The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-10-27
A NIGHT OF H!JRRORS.
MR. GEORGE ARCHIBALD SPENDS A
NIGHT IN TIE HAUNTED CELL.

NM. GEORGE ARCHIBALD SPENDS 4
NIGHT IN TIE HAUNTED CELL.
He Is Perempt0rlIy Ordered to Hang Him
self, but Politely Refuses.
Gall No. II, of the Fourth Precinct, has lonl
been renowned ms theatre Of horrors, and as
haunted place where the ghosts Of The departed
appear to the prisoners there incaroerated, urg
ing them TO self destruction. Whatever there
may be in the legend, material fact comes 10 iti
support, for sixteen prisoners who slept in The
doomed vault have been found hung dead on the
next morning by the turnkeys.
Mr.. George Archibald, anxious TO know the
truth about the matter, spent by special permits.
sion night in the fateful dungeon, snd furnishes
us with the following account Of his nocturnal OK.
pcriences:
unfairly. In the haunted cell OF the Fourth Pre-.
cinct Station, better known ~ the Hsngman's Cell
have been oil my liis confirmed skepdc 10 re-
gard to ghosts and spiritual appsriti0n. I had
my attention directed to the Hangman's
Cell" for the first time, by reading the account
Of It published in the OF y papers Of October 20,
and heard sufficient 10 excite lively curiosity 10
become IN eye witness OF its horrors, and probe
the mysteries enacted by Ito Cpl itual inhabitants
visited Capt. Bachemin and readily obtained per-
mission to occupy the cell at any time. He
seemed somewhst su prised, and remarked IL
was the fret request Of the kind that had ever
been made TO his knowledge. Upon my asking
him if the cell was disagreeable, in other re-
spects, fJr . gentleman to sleep in, he replied
"No," and invited me TO look at IL.
1t was certainly gloomy enough, oven In day
light with no ing but the door, with it's fatal
grating Of iron bars. II was apparently about
ten feet wide by fifteen long, and WAS painted
- r. A. H.x.k
the walls being white. II was perfectly empty.
Writing was visible on the walls, lines penned BY
persons once incaIcerated there. now, perhaps
no more. Upon my expressing some concern ~
TO what sh3ut sleep on, he said. "You will
have to bring b'ankat but you have been = sol
der and vii not mind that" l replied, ut
would be no great hardship to sleep on blanket
for one night" The cell floor was quite clean,
although he stated II was not as clean the 9th
ers for the reason that II was rarely used on ac-
count Of the reports concerning 10.
We then retur ed TO his private office, when
he courteously offered me his lounge to pass the
night upon. l. was kindly done, and saved me
from considerable discomfort. / left, informing
the esp ain should certainly come soon to occu-
py IL, but
circumstances arose which made it most oonve.
nient for me TO do SO the same night conse-
quently returned about p. NJ, October 40. l
sat and chstted with Officer Purion and Clerk
Feely; visited, In company with the former,
another hsun ed cell, in the condemned portion
OF the building, and at 9:l5 p. m. fred TO the
eel. accompanied by Clerk Feely, Off ser Purdon
and one other person, name unknown, all OF
whom kindly assioted me in carrying up the
sofs.
four feet from It, while the foot was twice that
/ disposed Of my hat on the q Dor,
rested my cane against the head OF the sofa, and
with my " rcost for covering, theerfully bade
them good night and was bolt and locked In.
Now SEX my read rs to follow me closely, 20
hope to N crest them by recital Of what hap
pened TO me.
was quite as oool and collected az usual; ex-
periebced no strange feeling a. the bolt wss
drawn and the Ike, was turntd In the look. |
Tried TO sleep. but found II impossible; l was not
y al nervo1s, and determined to use all the wit
possessed
The Il WAS dimly lighted by gas light (sini-
ar 70 = street lamp,, which hung o, the gallery
! short distaDce below me. While no direct ray
,f light entered the CELL Ii was possible To the |
walls, the line where the white and black met, or
my obj o. more IN the apartment.
At l1:l5 2 m | liz q match and looked at
ny watch. III few m pments Officer Pardon
passed tfor the ,h,rd or fourth timel and .ked
Isleep,. and how felt7" to which / replied, "I
Tas all rRh', but oou not sleep for the mus
luitoes, aud had not seen anything as yet" He
lad scarcely reached the station roo when my
Akut 6H WUlCu uuUR OV0T buB DkCk Oh Inc SOFA.
Fas burned just over the wrist bone
AS BY RED HOT IRON.
The pain wss great, but instantly raised on my
oft arm and 10 'keh towards the rear Of the cell,
mt could see nothing.
asked who was there, but received no an
wer.' NV wrist was burning intensely, and in
he course Of Ave minutes l rubbed it with my
eft hand, when the Blu n ng instantly ceased and
distinctly felt y yelling which grew rapidly
nd panied just Tx boil OF the worst descrip
lon. IL grew so large that II pushed my cuff up
bove IT.. This lasted q few moments, when I
distinctly heard it burst. and felt 3 soft, warm
ubstance gush nut over my hand, and some
ven flew into my face, and heard something,
Thich suppose was the core, strike against the
Tooden W ssel that sat near the door. Al the
anne instant all pain left me- then wiped my
ace and hand with my handkerchief, and felt
ny wrist. but lol it was healed already. The
urprise was 30 great, l exclaimed that is
God, and laughed. hollow voice behind me
choed my laugh.
Jumped up aud said, NOW have you," for 1
,rty five or fifty years of age; her hair was gray
nd short, was not smooth, but projected every
here from the scalp; black eyes, which -hone
nth dtviish fury; hooked nose; large and {
rominent jaw bones, and pointed chin upon
er left cheek bone was frightful scar, fearful
, behold.
1t is difficult to describe her dress, for her form
as 80 shadow, though quite distinct. Its gem
raj appearance was dirty white, or pale yellow.
. soon as jun ped up 1t appeared; she must
ave shot her breath at me, for q cold. frozen
last hit me in the face, and felt as though it
as frost-bitten.
then asked, "Who are you and what do you
ant2" She replied, sand who are you 2" "One
yer whom you have no power" 1--WE will see!" :
30 We will, and sprang at her with my cane 10 ,,
" hand. She did not retreat; on the contrary, :
cav she too had cane; most curious one, 3, ,
70, and one would like to examine closely. 1t
as apparently large snake, twisted with the ,
cad curved for q handle. 10 it appeared to me !
the glance l obtained Of 1t, for instantly ,
ruck at her; she parried, and thus we fenced /.
r some moments without any advantage on ;
ther side. At last I lunged successfully, but
stead Of meeting with resistance my y
CANE WENT THROUGH HER, q
i'd impelled by the force OF the lunge fell for q
ard. On getting up saw her standing be-
de me, but she almost instantly disappeared a
it'll hooking laugh. Exhausted, and par t
ally stunned by my fail. laid down on the SOFA 9
was quite cool, and determined IL possible to l
lhdua this spirit but was not sorrv for a racnta q