Amazing Story Of A Bigfoot Captured And Released (1871)
Editor’s Note: This is a guest post by Bigfoot Chicks, Melissa Adair. As serious researchers, the Bigfoot Chicks are commited to seeking the truth regarding the Bigfoot mystery. You can visit their blog at bigfootchicks.blogspot.com.This is an amazing story from 1871 that describes in detail the capture and release of an alleged Bigfoot. What I found highly interesting is that the creature spoke English and claimed to be from Ireland and stated that he'd been living in the woods for two years. He gave his name and the locals released him. Strange things continued to happen and the village was terrified by this man-beast. More attempts were made to capture the creature but the villagers were unsuccessful.
Another Wild Man-A Peculiar Character Abroad in Pennsylvania
pg.1 July 30, 1871; The New York Times
Another Wild Man- A very Peculiar character Abroad in Pennsylvania
The following sensations from the Reading Eagle: Never in the history of the southern part of Berks has there been such an excitement as has been gone through within the last two weeks, caused by the subject of this article. About two weeks ago a man presenting the appearance of a huge over grown bear made his appearance on the Welsh mountain, directly opposite the village of Morgantown, and made the night hideous with his beast-like howling.
The citizens becoming alarmed, concluded to catch him, if possible, and, with this object in view a number of the neighbors assembled, armed with guns, clubs, etc. and started for the mountain. The men were deployed in squads, and at times the yells from this half man and half beast were so close t them that they thought it utterly impossible for him to escape, yet when morning dawned the object of their search was nowhere to be found.
Night after night the same doleful howlings re-echoed through the valley bordering on the mountain. A few days since he was seen in a field back of the village, and a number of the citizens started in pursuit and overtook him. He was captured and brought to the hotel of Mr. D.K. Plank.
When caught he was very nearly in a nude state, having but a few rags hanging to his body. The hair on his head hangs down his back; his face is very nearly covered with long, bushy hair, giving him the appearance of a gorilla more than of a human being.
To questions put to him he said he was a native of Ireland, and had lived in the State of Connecticut for a long time. He gave his name as Thomas Foley, and says he has been roaming in the woods for two years.
A good suit of clothes was put upon him, and he immediately started for the mountains, tearing his clothes in strips as he moved along.
The horses and cattle belonging to farmers along the mountain run and gallop through the fields continually, as if frightened from some unknown cause; the dogs howl and cry as soon as night approaches; in fact the community is in a terrible state of excitement.
Crowds have gone out night after night to capture him, but up to this time have not succeeded.
At times he is seen on his hands and feet, moving along with the fleetness of a wild tiger. A most singular circumstance connected with this affair, is that since he has made hes appearance, and near the residence of Mr. Robert Yocum, a farmer, his horses and cattle refuse to eat, and are constantly running over the fields as if some demon was after them.
He runs through the bushes with the swiftness of a deer, and persons cannot get near him.
On Saturday night about forty men from the village and vicinity repaired to the mountain, and near the residence of Mr. Yocum, and dept watch during the night, and at times he would appear in close proximity to them, but when they would start for him he was off like a race-horse.
A few nights since this "What Is It?" made his appearance in the village, on his hands and feet. In a few minutes the villagers were up in arms ready to annihilate this curious specimen of humanity. He made at the crowd on all fours, when there was a general scatterment and stampede.
What will become of this animal it is difficult to tell. All other topics are lost in the discussion of this strange affair. If caught, the citizens have promised to bring him to Reading.
I think the Bigfoot chicks need to replace the word serious in their description with laughable.
ReplyDeleteCome on, a Bigfoot that spoke English and said he was from Ireland.
Churning up old stories with nothing to do with Bigfoot does you no justice at all.
IF there was such a thing as serious Bigfoot research you girls couldn't find it with a sat nav
I'm not going to even acknowledge the Bigfoot chicks posts anymore, if everyone stops ready these piles of crap then Shawn may get the hint and stop them posting
Sorry girls but this was one step too far
+1000
Deletedo these BF chicks articles get reproduced from the book: The Historical Bigfoot (by Chad Arment)? It reprints hundreds of historical (alledged) bigfoot sightings/encounters from the early 1800s to the 1940's.
DeleteI haven't read the book, but I've seen it on amazon.
More titties, less worthless content please.
DeleteA-Fricken-Men!!!
DeleteThis is more garbage from the chicks- your credibility is as laughable as FB/FB.
DeleteSomeone please start a petition to ban this garbage from that garbage site. Tell 'em to go make me a sammich instead.
DeleteLet's look at this with a bit more intelligence, shall we?
