The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-05-27
THE HAUNTED HOUSE OF LAFITTE,
Br COUSIN NouRMA.


The famous premises. known az the
Haunted House OF Lafitte, occupied q
large portion OF the square bounded by
Washington Avenue on the north ana
Tchoupitoulas street on the east. The
property was during many years ln It'll
CATION, and up to 1861 1t could not DC
disposed OF, because OF the unsettled
and suspensive claims filed IN the
courts. During the war OF 1876, the
commander or the Federal forces, while
In occupation of New Orleans, caused
the materials Of which the old house
was composed to be converted into other
uses. Thus this singularly interesting,
ancient and remarkable landmark was
destroyed, and at the present time the
site is occupied by numerous small and
neatly built cottages and commodious
houses, all OF which are inhabited by
people who do not entertain any fear or
respect for the ghosts that were reported
to harbor there In the olden time.
When / first knew the locality there
was q dilapidated hedge OF bitter orange
trees surrounding the premises, and
numerous remnants Of old walls and
outlines OF what were once beautiful
garden plats, flower beds, avenues, ar
bors and resorts for the occupants OF
the place, were plainly visible. The
house was an old-fashioned square man.
sion. built In the English style OF archi-
lecture, two stories high, had a comb
roof, and contained several large square
rooms with high ceilings. The finish
ings were very fine, and consisted OF
beautiful woods. The entrance to the
house was through large doorway and
narrow hall, from which q stairway.
ornamented with black walnut ibalus-
trades, wendell to the upper floors.
Many queer stories were extant con-
cerning the place. The chief one, how
ever, stated that 1t had once been the
headquarters for Lafitte and his ia
NOUS band OF so-called pirates, during
the period or whose occupation the ban
dts and desperadoes Of the country
held high revel, debauch and dissipa-
ton there. They also deposited the
proceeds OF their plumber In the house
and about the place. and hence
many persons imagined that large
treasures were buried there and
would some time be unearthed.
No such fortune, whether for good or
I'LL. has ever happened, ut least moth
ing OF the kind has ever been reported,
that we are aware Of. There is no
doubt that the chief object Gen. Butler
had In view, In completely demolishing
the old house, was to search for the re-
puted wealth supposed to be deposited
there. A good result, however, ensued,
In that the dismantled old rookery was
made to disappear, and nodern, seemly
and pleasant residences placed on the
once useless and muchly dreaded SITE.
The reputation Of evil ascribed to f.,
place, the usual mysterious sounds,
ghostly appearances. and exhibitions OF
what were said to be supernatural
manifestations--not only the people OF
the neighborhood, but also many others
throughout the city had an underlined
fear of being In that vicinity after
nightfall, even though the gas lamps
were lighted, and every part Of the
premises were completely visible and
open to investigation.
A visit thither at the witohing hour Of
night was projected by party OF unbe-
levers, myself included in the number.
After preparing ourselves we'll to pro-
tect against any unfair or secret attacks,
we made q raid on the place one dismal
and frightfully dreary night, when the
rain came down 10 floods and q terrific
but at midnight the sky was almost
clear. The flying black clumps of clouds
became fewer and smaller, and, finally,
patches OF blue sky appeared, very clear
and brightly studded with stars, which
shone wondrously with crystalline light.
After all those hideous preliminaries,
the sky and night compensated for It's
angry gush by putting on It's loveliest
fvestments and pinning them together
with sparkling gems.
Suddenly singularly strange, hiss
ing, splitting sound startled us; then
followed a gathering movement, as Of
hoofs drumming on the floor, and this
was succeeded by a noise as of horns
striking against the walls and loose
boards. At intervals there was heard
an idiotic. laughlike sound. Then en-
sued some rumbling curses and several
hush whishtl utterances swelling from
an unearthly whisper into Q distinct
enunciation OF the words. The most
startling and surprising part OF this por-
tion OF the entertainment was, that the
voices and sounds seemed to pervade all
parts OF the place; they came from the
upper portion of the building, from the
walls, from the surrounding grounds.
and sometimes seemed to be subterra-
mean.
But there was no one In our party who
had any faith In the supernatural, and
hence we quietly awaited further devel-
opments; nor did we wait long, for
some startling evidence of Satanic infiu-
ences soon came to relieve the monot-
ony of the moment.
Suddenly heavy substance rolled
down the stairway, gathering and re-
verberating with many echoes about the
dismanftad walls Then tha hoofs