The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-11-16
Z cHosrs IN INDIANA.


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Indiana has long been the home of
sensations in crime and divorce, but
the following story, published by the
New Albany Standard, surpasses any
thing yet reported from there, and
seems like return to the days of the
( Rochester knockings.
From a letter from friend at the
little town of Huron, on the Ohio and
Mississippi Railroad, we learn the par
| ticulars of some very singular spiritu-
al manifestations. Our correspondent
states that fifteen or twenty years ago
a peddler was in the habit of passing
through that country and selling no.
! tions, who drove a two-horse team
That one night about nine O'Clock he
| passed the house of Mr., Rubeck,
who lives some miles east of IIarri-
sonville. on the Bryantsville road, GO
| ing towards the former place. This
was the last that was ever seen or
heard from him. The fact of his being
missed and failing to make his regular
visits created some talk in the neigh
borhood at the time, but soon died
away and the peddler was forgotten.
On this road, about one or two miles
from White River and some two and
a-half miles from Harrisonville, is
very rough hill, up which the road
runs, and on the top, on the southwest
side of the road, is all open field, long
since abandoned. Near this field, and
right by the side of the road, stands
an old dead tree. Some three weeks
ago, Mr.. Rubeck was passing along
this road on his way home from Har-
risonville, at about eleven O'Clock at
night. The night was quite dark and
it was with considerable difficulty that
he could keep in the road, or prevent
his horse from stumbling over the
stones that obstructed the highway.
He finally, however, reached the top
of the hill, and when about twenty
rods from the tree he heard NOISE,
over in the old waste field above des-
cribed, which he took to be two dogs
engaged in a desperate fight. Their
growing. barking, swapping and
scratching was fearful. 1t was appar-
emily the most sanguinary dog fight
he had ever heard. AT the moment
it created little or no surprise. He
only wondered that two dogs should
be at that time or night so distant
from any human habitation (for there
is no farmhouse within mile OF this
field), engaged in such desperate en-
counter. On second thought, howev-
ca, he concluded that they had been
out on a sheep-hunting expedition,
and having accidentally met there,
got into the fight. l ola9 81
He had not long to consider upon
this, however, for soon the clanking of
chains attracted his attention, in anoth-
CT direction, and looking toward the
tree, to his astonisment he beheld
large broken links of what seemed to
be a boat chain, red hot, falling around
the tree, Sizing and scorching. There
seemed to be at least twenty of these
links falling at the same time, and
continued to fall abouta minute, when
Mr.. Rubeck was almost startled out of
his wits by heavy groan, which
seemed to come from the earth be-
meath him. Strange as it may appear,
up to this time his horse had not man.
tested the least uneasiness, and Mr..
Rubeck himself had not imagined any,
thing connected with what he had
seen or heard but what could be ac-
counted for upon rational theory
The falling of red-hot chains, he adj
mits, he thought little extraordinary
but had concluded within his own
mind to revisit the spot next morning
and gather them up, believing, as he
did, that they were n1eteors that had
fallen from the sky in that peculiar
shape. At the groan his horse reared
and curveted, plunged forward and
started to run. Now came the most
trying time to Mr.. Rubeck's nerves,
for just in front of him he heard the
plunging, rafting noise of runaway
team coming towards him, and the
noise manifesting every indication
that their course would be directly
over him. He tried to reign his horse
out of the course it was taking, but
his efforts were to no purpose. On,
Oh came the frightened team on, ON
toward it plunged the ungovernable
horse. Twas q. moment of terrible
suspense.
At this moment Mr.. Rubeck heard
! voice calling for help, and then the
cry of murder fell upon his ear; and
rs he was getting out of the way he
was more than ever startled by the
the voice apparently
coming directly from the old field =
For Gods sakel Jim, don't murder
mel" .--'..:
"Haying by this time passed the old
ield, he made his way home without
'eeing or hearing anything further,
)ut in state ofmlnd better imagined
han described. He spent a very rest
ess night, and the next morning rode
,ver the country telling his experience
If the night before, and requesting
he aid of his neighbors to assist him
n solving the mystery. He gathered
Iomc eight or ten, who attended him
he following night, when the same
genes were repeated.
/" The dogs barked, the red-hot
chains fell, the unearthly groans rose
Up from the ground, the frightened
cam came laundering down upon
hem, the voice was again heard in the
waste field calling for help and beg
ling Jim not to murder.
Most of the witnesses to this second
of the unearthly visit
nts, if such they may be called, be-
anne panic stricken and precipitately
led, Those who remained find no
easonable solution of the mystery,
hough one or two who knew init
aately and distinctly remembered the
Missing peddler, are willing to swear
hat it was his voice that called for
lelp.
The next day more citizens gathered
lpon the hill, and dug as close to the
pot where the barking dogs were
eard as they could. and, what was
heir surprise when they unearthed
keleton. Some parts of the clothing
we're still preserved, which corres-
'onded with that usually worn by the
'eddler. Upon a close examination
racture was found in the skull, which
ooked as though it was made with q
-. n.
atchet.
These last discoveries have created
considerable excitement in the
and some think it ex-
,lains the mysterious Disappearance
# the peddler, and will ultimately
cad to the discovery of his murderer,
{ he was rnnrderad Taking the facts