Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-11-09
. &c .4nat1el, county dhost. q e


'.Be thou spirit Of health or goblin d93mn'd,
fThoueom In such Questionable ahape that Wan SPEAK
10 tlesstf5,sEEH = kAlts4
The Argus publishes the following apparently
sstraighisfoTEafd comn0nicatOnlin relation the
Ghost story connected with the Arrest of a man
for murder, in Wetzel county. If the parties to
thsstory be persons Of ''striet truth and yeIaeiy,
and cool and self possessed and have no right
to doubt the assurances Of those who; know them
better than we do that they are such, then, our
word for it, there is some cunning rascal at the
bottom of the whole affair who is playing upon the
honesty and veTaeity Of these witnesses in order
so screen the guilty and convict the innoeentT
We have paid some attention TO- This science Of
Ghoslolosy, and our neluson Is that there meyer
was .rnernlaxirn than the old ona that there Is
more to be feared I'VE man than dead one.
Ii W. wished to accomplish a scheme Of deep,
-deyish Vfiiainy, We wouldn't give one live rascal
witlfhs wits wide aWhke, for all tho ghosts and
bobeobns that ever peopled the realms Of the inn
ariSRtion, OF 're-yated the glimpses Of the moonp
in dismal swamps and haunted castles and grave
yards yards We say, look yell to that ghost.
zoe s NEwsAhaFIRsVn1E Nov. 4.
Mi. Edtdr4Dehf Sin: ~ 2 ttkllt9 ,
/ see! IN your last. weeks issue an arti-
Gle ia Redeemed 70 the apprehension Of a man IN
this county for the high crime Of murder, and the
qjffud 81 fhe accusation rests upon the revelation
from the other world, and that the whole evidence
of the guilt OF the party charged was communica-
ted TO a certain individual by ghost and upon
the ghosts REPRESENTATION mangwas deprived OF
his Liberty and incafceTated Ia prison, Now SUI,
my object IN writing this communication is to dis
abuse the public mind in reference TO the whole
matteT and to vindicate our course nom the tmpu-
tation Of acting upon eyiden from ghosts.
In the first place, II IS a cast that has produced
wonderful excitement in this and the Surrounding
communities Bnt, sir, 70 the facts Of the case.
THEE Years ag9 The I'll of this last month, one
Jebn77amble was IN this Place and ny ey e9lng
he lett TO 20 home, some four miles, IN a skill
When Ne len he had Neen Two aud three hum
dred dolars in moneylwith him. About two miles
below town some Taflsmea that were lying at the
shors caught the skiG aud some barrels that were
id it when he started. Gamble was found alter
wards down near Rays Rum, and he had nom
ey OF papers OF any thing else on his peson when
found, and his pocket in his pantdloQns was cut
OF. Many circumstances went to point out Le-
ban Mercer As The guilty person, and public opin-
ion lad settled down upon the fact that Mercer
was guilty IL eidence could be got at. Things
rested 80 until weeks egoT when q party let
town to 90 70 q ueighboFing town 70 corn huskr
ing, and on their return home about Two O'Clock at
night, II being remarkably clear night, and the
Iu6On was full, thatit was as light as moonlight
could be, Mr.. John n. Hindman, the worthy pro.
pristor OF the Wetzel House, in. this place, took
across Robert ~. Cox's farm, whilst the company
went around the road, and out IN the middle ofone
Cox's fields he states under oath that person all
at oAce Appeared to him. and when he fFst saw
whatever Il was, Il wac little to his lett hand and
about three feet from him and the person q ghost
,Was a the act Of speakingl and he stated thatthe
afift words spoken were these: aiYoH don't know
ifigis and Hindman answered that he did not
linen the persons OF ghost, or whatever you may
ctil a., safd al am John Gamble, the man that was
Murdered BY .Leban Mercer. Your courts have
Not done me itstice. j want yon 10 have him ar
and they will do me iuStice."1 And alter
s1ae othet conversation person CT appaIitiUn
disapp ~ ct once from hs view in the midst
ora ialle level field on the irer bottom, and what
is very remarkable about the case, Hindman Is,
like fd}sslE great disbeliever in ghosts and hob
eobIfhS and perhaps il l. had told the story the
people Would hdva ndiculed he matter but Hind
minis man Of such strict truth and vatacity, and
above All, 50 cool and seli-possessed uudeHa all cir
cuustanceS, and free from excitement, that all
who knew him did NOT for moment doubt what
he stated was true, and especially the next morn
ing after, Calthough he bad never seen Gamble and
was not acquainted with him. he desctibed his
size, appearance and clothing exactly IS they were
when Gamble left town. FIiend Cor saw Gamble
ON the evening Of his death, and lie says that the
description that Htndman gave OF him (vlthout
knowing nnything about how Gamble3Was dressed,
his sig, &c.,) was correct. Then alter all this
Hindman had an inierYiew with Mercer. and from
certain statements and eQnlesslons made BY MeFceI
10 him, which in his mind convinced him Of Mex
cefs guilt, and eeordingly he swofe out q war;
Iant, and hes was apprehended, but not npon the
evidehoed a.vi from he ghost he,Ras brought up
ior Trial, audit was found that Galbie loaded his
skif below town, alongs oil r W Gpx's farm,l
thathe went out TO the hii 81 here man by the
name " hitman lives that llercer alei along
a1fitheyi alt e about some business between thet1,,
ana they staricd to the fTysT 10 CAM skis nat
after dark two boys coming fe rye saw them,
and Gambi & had reat deal Of money, and was q
little intoxicated llat be stalted dow he bank tol
20 home, that afleF bis deatls Mercer bad note OF
fGty-three dollars given BY d. 4 .. fhienaa to-
Gamble, which Gambl lad II his POI Ion when
Re left Whitenan % 90 TO lie riyet with lercefs
about dark, and thai lercsI rent home that night
wet and muddy, although twrl dIg night and
the fact Of his having money alts wards, and yam
ons contradictory statement lnlle by d about
where he llW Gamble lasi and many other cir
cinsiancs1 pointing 70 Mercer Tue guilty peIsons
and che CONT NJ hipt on for fifther tral' Now
fsniin4 t. Hin11ln doet not Sd .ita was ghosf
ljat that ii was soraeilinB mYslefionstQ hiIn.