins, penned I
in by huge snowdrifts-
Tells narrowing Tale.
The wild man." according 20
Pros. O'Rourlcc. has told a harrow
ing tale OF suffering from exposure. |
He said his feet had been frozen. :
and. when modification set in. he .
pulled the decaying toes from their
sockets and scared the wounds with F
red hot rocks 20 check the spread .
OF eangrene. Occasionally, when he T.
suffered excruciatingiy from hum I
ger. the wanderer licked mountain +
rocks 10 obtain a taste Of salt
Examinations 20 determine the f.
mans sanity are being made by 7.
county physicians. while the dis .
trict attorneys office is making ev- .
cry effort 20 discover some trace of /
his origin.
Presence OF Mind-Pat and Mike /