Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-01-23
'sI,c Buchanan SiI.oS1.

! CORRESPONDENT Of the Rlchmon' y hi2
wiring from Buchanan. Botctourt county.
Virginia. gives the following account "t re-
cent ghostly doing> in that vicinity. oi which
brief mention has already been nladc
He says
There lives in the suburb: o. BUCHANAN 4
worthy man, the Rev. lf. {. ThraSLer. whose
house has been for six weeks the theatre Of
many curious and ghostly exploits; it twhatcT-
crit may bel commenced operations By extract
inc from the reverend gentleman $ corn crib
through IL padlocked door, Il sack OF corn and
pouring it out some twenty PAGES from the CRIB
and this circumstance proves that the spirit
must be. at least white. for one bearing the
hue Of the ''AEth Amendment could never
have resisted the temptation Of toatlng 1t to
his luuntS. Then night after night il came
performed its tatastic tricks, opened windows
barred on the inside. doors locked and guarded
scattered furniture and the utensils ct the cul-
mary department hithcr and thithGr. anb went
away unperceived despite the fac; that each
night the house was guarded inside and around
bv yigilcut neighbors armed to the teeth and
eager to capture or detect the bold hobgoblin
who had time and again passed through their
ranks unseen.
One evening last week. whilst Mr. |. was
writing in his study about :; o clock there was
bold knock at:the door several time, repeated.
but on Mr. T. $ seiZinga pistol and rushing to
the door, 10 nothin. WAS there: and nothing
was To be seen in the vicinity. although the
minuteSt search was made; and this knocking
occurs frequently and has been attcSted by gen
tlemen of undoubted veracty.
Three evenings ago Mr.. Y. went over 10 DR..
Wood & residence. and whilst there heard his lit
tie children. when he had leftat home. ringing
a bell, and at the same time heard 4 violent
knocking ut the door, and on approaching. being
armed with ii shot gun, and accompanied by DR..
Wood. distinctly heard his little son inquire Of
the unwelcomc visitor what it wanted. Areply
was given, but in an undistinguisllablc humble.
resembling. asDr Wood describes it. 4 contlls-
ion Of voices coming from the ground. Both
gentlemen affirm that not tie least trace OF any
person or thing WAS visible. although every nook
and corner of the premises wilS carefully exanln-
ed. nor could any bod in the house produce the
sounds they heard no one being at home at the
time except his three little children. the eldest
II brave little boy of twelve summers. who with
piStolin hand. was intcrlocuting the hobgobIn
who has puzzled the graycst heads in Buchanan
Some two weeks ago Mr.. l.. wls watching III
his yard armed with i double barrclcd shot
run. WHICH. uS IC SINS Spulcllllll- ihC q liliii
shadow. hearing resemblance to 4 human form.
passed by him. but swiftly rs the wind, and IN
stantlv disappeared. This is ill that he has
seen, and strange enough. not track or trace
has ever been left behind although night after
in storm. the mysterious stranger has come.
PLAYED his curious pranks. the half OK which
have not told. and wcnt-whcrc? One would
naturally ask if there nigh. not be some place
in which person might conceal himself for the
purpose of playing joke upon the reverend
gentleman but answer there Is none Every
nook has been examined time and again by
many persons. and there cannot possibly be
anv sllbterrancan retreat for flesh and blood IN
the vicinity . The surrounding grounds are
plain and clear. and it seems Impossible that
any person could pass from the house upper
ceivcd. even in partial darkness.
This is no hoax-I mean this Statcmcnt-and
if YOU doubt it. I would refer YOU to the most
respcctablc gentlemen Of Buchanan and its
vicinity. and TO the Reverend MIR. Thrasher
himself who is a gentleman of high standing
and minister of the Baptist Church.
FAUoUIER COUNTY ITEMS.-A!exander, a son
of John Il. Hart, aged about lG years: was &C
cidentally killed by William. l son OF Capt. v.
" Carter on Thursday. Young Carter. while
hunting. crossed field in which yonng Hart
was poughing The latter hailed him and
asked fora chew of tobacco. As Garter APP
preached Hart and shifted his gun to get at his
pocket. the hammer Of the gun caught in his
coat, an explosion followed. and the entire load
Hart 5 eye and passed out at the
back of his head producing death Immediately.
We are again called on to chronicle the death
of another old friend and valued citizen. Mr..
Alfred Gaskins. who passed from time to eter-
nity Oh last Sunday morning in the 6Sth year
of his are Hcwas for many Years an exempla-
~ member Of the Methodist Church, and was
fully prepared for the dread summons when it