ANOTHER WILD MAN OP THE WOODS.

Evening Star, Issue 13144, 28 December 1908, Page 6

ANOTHER WILD MAN OP THE WOODS.

Australia has discovered another "Wild man of the woods." For some time recently residents of Invermay, a bush hamlet, to the north of Soldiers' Hill, nea; Ballarat, were alarmed by the erratic con duct of a semi-nude man* with matted haii and beard, who, when night set in. made a practice of begging for food at farmbouses. Ho is a wild-looking individual, and is known among the children of the locality as "the wild man of the woods.* Latterly the man prowled through the bus! in Vale Park, in the vicinity of the o'.« shaft in which the body of the murdereo woman Madge Graham was found in January last, and quite recently he took up his quarters in a dilapidated hut at the rear of the new cemetery. The Ballarat Nortl police went in search of the man, and aft© a chase .captured him. He gave the nam of Thoma6 Wolstencroft. On being takei at midnight to the city lock-up he wai formally charged with having no lawful visible means of support. He is thirtythree years of age, and .appears to have'lost his mental balance. He Va6 covered with dirt, the result of sleeping out on the old diggings, and his clothing consisted merely of a coat and trousers, which had been torn into shreds by contact "with brambles in the bush. Wolstencrofb was brought before the City Court, and was remanded to the gaol for medical treatment. Inspector Ryan said that the man was a hermit, but was apparently of unsound mind, and to a danger to himself and the public.