The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1873-08-09


be seen haunting lonely ysspot; on the
river road near venerable oak that
stood in the center of the. street, near
the residence of Mr. Jacob Riokenbaker.
"A number of negroes and little childreo
about the place fully believed all this
and had sometimes declared they them.
selves had seen "the spirit" Quite an
amusing story is toldin connection with
those on one of the jurymon who served
at that time. Old "Uucle johnnie" al
he was more familiar by known, was a
queer eccentric character, not only a great
lover of his drink, but highly supersti-
tlous also. On sale and election days
and at numerous other times, he might
DO seen on n venerable looking. gray
horse riding about the village, where he
would.remain until o late hour drinking,
too tipsy to return home. One nj ght
Uncle Johpnie" was taking his usual
drinks at one OF the little doggerics. A
number of persons being present the
conversation turned upon the late hang.
ing and the stories that had been set
afoat. With sly wink at "Unclc
johnnie" which the set understood, one
wagsish young fellow went to giving
awful blood GU. d ing stories of the ghost
y visitant. "Uncle Johnnie" listened
terror stricken, SO greatly frightened
that his knees shook together. This oak
at which the ghost was.said to make its
appearance, lay directly on his road
home, and the more he thought of it
the more his courage sank, and he
kept delaying his time Of departure.
Uuobscrved by him one or two of the
oung fellows stole out, aud securing
the services of a ventriloquist who was
then passing through the place, proceed
ed TO this huge oak, and there made an
cffigy Of La Crew Stretching rope
across from the tree to the fence by
means Of ring fastened around the
efhgy's neck they could ut any moment
swing it out into the center Of tlre road :.
Hiding in the fence corner they awaited
old ''Uncle Johnnie's'' approach, L was
at quite late hour in the night when,
having screwed up his courage to its
highest pitch, he sailed forth Tor his
home.
AS he Dcarcd the much dreaded oak
suddenly there swung out before his hor-
rificd. gaze the figure of the murdered
Spaniard. With cry of terror, "U ncle
johnnie" reined iu his horse, and be.
gan pleading to the ghost as he suppos-
ed, for mercy. But the figure, ina deep
sepu!chral voice, declared that he had
coaie from the other world for him, and
he must now go. Then as it made
swing towards the frightened man, as If
to clutch him, human nature coull en- :
dure il no longer. Turning his horses
head "Uncle Johnnie" galloped madIy
back TO tkc village, one yell after another
ringing out upon the night air, startling
the Inhabitants from their slumbcr. A III
that night he lay awake at the tavern not
daring to return lrumr again, groaning
with terror and declaring tInrs the ghost
of La Crew had come for him. Though
the juke was found out afterwards yet to
his dying day old Uncle Johnnie"
fully believed aud firmly protested that
he had seen the ghost of the Spapiard,
and no argument or proof could con
vince him to the contrary.
These as we have told them, are some
OF the principal events and incidents
that marked the past OF Oraugeburg
some forty years ago. W hat its present
is all who live here nc" can tell what
its future will be that t, re alonc>will
show.
ATLANTA, GA. 1873.
----.-nzz>