DeleteWe know these old papers loved making up stories and exaggerating to boost readership, right? (Yes, we do.)
And all the reports Melissa has been posting seem to basically be bigfoot, but then throw in some anomalous (to us) element, like it being a foreigner living wild in the woods, wearing clothes, using a caveman club, etc, right? (Yes, all that is correct.)
So... what might we take away from these stories?
Perhaps the initial sightings and so forth (awful howls, "oversized bear" appearance, odd effect on animals) are based on a real encounter in this little community, but the stranger aspects (being a man, basically) were added by the paper to make it more sensational, and to "scoop" their rival papers with new information.
Does that affect our modern search for evidence? Not really, but it is an interesting story, and a lesson in how people and the media behave, at any rate.
Ummm...Does anyone else hear crickets chirping?
ReplyDeleteyes. :)
DeleteLoved the story. Old papers are the best, keep 'em coming!
DeleteWho made you King and Queen Anon at 12:20 am.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed it and would like to be able to continue to read articles and form my own conclusions on my own without YOU deciding what is appropriate or not.
12:20 was made king and queen by logical reasoning. Something which is apparently foreign to you.
DeleteIs it inappropriate for me to say I would actually take a shit into this Bigfoot Chicks vagina?
DeleteTotally inappropriate,unless you're a jackass.
DeleteWell, I am, so I guess it's appropriate. I want to shit into this Bigfoot chicks vagina.
DeleteThere's a reason we don't have proof yet. People love to exclude data left and right, and ridicule those who might suggest we take a look at it.
DeleteI think you've cracked it, the reason we haven't found a Bigfoot is that every time we catch one they use an alias like Thomas Foley and throw us off the trail.
DeleteThe Bigfoot chicks are really on to something with this...
Again Andrew Charlton here
yawn** why do they feel the need to regurgitate old yarns. maybe if the bf chicks included a topless photo with these articles they might be .001% more interesting. Better yet, offer clothing optional bigfoot expiditions and I bet you'll be booked solid for the next 2 years.
ReplyDeleteThe old yarns kick ass.
DeleteStory is meh, picture is laughable aspect.
ReplyDeleteDoes this irish bigfoot drink Guinness?
ReplyDeleteAmazing Story of Drunk Irishman Captured And Released (1871)
ReplyDeleteMelissa, shoot yourself in the face already.
God, how I wish you'd do the same. Don't click a story by her if you don't like the content.
DeleteWhy did they cut off the picture before showing the bigfoots penis!? I was so close... *fapfapfapfapfap* ohhhhhhhhh patttyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, here i comeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely authentic! It cant be faked. Impossible. Use of non reason fallacy.
These are nothing more than newspaper pulp fiction filler stories, made up by writers to fill space on slow news days.
ReplyDeleteA common practice of the times. These days we have Tabloids for this stuff.
Do you honestly think you are telling people here something they don't know? Really?
DeleteUmmm how is it that they describe the man as looking like a gorilla when the gorilla wasn't discovered for another 31 years....??? Bullshit!
ReplyDeleteLion-
Shhh don't post facts! Footers get upset.
DeleteUmmm the Gorilla was known about well before it was officially "Discovered" by "Science." Remind you of anything else we all know?
DeleteMartowleps.
DeleteGreat find, BFC. Ignore the blowhards, perverts and peabains and keep these great old stories coming.
ReplyDelete- Anchorite
Do not encourage her!
DeleteWhat do you expect to see on this site anyway? Conclusive DNA evidence? Footprint cast photos? Video of beef jerky Sasquatch on the View? Historical research is research, the REAL kind, and in an area where there's actually something to find.
DeleteI agree, these stories found by Melissa are always a cool read. This is actually real research, just not the type that most here prefer, apparently.
DeleteThe funniest part? It's these rejects who keep clicking on her articles to complain that are bringing in ad revenue and convincing Shawn to keep posting her stuff. :)
A click on an article is like a vote saying "Yes please, more of this type of thing!" no matter WHAT you may say in the comments. Remember that, guys.
this was really interesting -- thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteJust goes to show you should never trust the Irish.
ReplyDeleteAny stories about a Chinese bigfoot... there has to be because everyone knows you can't trust them either.
The Bigfoot chicks need to look up "plagiarism". Isn't Mellisa a teacher? Each one of their stories, is ripped off, word for word, from someone else.
ReplyDeleteBooks attributed to me...
DeleteBooks attributed to Anonymous?
DeleteIf they are really plagiarizing you, you have grounds for legal action. Why not pursue that in the courts instead of posting about it on a silly comments forum?
"Looks". LOOKS attributed to me.
