Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-07-27
GHOSTS AND DEAD MEN ALIVE.
A SINGULAR STORY.

The Concord IN. H. Statesman Of Friday pub.
Ii'h.s moIt singular deposition, taken before a
Jisiiee OF the peace at Grafton in that state fla.
zen Whitcher and David NJ. Norris depo.e that on
the night of June 10, they were watching at the
death bed OF their neighbor Samuel Mann, oi ~ 1rth
Benton, in a small room, the situation Of which is
thus described.
The bed was on the north side, the fire place on
the south side, the door way to the kitchen on the
cast, and door leading into bed room on the west
cad OF the room, and Sc. of drawers, on the cast
side OF the room near the foo. OF the bed, and
window by the foot, on the north side. The win.
dow was raised from four TO six inches. The door
into the kitchen was open, and Mr George w Mann
slept there in the south cast corner of IT, The doo-
INTO tho bed room was shut, and MIS-. Peter Howe
and Mrs. Mann slept there.
The man with whom they were watching Ind
been ~ dying state for several days. but appear
Ell to have perfect possession OF hi, scoses AGc,
the house still on Sunday night the deposition
goes on 10 sly -
Mr. whtcher was Standing by the foot Of the
bed, close 10 the open window, md MIR Norris was
sitting south Of the four or i've PAGES from the
head on the west side Of the room. The candle
was Standing on the mlniel, over the fire place
when We both distinctly heard a groan. We are
| both positive Il could no. come from the sick man.
nor he bed whereon he was, nor from another
]
US both.
whi,eher stepped To tho fro place To get IN.
light, to ses what the noise came from or what caus
ell II. As he took the light and turned around to-
ward the bed, we both saw the room lighted IN sll
q, once with une1uhly crimson olored igbt I,
almost eNunguIshed the light OF he candle so that the
| light was very feeble, arp,nnuy almost out-spd
| Immediately We both a strange looking man
Standing between us and the bed, look NJ spnnren,-
| " az Mr. Mann-hs dress cannot describe his
whole face we did not see. Ills clothes were dark.
but we cannot give the fashion OF make, nor say
wheihsr he had on boos shoes or hot. or not
We were both trnnshXed-both stood there side
by side, as Norris had risen up, Whtcher still hold
ing the cand IN his hand and FIRE in the FIRE place
At leas, none that gave any light, and the strange
! nan stood before US, his back toward US and his
fee towsrd Mr. Mann, Mr. Mann appe red much
excited and agitnted; no rolled on he bel and
threw his arms bout and opened his eyes wide open
and appeared frightened To gaze upon the nppart.on
and then lfed 70 cover up his head.
The sick man. It = stated, then declared that he
had forty years previously assisted his employer IN
mnricrnga man and making away with the bo-
! dY. lie mentioned the name Of Edwards, but in
! WHIT conneIlon the Opponents cannot soy. The
AFFIDAVIT then goes on;
! He called no oil her name, and We miy DO mis,ak
| en- M this name, Tut think We Gre not. He ther
| sunk down, after turning over once or twice md
throwing his arms about gro1ned and died. We
| kno" We woto frightened and could not speak, or
ga soi' nor DID the stranger, and as as Mann
I "
stfanger) was gone. How he got IN or on, we know
not; one door was open, but We did not see him
come IN or 60 Out, nor can We believe that he did
The cii,or ofthe Statesman in connection with
the AFFIDAVIT tells the following story.
About forty, or fody-hvs years since, I've tel
the story C. told 10 us by individuals In the vicinity)
man BY the name Of Hodgdon was working Ia
| L7ndah, N. H., asa joiner. The llst season he
| was there, he hnished Oh a house for Jonathan
| Moves, and made HE home with Mr. Moves during
the timo.-He lent Noyes some two or three hun
dred dollars IN money, W th1t when tho house wa,
finished Noyes vas indebted 10 him about four hue.
dfed dollars, for la0or and money. When NoyoP,
house WIS completed, hc went 10 work upon a house
Tor Mr. John Gross, IN the vicinity, bis cloths nno
part 81 bic toO.s still remaining a, Noyes's house.
lie leh Cross house one evening 10 90 up {,
MrNoyeSs-was never seen after that time Son,
lite excitement existed there (is the old peopl,
say) NJ the time, respecting his mysterious dissp
ponranas, but ne he was stranger, IN a measure d
was said he hsd gbsconded, and NoYes soon afte
pretended 10 have received letter from some~her,
~ Now York, requesting him tNoyes) 70 sell bt
I'LL gdOn's) tools, and other hngs and send m,
money 0n 70 him, which he accordingly did, bu