American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1869-04-17

gong nome from the village tavern
after Il more than usual heavy orgie,
declared that as he passed the hut
he saw the old man struggling with
his Satanic majesty in the shape of q
gigantic black cat; and as the cat,
his only companion, was seen no
more after the murder, the story
gained considerable credence. The
authorities, however. took a some
what different view of the case. An
examination of the body revealed an
ugly wound on the side of the head,
as if inflicted with a bIudgeon.
Suspicion rested Gn a worthless fel-
low named Dick Wirion dick the
toolish) who was seen prowling about
the place on the evening of the
tragedy. He was arrested, brought,
according to the custom of the cOun-
try, to the presence of the murdered
man, and made to stand over it.
According to this time honored test,
if the prisoner is innocent the de
funct "males 10 sign; ri guilty the
wound opens and squirt of blood flies
on his person. Poor Dick was hit
squarely Ill the face with thin
stream of gore, fell to the floor IN a
fit and was carried back to prison.
y bloody club was found back of his
cabin, several sovereigns were taken
from his pocket, which. added to the
accusation of the corpse, seemed to
make the ease against him clear as
day. In those timeS-thiS, you must
know, sir, happened fortyyears age
it did not take long to prove man
| fit for the galloWS. Dick was tried.
convicted and sentenced at single
sitting of the court, and Il week later
was comfortably and quietly hanged.
! Hardly was the poor devil under
the ground when strange stories be
gan to be whispered around the
peasant tiresides. 1t was said the
cabin of the murdered hermit was
haunted. Unearthly noises were
heard in the dead of night; sounds
as of NEIL struggling in mortal con
tiict; shrie.lS and groaus such as
never came from human lips; cries
for help and pealS of dem0niac laugh
ter were testified to by reputable
witnesses. A fisherman Swore before
a committee Of investigation that,
passing by one night, he saw the
spirit of the old man standing by th
garden wall, the ghastly wound on
the side of the head bleeding freely,
the hollow eyes glaring wildly at him.
\ cattle drover deposed before the
Ga fhnt
from the market town, shortly after
midnight, he saw near the scene OF
the murder strange lights dancing
and heard distinctly the noise as OF {;
heavy chain dragged over a pile OF
stones. y young man who had been
visiting his sweetheart, testified thai
while passing the place he heard his
name called three times, and looking
toward the hut saw it lighted up ant
the murdered Hu beckoning him tC
come in.
The ghost became the absorbing
theme Of the town. Northing clst
was tho ght Or talked Of. 1t wa,
made the subject of special meet
ing of the local authorities. The
Rev. Hugh Reese, pastor of the dis
: Senting church, Illuminated agains
it i'll two Of his most powerful ser
mons. The sc,ect committee t.
which | have above referred, visited
the haunted premises, and although
armed with copy of the Holy Bible
two swords and a brace of pistols
We're so appalled, by tie appearance
of the spectre that they fled in terror
and diSbandcd to meet no more
! Finally, Il messenger was dispatche,
: to CarnarVon to summon the Rev
Didymus Davis, tae famous exorcis
or, who made his appearance on tn
= scene, prayed, and read seven chaf
ters from the Evangelists, windin
:, up with the following formula
= Whether You be spirit or devil
i whether you bc from heaven abov
Or hell b2neath-i command you i
the name of the Father, the Son. an
the Holy Ghost, to leave this plac
!, forever" But it was no use. TIL
y next night the spirit OF old iIu Wa
( more troublesome than ever, :
. that the whole n4ighborh00d wei
= terror stricken by the howls an
II Shrieks that issued iro:n the haunte
e cabin. The poor people, who nevt
y had so unman&gabic a ghost befor
: were in despair.
"a 1t was at this time the incidcl
! happened that exercised such COZ
if trolling influence over my future lii
Y y lot Of us young fellows had bee
~ carouSing at Il village tavern. W
q had made a good haul at our hesril
" fishing, and We're spending cur mon,
n freely. The conversation natural
" turned to the object of old Hr
W ghost. All we're firm believers
II the apparilion, except myself, wi
10 stoutly Insisted that the wh0:e atl'l
Is was gotten up by some interest,
X pers0n, in order to get possession
40 the cabin.
re Now, | viii tell YOU what II! d
in says Shou CadwaIlGer, captain of O
w fishing smack. III lay u wager
/ five &uineas that yol dare not go
he the haunted hut, and stay there
Y alone, from midnight till three in {
" morning..
$. | had been drinking heavily, a,
% promptly replied, Il agree
N. The matter was soon arranged, {
ny money was put down, and start
ht for the hut, accompanied hy three
Ell my Companions, who were to see !
'e- enter. The night WAS dark and din
ia So dark you couldn't see the leng
III 0i N'uur arm. | must say felt
20. tie uncomiortabie as approach
ar the haunted tenement; but | walk
boldly up to the door, pushed it op,
ar entered, and cXtempo,iIing Il lig
re. (match"S were not Invented the
as ilghted a candle with which | h
me provided myself. and took SHY
"a of the place. Ii was a misera
ho thatched-root, mud walled hut, "
an hard earthcn floor, nearly bare
He furniture, and incNpresSily drea
act The air was close and dank, as if I
be taint of the bloody deed, enacted
IA few weeks before, still fingered.
ere erythlnG remained as it was wi