The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-11-12
GHOSTS IN A MORGUE.

TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE OF CuARNAL-HoUsH
KEEpER--CoNTINUED RAPPINGs THE LIVE
LONG HIGHT-HE RESIGNS HIS PLACE
From tho 81 Louis Globe. Democrat, November Of
Several nights ago Williams the assistant at tho
Morgue, went out for tho evening. Mr.. Auenbaugh,
tho superintendent, sat aione In tho gloomy Office.
Tho Are burned low, and shadows played nfuly upon
the walls About ten O'Clock Mr. Auonbaugh arose
and into the yard to get u bucket OF coal
He carried q lamp with him and lett the door open.
When no wont to Get the coal there u rushing
noise the air. HIS light cxtinguished and the
open door shut violently. There was sound 10
tho interior OF the building as II body had fallen
against the DOOR Then II was reopencd and again
closed violently, and two distinct raps tue paueli
were heard Thou all was stl rs death. The super.
intendcnt filled his bucket and ro-ontored tho build
ing. He look ed ieariuy about Everything was As It
should be. 1T was only the wind, laughed tho super.
intenueni, as hoaped coal into the hro The rudy
bluze caught the fuel The flames eaped high aud
ilnmnod the room pleasantly and his long pipe
the superintendent forgot his silly iears The ASSIST
came home alter and the superintendent do.
parted. very tired and worn out The assistant made
~ his bed ana, retiring, fell INTO heavy sleep Tho
room where he sleeps communicates by separate
doors TO narrow stone chamber where the bodies
prepared Tor exhibition and TO tho large chamber
identification. lilo had slept what had seemed to HIM
about fifteen minutes, when Ne sat bolt upright in
bod, awakened by two slow and distinct rups ths
door OF the exhibition room, accompanied by tina
noise Of body falling nganstiL Whiic no wondered
Ing room. Williams got up put some moro coal ON
tho nrc, turned on the gas little brighter then
lay down again. Ten minutes passed and again tho
slow ana dstinct raps the falling body on the
door OF tho exhibition room, with answering rap
from tho Other door.
Ho lay s,iii and wondered, when bark there againi
He sprang out Of bod and sezing light threw opeI
the door OF the washing room He could 10 every
corner oil Its gloomy extent "A fGtus, found some.
where by boys, In q small box In corner.
Nothing else was III the chamber. He closed tho door
ana turned to cross the room when again the raps,
with Tho answer from tho narrow chamber which no
had just closed He sprang 10 tho exhibition
door tore It open and with his lamp hold nigh ahove
his head gazed long and tromblingly into the gloom.
On slab lay something covered with white
CLOTH Beneath could BIO sccn tho rough outlines Of
o human figure negro woman Ind died OF apoplcxy
during the day, and was lying there on the cold ana
dripping slab Tho body OF iittlo child that had
death In some mysterious manner lay next 10 that OF
tho old negro woman.
On third slab an indscrminato hoap Of human
boncs was piled some workmen had uncarthcd Thorn
while digging In the old pauper graveyard on Carroll
street TIE slow, steady "Trip OF water as Tell upon
the bodies and trckIed 10 tho floor became painful to
HIM and with last look he closed the door. Tho In.
slant his buck was turned, rap, rap" on the door
with the answering rap rap" on tho other door and
then u single rap tho ceiling. He dashed into tho
deadroom again and turned the blue gas Jets high
until the room was u bazc Of light He examined
every nook and Granny OF Tho chamber, and found
nothing
The old negro woman's body, the childs corpse ana
the unhonorcd bones Of the unknown pauper were Us
ut is the WIND" said no aloud as no turned down
tho gus The stone walls hollowy echoed ..wind.n
Tho gloom returned and iitful shadows played over
the ghas!ly freight OF tho dripping slabs
Eyes, 1t must DO tho wind" said he, IA, with wads
OF paper and little sticks he plugged up the cracks OF
the doors until they hung In their tlrm
tho very walls. He laid down, said good night 10
his foolish Tears, and was just dropping OF into
gcntle when clearer, louder faster Than before
came the raps-onc two, from the dead room one
two, in answer, from tho washing ROOM then per.
feet shower OF raps from both doors, with occl-
sonal sonorous bang as gratuity from tho ceiling
Now thoroughly torrnod, no sprang from bed, turned
up the gas until the apartment flooded with light.
ho opened the outcr door quickly and stepped
on to the street No In sight A hcavy
fog hung tho city. and clock, with tonci
mulled by tho damp OF the air, lazily tollcd
the hour oi three. He thought Of calling for Kanter
the saloon keeper across tho way, to come over and
sit with him, but kantcr's house was dark. aud ha
probably uslcep and dreaming only OF the spirits
which no daily rctaicd his bar, and Williams
turned into tho Office and sitting la u chair, read tho
Globe Democrat until he fell into exhausted aud
lehargic sleep, from which nothing short OF sixty
FOUNDER could awaken him.
In the morning the sunlight stolc into tho sepuchral
apartment In OF cautious and tinid manner and
with II the superintendent, both surprising Mr..
Williams asleep In his chair
The old negro woman was buried that day. Tho
parents OF the child took Its body away Tho bones Of
tho unknown paupcr found resting place III the
Potcr's Field, and the next night passed In quiet
Williams threw up his place.