The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1869-11-25
GHOST STORIES OF HOBOKEN
The Spectress that Policeman
sees ON the Ferry Bridge-The
Midnight Elevelry CT the COLLINS

sees ON the Ferry Brldge-Ihe
Midnight Elevelry CT the COLLINS
Dumned.
A gentleman whose business compels
him to pass through the streets at ali hours
OF the night is responsible for the follow
ing:
At about three o clock in the morning
recently, when within two blocks Of his reei
dence in the outskirts OF Hoboken, he met
frierdly policeman.
8 " eli, now, anything to-uight?'
mot very quiet; | guess you'll find
your folks little nervous.
why, what has happened"
about midnight, as | was standing on
7 this corner, waiting for nay eiium to finish
MS round on the next beat, heard loud
groans as of q person in great agony
They seemed to come from the vacant lots
in the rear of yonr house. L searched the
locality without discovering, anything. =
Again / heard groans and moans this
time they came from the direction of the
Elysiay Fields My chum nov joined me,
with a lantern. AS We passed up Ninth
street, some one raised window and said,
Here comes the police at last. We spent
an hour in a fruiteas search Of every nook,
corner and ditch.
Az unnistakable groan just then broke
the stiffness of the morning.
There it is again, exclaimed the police
man. 1T comes from the lower end Of
your house this time. I'll go down there
with you"
On turning the corner Of the house they
observed blush light In the centre of the
open space between the house and the
woods, at the edge Of the field. The light
~
the ground 1t gradually assumed the shape
Of a phosphorescent ball about the size of a
human skull, and rolled to the foot Of a
tree, wheIe it disappeared.
L found the dead body Of a. man at the
foot OF that tree few months ago." re-
marked the policemen.
This is certainly very singular" replied
the gentleman,
1T is nothing compared with the sights
| have witnessed on my beat around the
ferry"
what have you seen there %
One night lately, as | was walking over
the crooked bridge that lends to the ferry
house, the form Of woman Sided past me;
she stumbled against the slim railing, and
| sprang forward TO place my hand On her
shoulder In order TO direct her to the boat.
There was no resistance to nay touch; the
woman disappeared through the ruling
and tell INTO the water without causing a
splash or ripple. l then observed stout
built German sailor coming toward me from
the boat which had just landed. He stag
gered against the railing and disappeared
as nolseleSsly as the woman had done
Horror struck, | turned in the direction of
the shore. Before reaching the shore [
mat nv no
the bridge by several mon, armed. They
hunted the soldier into corner, when he
tell into the water and sank. On looking
into the slip that separated the ferry build
lhgs from the sectional dock, | saw the
soldier ciinb.up a s. lie and step on the
pier. A watchman, who in moonlight
closely resembled William Lawrence. who
Was so inystoriously murdered there last
summer, was descending the gang plank of
a steamer that lay in the dock. As he an
preached the soldier, TIE latter grapplel
him around the neck, and kissing 10 his
ear, Bill, have been watching a year tor
you, leaped into the slip with his str6g,
cling victim"
This horrible vision vas evidently the
work of an excited imagination, caused bv
reading accounts Of how these persons lost
their hives.
mo, sir. | never knew until after that
night that Bill Lawrence lost his life year
after he had dragged the soldier from the
saloon, who was drowned in the same spot.
That soldier was William paisly. You
will find an account of his death in the
papers.
Well, must say that is strange coin
cidence."
1T is strange. But the most fearful
sight ofall is the goblin cancan. I have
seen the pier covered on clear night with
phantoms dancing between the shadows
thrown from the tall timbers OF The section
al dock. Some were without arms, others
had only one leg, and many were headiess.
but they glided with marvellous precision
through the mazes Of the fantastic capean
at the sound of locomotive whistle they
always shrek. Here comes the Morris and
Assex! and then disappeared in puffs Of
vapor and mist.
Yes, undoubtedly, many people have
been missed there 3"
IF you had witnessed these things you
would consider it no joking matter, res
sponded the policemen.
"How does 1t happen that do net see
them? pass the place nearly every night.
AS said before, my friend, it must be the
work of your heated imagination"
No, | am considered cool man. I
have often faced danger as a soldier, sailor,
and policeman. Few men have the gift OF
seeing sp p.l;i | never ne'-but one equal
IVY here was that?"
''On board Guineaman, I slept in the
darkest corner OF the forecastle. 4 brutal
captain once dragged sick sailor from his
hammock and stabbed him to death there.
Every night saw the fearful scene re-
enacted until was forced to abandon the
place. A Scotch sailor was atterward ship
ped, who had never he I'd Of the affair.
be was consigned to that corner. The
first night, shortly after he had turned in,
he rushed on deck and would lave ieaped
into the sea if | had not held him. His
description of the tragedy he had Witnessed
pllied exactly with mine
Have you ever heard anything before
to>night in this locality p
Eyes; and when poke of it at the sta
ton house they laughed, and said it vas
nothing but a drunken Dutchman. Now,
why can we never fnd that drunken Dutch
man?"