File:Wild Man (of the Woods, New York) - 1921-12-23 - L'Anse Sentinel (L' Anse, MI), p. 15.jpg

Summary

The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.), 23 Dec. 1921. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn96077142/1921-12-23/ed-1/seq-15/>

Text

IS TERRORIZED BY WILD MAN

Adirondack Community in Verita- ble Reign of Terror Over Mystery Man.

POSSES HUNT IN VAIN

State Constabulary Scour the Woods in Search of His Hiding Place, but Fail to Solve the Mystery — Appears Daily.

Malone, N. Y. — For several weeks a veritable reign of terror has existed among the people of that part of this country, called the "back woods," which rejoices in the euphonious name of Skerry. Women sleep ill o' nights, children are kept from school, or guarded by adults on their way there and back, lonely females cower be- hind locked doors and men wag their heads in gossip as they ponder over the puzzle of the wild man, cause of all the pother.

That there is a wild man inhabit- ing the woods, appearing and disap- pearing strangely in the more settled districts, apparently content with waving a big club and threatening children, seems beyond dispute. For has he not been seen over and over again by women and children, some- times clothed only in the garb of Adam and sometimes wearing a gunny sack? And always he is wav- ing that big club.

Search in Vain.

The puzzle of the masculine popula- tion of Skerry is to find his hiding place, for he has proved a veritable will-o-the-wisp. It is generally con- ceded that it must be in a big swamp on the Deer river, which is peculiarly suitable setting for a modern Tarzan; but this belief is due to the fact that he has not been found elsewhere rather than to any evidence akin to proof. Posses have been organized and search of the woods made, and the state constabulary of this village have been called upon in vain to solve the mystery.

This man appeared in Skerry about the middle of last month. He was an Irishman, was lame, and clothed in overalls, without coat or hat. He in- quired of Abe Patton and, later, of Charles Trin, both Skerryites, the way to a lumber camp, and received from each minute directions to guide him. No one has ever met him since, unless he be the wild man, and ap- parently he never reached the camp. The next day two woodmen, named La Hare and Payne, reported that they had heard cries of some one in trouble, coming from the woods, and that they halloed and followed the cries. into the forest for fully three hours without coming up with the man. The wife of La Hare has add- ed to the mystery by reporting that on the same day she saw from a back window of her home a strange man, naked to the waist, holding his hands above his head, and wandering through the brush. Soon afterward he dis- appeared into the woods,

Makes Appearance Dally.

Since then almost daily there have been reports of the man's appearance and mysterious movements, but though large numbers of men have scoured the country for him, none has been able even to get sight of him. At times as many as 100 men, under Sheriff Steenberge and the state con- stables have been engaged in this search. Their failure has only added to the nervous strain under which the women of Skerry live, and which has resulted in steps to protect children. This action has been spurred by the reports of one boy chased by the man with threats to kill him with his club, and of a little girl, left alone in her home, who was terrorized by the ap- ppearance of the man and his attempt to force his way into the house. Upon these reports state troopers made an- other attempt with the aid of a police dog to run the man down.

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