The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1869-01-08
@istellaneuns Selections
BILLY MORGAN,S GHOST.

1 nr#
In the year 1901, a seaman NAMED
William Morgan enlisted on board
United States frigate for three years
eruise in the Mediterranean. He was al
awful looking person, six feet four iucbel
high, with a long, pale, wrinkled visage
sunken eyes, thick black hair standing
on end, with white, prominent and
irregular teeth. 1t was impossible L
define the color of his eyes; his voice
was sepulchrsl, on his right arm were
eDgraved certain mysterious devices,
and his tobacco box was of iron. He
entered on Friday, the frigats was
Launched on Friday, the master carpen.
ter who built her was born and died OF
Friday, and the squadron went out tc
sea on Friday. These condolences
added TO his Singular appearance, caused
the sailors to look upon Morgan. with
some degree of wonder, mingled with
suspicion. During the voyagesto Glib
raltar, bis conduct increased this feel
ling. He went without food for days
together; at least he was never seen to
eat, and if he slept it was without shut
ting his eyes or lying down. His ship
mates, one and all, declared that, wake
at what time Of the night they would,
Morgan was seen sitting bolt upright in
his hammock, with bis eyes glariDg aud
wide open. When in watch upon deck,
/ he would stand still for an hour at a
time, gazing on the stars or the ocean,
and, when reused, fall fiat on the deck
in a swoon. When he revived, be
preached and talked inccherent rhapso-
dy. He often limited that he had as
many lives as cat, and more than once
offered TO let himself be hanged for the
qualification Of his messmates. He had
also frequent frances, during which he
lay stiff and rigid, with all tbe appear
ances of death. ''s 's
These things at length reached the
ears of Captain R., who looked up
on them as mere tricks, and the next
time Morgan got into a trance confined
him for tweuty-four hours, stopped his
grog, and devised sundry other punish
ments. One day, about half way across
the Atlantic, and the ffigate several
leagues ahead of the squadron, there
wasian alarm of the magazine being on
FIRE. Morgan was just coming on deck
with spoon in his hand, for some pur-
pose or other, when, hearing the cry,
he made5.oBe spring overheard. The
fire, was soon extiDguished, but, in the
confusion, no effort was msde to save
Morgan. AS a matter of course he was
drowned, Two days after, one of the
ships Of the squadron came up, and
sent boat slong-side with Billy on
board. Twelve hours after his leap, he
had been found swimming gallsntly
with the spoon in bis hand, which he
said he held fast that he might help
himself to salt water when hslwas dry. !
After this the sailors felt convinced that
Morgan was q dead man come to life
again, and that it would be difficult to
kill him in any ordiaary-way. He con
tinued his pranks stargazing, and |
swoons, for which he was always severe
ly punished. At last, as they approach
ed Gibraltar, he solemnly announced to-
his messmstes that he intended to
drown himself again with the first op-
portqnity. He made his will, dressed
himself iU his best, and settled all his
affairs. He also replenished his tobacco
box, put his allowance of biscuit in his
pocket, and filled a small eanteen with |,
water which he slqng round his neck,
aging, that perhaps he might take it
nto his head to live two or three days
n the sea before he finally betook him,
ief to Davy Jones locker. That same
night between twelve and one, Morgan 4
was distinctly seen to come up the 4
latchway, climb the bulwark, and drop (
nto the ocean. A midshipman aud |.
.wo sailors testified to the facts, and, i
Morgan being missing the next morn
Dg, no doubt existed Of his suicide.
The talk and wonder wera beginning I
o subside, when, one night, about a d
week after, the figure of Morgan iu. wet ]
.lothes, with sunken eyes aud cadayer- 4
'ts visage, was seen by one of his mess
mates, who happened to be lying awake, h
0 emerge slowly from the fore-part of {
be ship, approach one of the tables t
where there was a can of water, take f
Iearty draught and disappear in the t
whence it came. The sailor
old this the next morning, but, as yet, 4