The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-09-01
THAT STRANGE STORY Ex.
planned.
A Very Suspicious Sort ola Ghost.
A Short Sketch OF the Nolan

| % Eehu Tue leLteE WEllten Dy "NOSluQA
concerning the ghost that was seen II
these parts at the residence oil Mr.. Henry
Nolan. That account was the fiat hal
heard oiit, and Instantly pronounced l
q canard, as did every one who had AMI
knowledge Of the locality where Il wa
seen and the source from whence It ema.
mated. mo reflections on your cores.
pondent, as he OF course Is innocent, aud
unknown to myself and the majority o
this community
While this was the case felt It was du(
to oil parties concerned to investigate The
affair In q thorough manner. This did
In the beginning Of the week and will lay
before you
THE RRsuLT OF NY EXAMINATION.
first turned my attention to the parties
who were published as eye witnesses
They are as follows: VIM. Helerty, Peter
Homer, William Nolan and Bepj. Martin
The first two are unknown in these parts
There may be some mistake In the writ
ing Of their names but We can not proceed
on conjecture: as the names stand they
are unknown. The third, VIM. Nolan, d
rather indefinite, 40 there Is more than one
William Nolan, II do not say this) one
had his testimony invalidated In one u
our courts, but he Is a Nolan and therefore
interested In keeping the ghost story
alive. The last named, B. F. Martin Is an
honest, hard working blacksmith. l an
personally acquainted with him and never
knew him 10 tell an untruth. conclud.
ed In examining this matter 10 call on Mr..
Martin, hear hts version, and II 1t agreed
10 the main with the other would then
call on Mr.. Henry Nolan, learn when
John would be at home and make my ar.
engagements TO see the stones, the amoke,
the Indian hen, and ifposGible ~
THE OLD BUT 1NvIsABLE NAN.
l called on Mr.. Martin, last Monday,
and heard totally different narrative.
The main points were that John looks to
be as hearty as ever he did; that they
did not search more than three hours in
stead OF three days; that they saw the
stones falling but were not allowed 10
enter the thicket from whence the stones
came; that none were permitted 10 fire
into the thicket but the Nolans them.
selves; that they did not sec any old man,
nor did they chase one Of that character,
and he believed it was plot among the
Nolans to Brighten some one.
All this Mr.. Martin told me before he
had read or even seen the article. When
/ read il to him he pronounced 1t base
fabrication as did all Of Nolsns immedi.
ate neighbors to whom read 1t.
The Nolans are related to the Jennings
and they have been guilty of hsrboring
them when John Jennings was alive.
They are Of the lowest strata Of society,
to say the least, and as there is a general,
and perhaps not untounded fear, that
they are working for the return OF the
Jennings boys. II they could succeed in
driving two families out oil the head OF
the run the Jennings boys would have a
splendid rendezvous, one far more remov-
ed from public gaze than their fathers
farm used to be. However this may be
as their objective point, only give 1t as
the opinion Of some people hereabouts.
l think can explain the main reason in
few words. Mr.. VIM. Nolan, Henry's
father, owns from six toSeight hundred
acres OF land on the head Of the right
branch OF Pine Fork. He has been in
the habit Of selling parcels OF this land
to whoever would purchase 1t at q low
price, with small payments, all the time
in the world to pay for it; desiring 10 sell
merely for the purpose Of getting rid OF
paying taxes on so much useless land.
After these persons would contract Tor
the land and pay small amount, then
the Nolans would operate on them to
drive them out Of the country, get the
land back and keep the money. They
played this game on persons several
years. One man from Pennsylvania pur.
chased nearly one hundred acres from
VIM. Nolan, for about 5000, paying him
nearly 5000 on 1t, built cabin and was
making preparations to move on the land
last spring, but by some means the No
lans wrought 80 powerfully on him that
he decided to remain where he was and
lose all he had paid on the land.
Mr.. Homer came from the other side
Of the country and purchased land from
Mr. Nolan. he said, he thought it was
queer that Nolan would sell the heart ont
Of his tract while he had outlaying land
al around the new conner. But Horner
could see nothing except the bargain. So
he contracted, moved his family on and
went 10 work.
THEY LET HIM ALONE FOR ABOUT A
YEAR,
and then they began to worry him by q
series Of petty prosecutions, logging his
stock, throwing down his fences, breaking
bis farming implements, and insulting and
iDjuring his family.
In the beginning Of their operations
Horner offered to sell out 10 them, being
willing 10 lose his seeding, all his work
and fifty dollars besides. But Mr.. Nolan
told him, and also his wife, that he ia
tended to get the land back and keep the
money.
B. +. Martin moved there last spring.
They let him alone till a short time ago,
when they began to operate. He was OF
the opinion that he had better move his
family and loose property, leaving
all the rest in their hands. But Mr.. Hor.
ner rather prevailed on him to stay and
fight 1t out, as In all probability they
would become too strong for him should
they succeed In driving Mr.. Martin out.
So you see It Is little swindling game.
II successful they would be well paid tor
burning an old rickety stable, cutting q
wagon road through their corn, and keep
ing the neighborhood In an uproar about
A PRETENDED GHOST.
I willssy, in conclusion, l have no de-
sire TO speak evil OF my friends and
neighbors. We have some as good cih-
zens as any community could desire, and
their warm hearted hospitality Is scarcely
eQualled and never surpassed by any set
Of people on the face Of the earth; yet we
have some who have done and are doing
all In their power to retsrd our onward
progress. The sooner we get rid Of them
the better 1t will be for all parties con-
cerned.