November 25, 1886 The Wild Man of Ohio

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The Indiana Weekly Progress
Indiana, Indiana County, Pennsylvania
Thursday Morning, November 25, 1886
The Wild Man of Ohio
A Curious Creature Seen Among the Hills of Holmes County
A party of hunters, who have just returned from a hunt in the hills of Holmes County, Ohio, say they encountered a curious creature on their trip. According to their description, a wild man, or some other strange being, is at large in Holmes County. The party who report seeing this strange creature claim that he or it looked like a man, but acted like a wild beast. The creature was encountered near a brushy thicket and willow copse near what is known as Big Spring, where General Buell rested on his march through Ohio, at a point a short distance south of the Wayne County line in Holmes County. The hunters were beating the brush for pheasants when the attention of one of the party was attracted to an object that suddenly darted across the opening in the brush. Later on the object was again seen along the edge of the brush. By the time the hunters had reached open ground, and were surprised to see what they describe as a man, entirely nude, but covered with what appeared to them to be matted hair. When seen he was some distance away, but on discovering the hunters, which included four persons all armed with shot guns, broke and ran. The strange creature pursued them for a short distance until the party had reached a public highway, when he turned back and was seen to enter Killbuck Creek, which he swam, and then disappeared in the brush again. On approaching the water he dropped on all fours and plunged in like a dog, swimming in a manner similar to a canine. The hunters did not have the nerve to return, but got away from the place as soon as possible. They are emphatic in their assertion that they encountered a wild man and describe him as above, but they are of the impression that he is no relative of the famous wild man of Rockaway.