The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1868-05-07

comfy seat where he bad been
TO pay his taxes in this iall---rid.
ing this horse. On opening tho
gate, that closed the lane TO his
house, he saw John standing IN.
side the lane. The horse walked
up to him and neighed In recognii
ton, and James, brave man and
a Christian, withercd under the
gaze of the apparition, spurred bis
horse to leave the dreaded sight,
but to no purpose He moved not,
nor could he by severe whipping
and spurring, be induced to move
from the spot. Overcome by his
fears, as he said, he stammcred
out "Why John, what do you
want?" "Meet me morrow, af-
ternoon at yodr threshlng hoor,'
was the reply; and he disappeared.
James went home and as be
says slept not wink that night,
nor did he 90 TO tho threshing
floor, as requested, but kept his
bed the entire day; but ] must not
anticipate the facts but must give
the story as James j. gave it to
the Grand Jury, and is thus ren.
dered a. part of their records on q
book of proceedings,
JAMES Us. STORY.
"By advice of friends, / come
before you to make statement
You are known as the Grand In.
quest and are under oath to keep
secret and sacred, what is commu.
nicated to you. ] was friend of
John. decd, and at his sale bought
his favorite riding horse. In Oc
tober last in opening the gate in
my lane, | saw him and the horse
stepped up to him aud neighcd. ]
was very much alarmed, shut my
eyes, attempted 10 turn the horse
down the lane, spnrred and whip.
ped him, but he would not move.
at last said "Why, JOHN, what
do you want?" He said Meet
me tomorrow at your threshing
floor" and disappeared. | went
homo, kept my bed all the next
day, was very unwcll and hoped
never again to sec this object. !
was disappointed, on the second
day after, saw him at the thresh-
ing floor and he beckoned me to
come there. l ran into the house
and tainted, The next time after
that was about ten days. l was
riding over my farm and on look
ing behind me, saw this object ap.
parently sitting on my horse be
hind mo. l then took courage as
/ knew ! would lose my life if this
thing was not stopped, and |
thought there must be some neces.
sity tor it, or l would not thus be
treated. | could neither eat nor
sleep and my friends bantered me
constantly, saying l had, the
"hypo"-or was low spirited, or
was losing my energy or senses.
had fallen away at least twenty
pounds, and the Doctor said mus
arouse myself, or | would die. |
had not told any one, as yet.
was afraid | would be laughed al
for seeing a ghost, &c. On the oc
casion Of my seeing him on my
horse, asked why | should be
thus treated ? Ho said "Mect mt
at your threshing floor tomorrow.
| promised and he disappeared. ]
waited next day until ! saw him al
the floor and went. lie then sale
"you are TOO late now, come to-
morrow, earlier" | said may
/ bring friends with me?" lie sale
"you may" went with a frienc
. next day, and found him there
Tho friend could see nothing, buI
. heard this conversation and vii
! testify to its truth. The appari
: lion was in every respect as wa
: John in his natural life. | coulC
see every feature, and would hav,
+, known him any where, He salt
my brother William and | wcr,
: alone in his house the nj : hi do
, parted. He placed his ear to m,
5 mouth and | told him, what
wanted done with my propert,
Q and be promised SO help him God
he would do as | stated--give hal
L to the mother of my children an
take half himself. He said bo di
i. not want any of the property, tha
the childfon We're mine and the,
e should have 1t. He has not don
d SO. Go to him aud tell him what
say and bid him do as he promise
s me- and he disappeared. ] kne,
a William was a violent man, an
r feared to go but I was compelled
as could not 60 any where, an
: even by my bed side, l saw tbi
object, and it points to William
f. farm, but said nothing, l went {
n William and before / was ba'
e done, telling him what / was TOLD
n was ordered out OF his house aD
If ho threatened to shoot me if b
l. ever heard one word more of thi
D | consulted friends and at last b
l. their advice, determined to com
s before you and tell the whole story
d under oath, and have the irien
/, who heard and took down wit
,r pencil the statement made to m
1t at the threshing floor--and it j
}. just as | tell you now. Two day
n since l saw the apparition; told
8, what had done and that | wOul
.. come here and l saw by the bow
j. ing of his head that he was pleas
}, ed"
|. The above is on record by th
]. Grand Jury, as tho statement {
IN James j. under oath, and the 70
as lowing is the result: ut WI
,e moved and seconded that I'll