The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-09-16
4 HUNTED HOUSE.
RnttIing OF fChnins-Terrilod Rcntcrs-
Plucky Young Man Alonc-rho
Women in whitc-A Rnco ut Night
Glimpscs of Gartrrs-The Mystery
Cleared Up.

Glimpscs of Gartrrs-Tho Mystery
Cleared Up.
There is in tho -.- part OF this city
small brick house which for TWO years past has
borne tho dreadful namo " Uauntod." We
have no knowledge OF its being ut all historic,
or Of muir lor OF two, or any other crime hav-
ing been committed in it to warrant ghostly
manifestations. Yet there il stands, accIcdlt-
ed with all tho mystery which ever attaches
to q house supposed to contain inoorporeal in
habitants. Women and children avoid it in
tho daytime, and the men who live in that Sec
tion have learned that, at night. tho "nearoet
way round is the shortest way home."
AS publication of tho locality of tho house
might be of injury to its owners, wo refrain.
During tho past two years 1t has beon frequent
ly advertised in tho "To Rent" column, and as
frequently was rented, but the rentors did not
remain in possession long. Tho longest pc
riod it was held was two woeks, and tho short
est ten hours. The occupants heard rattling
OF chains, the shuf1lng of feet, and saw doors
which had just been locked fly open and shut
to without the least noise. The conventional
groans were missing in this haunted house,
but the clanliing OF chains, shuf1ling OF feet,
and the door manifestations were sufficient TO
so frighten tho occupants as TO make them
leave without giving even days notice. Each
and every occupant had the same story to tell.
Finally, the owners of the house dcspaircd Of
over getting an occupant for it, and allowed
it to remain Idle. young man who didn t
believe in ghosts was heard to assert his dis
belief, and also his Willingness 10 sleop in the
house, and provo that tlero was no such ind-
| Gallons of ghostly occupants as were spoken
of. He was called upon to carry out his pro-
position.
'Bcina stout of muscle, strong OF nerve,
He did not from his purpose swcryo'
And ono night last week he might have been
observed ina room OF tho house with bottle
of tho ardent aud two revolvers, laying in wait
for ghostly intrudors. Thus lie remained until
about ten o'clock, and sccing nor hearing moth
ing Of spirits, he put himself outside of some
and then went to sleep. Not long did ho slum-
bcr A noise aroused him. He arose and
walked to the window, and saw two women
clad in white (petticoats is tho pamc the cloth
ing goes by among the initiatcd) coming To-
wards the house. They boro chain, and, as
soon as they got upon tho back porch, conf
mcnced pulling tho chain blck and forth.
Hoping to catch thom i'll tho act, our hero
crept down stairs, but while passing through
the hall, made noise which alarmed tho we-
men and Off they went at rate most surprising
to our watcher. he pursued, but did not
oycrtake them, and with tho exception of
knowing that they woro rcd gartcrs their
rapid paco and the wind allowing him oppo--
tunities of obscrvation-hc has no clue what
cyor for Identification purposes.
Being convinced that tue rafting of chains
and shuffl'ng of feet beard by the former occu-
pants was occasioned by thcso or other women
and that the alleged mysterious opening aud
shutting of locked doors was only tho effect of
tho maginations OF The t.mid occupants, the
watcher retired to rest, determined that on the
morrow ho would, If possible, sovo the quos-
tion he was constantly asking himself, 'sWhat
is tho object OF these women in frightening of
the occupants of this house p At an early
hour he arose. loft the house, and about ten
o'clock circulated among the women who lived
in tho neighborhood-ofa class popularity do
rOminateh tho "lnw-down people," By Judi.
cious questioning he ascertainod that there
WAS in the lot OF the haunted house an oxccl-
lent well OF water. From this we'll tho neigh
bors had to obtain water or send long dis
tancc for it, and then get poor article at that.
When the house was vacated they had free use
OF tho we'll, but when occupied they were not
permitted to obtain water oven for drinking
purposes. To keep the house vacant was owl
IDENTIFY to their interest, and thoy took up tho
ghost method. which was 'tsuccoss" until
man who had common sense enough not to be-
lieye in ghosts agreed to occupy tho house and
ascertain for himself whether there were such
visi,ants. The neiRhbors thought he was to
be an occupant and tried their game upon him,
with the result above stated.