Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1868-11-04
- .l bhrs ~ :. F|F'1 ~
A ben o: l'h .ntOnis.
Z - 'iif -Tl!, nl'I
.'.,, T. ny A DETECTIVE .i.o

| We were after countcrfei,crs A mum
ber ofthcm were in the city, and were da'l
h purting latgc SUMS Of spurious money u
circulation. SOMETIMES woman was Ms
the nediuniof this ffa,id ht Others Il hoy
alwnys, those apparently innocent, while th'
actual Offenders kept under cover o."
night d young woman came to the stati"r
4 and cluimed that she had been bru,ally III
trea,ed by man whose name she appearc'
anxious to conceal. She did not wish hi"
arrested, but only sought protection for her
self from his violence. There was some
thing in her air aud manner that interaste'
ms. talked to her. questioned her Of he
hon,e, associates, and means Of living u
reply to my questions she untlIinkingl'
pronounced the name Of Whiting Thi'
was the name Of the leader Of the coun.er.
feiters, the man whom we had searched 20,
anx;ou.ly, hut could never ini. ! Ique>tion.
ed her now to purpose. was will with
anxiety. hut apparently calm. Brf re she
W, ut away got clue that thonght would
serve me. The next night we ret out "a
rut plan We had formed into execution.
| IIiScui-ed aud thoroughly armed. We s,m,,
found ourselves ~, an old hou>e in the thi.d
district, near the ank of the river. 1t had
hecn ling di,u.ed, and was falling to decay
In the nd Colonial days it had been the
mansion q A rich proprietor. But, like
,i,ost old houses, il had an evil reputation.
a murder had lacn once comn,ittea there
tiatriride. sister had been done to death
by nnhiac brother. The wraiths Of both
h,,d haunted the old building. 1t wasavoid-
ed by al! To the ignorant imagination it
was fearful as charnel house. II wassnch
a Ilacc. however, as men Of evil would Sc.
lect as On abode. We believed VIC should
fi,rl the criminal We searched for there. =
S,ealthily. We craRed through the weedy
lawn, carefully NC ascended the rickei!
stairs. Wide and spacions halls shet cat u"
every ,ide, and the large r""ms vc. retained
a grandeur that well Ee6ttrd the sp!, n,ic,-
of the grand old days when they e..',oed III.
laugh Of beauty and were tl.. abode OF ele.
CANT aud sumpiuous hospitality. llaiIowe6
the ho,,-e had been as the home OF virtue
and innocence. Within these wall, race
hui lived and diel-hcre had lived anu
rriunpied the dark Srauiard and his DC
srel,dants. Woman had lived here whose
beauty was yet chrouiclrd in romance. some
dark and imperial, with blood feverci BY
the tr ,pics, otleis sunny-eyei ani golden
haired. ID s4. ..i y.. f. ..i f...
We reached room AMI sat down. 1t
was near midnight. The din ofthc city had
long dici ou(-the quietness Of death reigu-
ed IN the vast apartments, and darkness,
intese and rsyless, filed the room. We
were listening for So'ne sound to guide Us in
oar search. Suddenly dull, e,ayish lieh,
Ire,et,ated the room. 1t grew on the in.
saut soft and luminous, and on the oppo.
site ranneling Of the room appeared >llai-
ow. 1t grew gradually on the vsim until
the outlines % young girl were defined IN
the WALL 7 he face was pale aud dea,h.like'
and fron the exposed breas, u dark stream
Of blood seemed 10 well from deep wound.
1t looked like shadow, and might have
been produced by artificial means; never.
,heless my hair stood on end, and u name.
less terror could not subdue pal>ied soul
ani >el,>e. looked at my companion. n
lie was not less affected than myself, but
neither of Us spoke. Suddenly another
figure appeared beside the apparition. II
was that Of a young man this face Was
convulsed with horror, aud in the protrud.
ing eyes was the glare Of the maniac. Stun.
ned and n,otionless, we saw death struggle
IA moment more. scrcamOf nOstal agony
echoed through the room, and then a laugh.
distorted and horrible us the glee ofa man.
iac. 1t made our bl,md cuIdle and the brain
reel in. delirium Of fright. But just AZ We
we're feeling the utter horror Of our >itua-
tim, in the adjoining room wehear'l tt heavy
tall and muttcred curse. 1t acted like
electricity. That sound ut least was lnortal.
We spralg 10 our feet aud dashed "l,en the
door Of the adjoining chamber the neat H..
staut The light from The dark lanterns fash
I'd ,h.ough tho room. But imagine our
surprise to see before Us tho young woman
we had seen at the station the day before
t,a.,l;,,, l,t Ia .i,1., .,c n ,,,nn an,a r,.,,fl,