The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-12-30
A Practical Joske-spirfts I'm the DE.
troft Jall-A Deputy Sheriff BedIy
Frightened. .a@I
[Fiom the Detroit Union, December H.1

An event occurred in the Wayne county
Jail on Saturday night last that will he 70.
membered by one Of the eye-witnesses TO Il
to the full length of his existence. and
which would have appalled, the stoutest
heart. being In its character not onfy inex.
plieabfe and frightful, but in contraYention
Of every law Of nature. On the night in
question Deputy Sheriff Munger was LEFT in
charge of the juil, and for the sake Of COM
pany had engaged to stay with him q young
man by the name Of Simpson. iAt about
II so o'clock, Munger, after making tour
of the Jail to see that the prisoners were
safe In their cells, and that the door of the
wards and those leaiing to the jail-yard
were locked, prepared to retire to rest In q
bed in the Jail Office, directly across the
main hall from the wards, leaving, as is the
custom, the door of the Office wide open.
Having dlvested themselves Of their cloth
ing. and turned down the gas so as to give
to see every object In the room, Munger and
Simpson got into bed. Shortly afterward
their conversation turned upon
SPIRIT MANIFESTATIONS
and the subject of ghosts, and all at once,
while Simpson was in the midst of story,
in which ghost was the hero, table stand
ing close at the head of the bed started ra-
pidly. toward the Office door, bringing up
with crash against the Office desk. e lmost
OF the same instant q large pile of books
upon the desk fell simultaneously to. the
floor. Munger, filed with alarm, sprang bolt
upright in bed, while Simpson, apparently
still more frightened, drew the bedding
tightly over his head, exclaiming, "My God,
what is that?" Munger had hardly gained
sitting posture ere an armchair also
started for the door In the same mysterious
manner, O long settee leaped forward from
the wall and fell upon the floor, the heavy
iail bell attached to the wall over the bed
commenced to ring with terrible violence,
the clock to strike, and the heavy mating
on the floor flew into the utmost disorder in
the direction taken by the furniture. AS if to
add to the dire confusion, q guitar In the
room directly in the rear Of the Office added
its sounds, commencing as If struck ny hu-
man agency single blow, then another and
ishing in strength until it had apparently
exhausted itself. Munger, ....
his HAIR STANDING ON END,
ard his eveballs starting from their sockets,
leaped to the floor, and, grasping his pants,
started to put them on, intending to flee to
the dwelling of the sheriff adjoining; but
he had only got one leg encased when the
gas in twinkling went out, and then upon
the walls all around the room there shone
out siekly, sulphurous light, dancing as
in mocaery Of his terror. Human fortitude
could endure this no longer, and with cry
to Simpson, who still remained covered, to
save himself, he fled to the Jail yard, and
was making for the street when be encoun-
tered the turnkey, John Fitzgerald. Clasp
ing him around the body, Munger dragged
him back to the room, and in broken ac-
cents tried to describe the terrible scene, the
walls still giving out their frightful glare,
being the only visible evidence that any
thing extraordinary had happened. Fitz-
gerald. after lighting the gas, tried to reas-
sure the deputy, and to appease the fears of
Simpson, who reluctantly uncovered him
self, but it was of no avail. he secuted at
their story, and declared the whole thing a
trick OF theirs to frighten him; but they
only repeated the details Of the affair with
the greater vehemence, Munger declaring
that, "though no coward, nothing could
tempt him to remain there the balance Of
the night" emphasizing his declaration by
throwing the jail key upon the floor. Two
or three Others having come in, including a
son of the sheriff, he finally concluded to
remain. with the understanding that they
should be MS company, and Fitzgerald
then went home. The sequel to