WALDERSTON:
An 83-year-old Manchester farmer, who went missing New Year's Day after complaining of receiving an unreasonable land tax assessment, was found on Thursday, by a search party of villagers and police in a deep pit.
He was taken to the Mandeville Regional Hospital in a weak and emaciated condition and admitted.
Information is that Wilbert Lewis, a.k.a. 'Rhoden', of Providence district in Manchester, recently received a tax assessment for the land on which he farms cash crops. He told residents that government was trying to rob him and he wanted to talk to the Justice of Peace about it.
On New Year's Day, Mr. Lewis told his wife that he was going to visit the local pastor. He took two 'bulla' cakes and a bag of clothes with him. When he did not return that day, a search was made but he was not found. A report was made to the police at Kendal and Williamsfield.
On Thursday afternoon, a search party including the police eventually found Mr. Lewis at Bombay, an adjoining district in a deep pit. The clothes he left home wearing was found in cleared away area outside the pit and he was clad in old soiled work clothes. He was taken to the hospital.
According to family members, Mr. Lewis has no history of mental illness.
