April 15, 1910: The Times publishes a curious story about a man whom jailers have nicknamed Charlie Cash, inspired in part by one of the incomprehensible phrases he says: “Kush, kush.” He’s an industrious fellow and whenever he’s put on the chain gang for one of his routine arrests for vagrancy, he does the work of two ordinary prisoners.

“He has a most peculiar tongue and every effort to find someone who could understand him has been fruitless. Linguist and interpreters have been called to talk with him but each one has failed,” The Times says.