The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-10-29
IheDevnmB raKen County, by.


BRooKsvILRy Ry.I Oct 10:
Tshe Edeoys u ahs EsQusrs-
A wonderful phenomenon has recent-
" made its appearance on Willow
creek, In BTRcken county, about two
miles from BrOoksvilIe, and has been
seen by quite number of the worthy
citizens of our county. Our people
have been In constants state of excite
ment since Il hIst made its appear
Gnce. 81
On the 10Th, inst, one of our citizens
. prominent tobacco merchant residing
in BrooksYille, was returning home
from the southern portion Of the couu-
~, where he had been buying some
crops OF tobacco, and, being belated,
WAS riding along the road. when sud-
denly he bsheld q fdghtfnl object in the
middle of the. road ediately in front
OF him. I Will giys you the description
of it as heard IL from his lips:
"The object was about six feet in
height, and walked upright. The face
was at times that of q man, very pale,
with curis of flame falling over his
shonldersi eyes of sulphurOus blues
changing constantly in size, one mo-
menf large as q tin cup, and then grad
uallE decreasing In size until Il was
almost invisible. Its arms were those
of a man. and hands deadly pale. In
one hand IL held TORCH and In the
other sword that seemed TO be about
four feet in length. Its lower extremity
was thar of q horse, with legs well pro-
portiOned, and hoofs as those ofa horse.
Its tail, which was about three feet in
length, was of flame. Its breath Was q
solid sheet Of fire, which PibFated with
the heayings OF its breast, like the PEN
dulum of a clock Itwas certainly the
most frightiul object ever beheld. It
walked to the side ofthe road and then
vanished. When 1t disappeared 1 Inn
mediately put spurs to my horse and
gallOped by the spot where i had seen
of the hill, about two hundred yards
OF, L looked back and saw the object in
| the same spot where i had first beheld
1t. i atopped my horse and watched Ii
/ for q moment; il walked over. to the left
| side OF the road, and mounting a rail
fence that stood there, commenced rum
ming toward me. i did not stay to see
the remainder of the dfama.1
He Immediately rode TO town, and
4 having told the adventure to some OF
the citizens, they Immediately formed
a party and started out to see the
strange yisitant. Lawyers, doctors,
preachers and thadesmen. armed with
/ guns and pistols, made their way en-
1 mass to the scene ofthis strange adven-
ture. When they arrived at The spot
Il some of them behsld the spectre and
I others could not see It. It was, when
they saw II on the fence; and running
rapidly along upon and down Il past
the crowd, for the distanceof quarter
of a mile. As II passed the crowd sew
4 eral fred at il, but with no effect.
About IL o'clock Il vanished, and was
seen no more that night. Since then II
has been seen every night at the same
place. Hundreds ofvisitors have beer
on hand every night, and the excite
ment is at a very high state now, and
Is increasing. The cause of this is be
yond human. conjecture. 1t has beer
only about a year since It was seen il
this county before. The county ii
astir, and the people are eager TO gel
nd of their unWelcome Yisftant. Thii
is the whole narrative.
VIII not some philosopher explain
the cause of this wonder -
Yours truly,