“WILD MAN’S” PLIGHT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 20 May 1925, Page 10

“WILD MAN’S” PLIGHT.

DESTITUTE: AND STAPYIXfc!

THE EE YEA US IN THE BUSH

At various ' times during the last tliree; years, police stationed jn the hill districts surrounding Adelaide have received reports from residents of a “wild ninn,” clothed in rags and with long, mailed hair, who had been seen acting in a suspicious manner, and had no risible means of support. Diligent search was made for the man on di If event occasions, but as no crime was reported that might have been attributed to him, the searches were abandoned when they did not meet with quick success. But now the mystery has been solved. One recent night, a motorist approaching the city from an outlying suburb, saw in the glare of bis headlights a strange creature lying on the roadway. He narrowly averted running over it, and, stopping his car and going back, he found a man lying unconscious. He was garbed only in a couple of sugarbays, with the- remains of booty tied up with similar material. His hair was long and matted,' and there was other evidence of extreme destitution. Police and medical attention was called. The man was. taken to hospital, where he was found to be on the point of starvation. - Later the man told a strange story. He gave Iris name as Loughlin Dolan, an Irish immigrant, about thirty-two years of age, and since his arrival here three years ago he had been living in tiie bush, Jiis chief means of nourishment during the whole of that time being rabbits" apples, and water. He arrived in Adelaide, from Liverpool with about £200; intendin'g to go to relatives jn Western Australia, hut for some reason, which he would not disclose, but which he indicated had worried him, he decided to “go bush.’’ What became of most of his £2OO is not known, but lie had £7O tied up in a small bag round his waist when found.

During his three years in the bush Dolan was absolutely out of touch with the world. He had seen people, lint had carefully kept out of sight. He read neither newspapers nor hooks, anti wrote nothing. He said that he did not travel far from the spot where he was found,' but he was always on the mqve and did not build a permanent shelter. When rabbits became sca'rce in one place he moved to another where they were more plentiful. It was on one of these transfers of camp, that Dolan, fainting, fell on the road, and so came hack to civilisation. His matches had run out soon after he began his wild life, and afterwards he made lire ,by rubbing sticks together, or ale his food uncooked. The wearing out of his clothes, had led to his clothing himself An' hags in which lie was encased when found. '

Of his previous life, Dolan would say little beyond stating that he had been brought up oil a farm ill Ireland. For about eight months before lie came to Australia lie worked as a gardener in Liverpool. He had been, in love with a girl in London, and they had intended marrying and making a home in this country, but whether a change of mind on the part of the girL was, the cause of his decision to turn his back on the world and lead a singular, a s well a.s a single life, Dolan would not even hint.”