DeleteBlowhard.
That's the dumbest shit I have ever read in my life.
ReplyDeleteI find that very hard to believe.
DeleteWow, more regurgitation from the BF chicks! I swear they just copy and paste internet articles and call it research, truly a waste of time.
ReplyDeleteIn case you haven't noticed, that is largely what Bigfoot Evidence does, copy and paste. So why are you coming here if it so offends you?
DeleteBy the way, you might want to look up research in the dictionary. What Melissa is doing here IS research. (FWIW, running around the woods hollering is NOT research.)
Im sure they have done that too.
DeleteI like the story and yes I believe it is bigfoot related. As far as all you anonymous posting people using inappropriate remarks and being all skeptical. I think you are a bunch of pussies for not using a real name and also more than likely arm chair skeptics or bigfooters who can't get their asses out into the field to do their own research and sitting on your ass and looking up bigfoot stuff and never getting out into the field is just as much chicken shit as your post!!!!! Happy investigating next to your heater and your hot cocoa!!!!!
ReplyDeleteNow I want to shit into Johns vagina.
DeleteFuk you John Melland you whinney pussy. You must be on your period you bitch!
DeleteI was the very first poster, I'm very glad you enjoyed the story but please be so good as to explain how a crazy homeless Irish man living in the woods is remotely Bigfoot related.
DeleteI posted as an anon because I don't have any of the accounts listed, I'm not scared to post my name. Hello my name is Andrew Charlton and I'm here to read interesting articles about Bigfoot but for some reason the Bigfoot chicks like to post entirely unrelated stories.
I also live 1000's of miles from any areas suspected of being Bigfoot habitat so apologies for not getting out in the field more, however I personally believe the best evidence for the existence of Bigfoot is the geographic analysis of Bigfoot sightings, sightings by altitude when compared to the winter migration patterns of prey species.
I don't need to be in the field or even the same continent to contribute to that do I?
I'm an Anonymous pussy, but I agree with you about the article, John. Awkward, right?
DeleteAndrew - Ignore the homeless Irishman part. It's just creative license by the writer. 19th Century "journalism" was full if that kind of stuff.
DeleteDisregard any claim of bigfoot "capture". Bigfoot is not something you capture, any more than you capture your own shadow or The Cheshire Cat. Bigfoot is something cool to think about... a genetic memory that tells about ourselves.
It is also a good excuse to go camping and a great way to meet chicks. Well... everybody needs a hobby.
a
Maybe a great way to meet fat chicks. Maybe.
DeleteI don't have time, I have a regular JOB. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteBTW: I replied to the first post explaining how a crazy Irish man living in the woods is bigfoot related. Peruse it at your leisure, and please remember to read between the lines on these old articles. Doesn't it strike you as an odd mash-up of factual bigfoot sighting and fanciful explanation of same as something mundane? It did to me.
ReplyDeleteYes.
DeleteWell, this solves it. People are trying to capture bigfoot with wood knocks and screams?
ReplyDeleteIn reality we should put out a case of beer, a 1/5 of Jameson, and some corn beef and cabbage and we'll have em!
after you catch him he might lead you to his pot of gold.
DeleteYou'll have to forgive my great great grandfather Foley.
ReplyDeleteIt was actually Matt, not Thomas.
He died at 35, divorced, and lived in a stagecoach down by the river. Rollin' 19th century doobies yo.
Who,whoa,whoa, hold on a minute, timeout: Take a look at the photo of the creature. It definitely is NOT a gorilla, or a human, so what the hell is it? It is definitely strung up with ropes, but look at its eyes. It is definitely not a chimpanzee, so what the hell is it? Notice how round its head is and the thin lips,big mouth. This is not a gorilla, so what the hell is it?
ReplyDeleteCould be an authentic Sas. Yeah, this picture makes me very sad. It was included in another post earlier this month, too, and some people seem convinced it's been photoshopped. I sure hope it has been. It would be too heartbreaking, otherwise.
Delete^ can't separate fantasy from reality. There may be Bigfeet, but that photo is an obvious fake. Kill yourselves if only to strengthen the gene pool.
DeleteThe Picture is a FAKE, I found the REAL Picture of the group of hunters in about 5 seconds on Google Images. All I did was type in 1800's Deer Hunters, and this EXACT Picture came up. Except they were holding a Deer, NOT a Bigfoot. Here is the Link to the Picture- http://www.wilmingtonhistoricalsociety.org/Images/Hunting%20party%20with%20deer.JPG
ReplyDeleteIts funny because that picture is photoshoped in the actual picture there was a buck hanging next to them
ReplyDelete