The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1879-09-14
A STRUGGLE WITH A GHoUL.
The Crime for which u Convict Was
Sent 10 Sing-stng Prison.

The Crime for which IL Convict WINS
Sent TO sing-sing Prison.
Detroit News.
In 1860 | was student at the old
Farmers Academy" ut Goshen, N. Y,
near New York city--at least 1t is about
sixty-tivc miles from 1t. One night In No
vcmber Mart paines and myself were coming
home from dancing party out at Snake Hill.
The night was dark and cloudy, but the
clouds were occasionally broken a little, and
thus gave tho moon n chance TO peep out and
show us our route. We were walking home
Alone having left group of girls behind in
charge of Ned North and Bobby White, two
of the boys who liked to he with girls better
than we two did. In those days | was not
very timid, and was quite as strong as am
now, but real, earnest rough-and-tumtle
test of my strength had never been called
| for.
We were trudging along ahead of the rest
| of our little party, when suddenly Paincs
startled me with the proposition to cut across
| lots and go through the cemetery, which
would shorten our journey little, and give
| us n chance to get into town far ahead of our
| companions.
When Mart and got to the corner where
| the stilc crossed the fence leading into the
silent dwelling place of the dead, felt for
my match box TO get "lucifcr " with which
TO light q fresh cigar, Smoking is no new
habit with me, you sce,) and somehow |
managed to drop the box, and as it struck
the wooden stilc with sharp metallic ring,
we heard wcll-dcfined "whst," that was
half a word and half low whistle of warning.
We two lads instantly sunk TO the ground,
wriggled up close to the fence, and began to
look and listen in order to see where the noise
came from. In n moment Mart nudgcd me
| and whispered, "Grave robbers, by thun-
der!' And sure cnough-as Just then the
moon came out, and we saw two villainOus-
looking chaps, who to my distorted imagina-
ton, at first looked to bc about eight feet
high. While the moon was shining they
stood perfectly motionless, but moment
later, when it had withdrawn its light, they
stopped down and resumed their disreputable
operations.
BY this time we had got their hearings
pretty well, and /, who had been grasping
Marts hand, suddenly felt him begin 10
trembc. AT first thought it was fear hui
n moment later knew what was the matter
when he fairly Missed in my ear: "Charlie
that is Amy's grave, and if you will stand by
me will kill or capture the hellhounds who
are trying to tear her out of it. - them!''
| had never imagined it before, but in u
twinkling graspcd the idea of why he had
been so glum since beautiful, naughty Amy
B died, and was in a moment rs angry
as he was. We listened and watched, and
made ont that there was one negro and ont
white man in the gravcyam-the Negro
being certain big, spray footed mokc from
" Fiddler's Green,' classic portion of old
Goshen, where the nggers have lived ever
since their York State ancestors Were sci
free, for you remember that saveholdinf
was once the custom in that State. The
other chap was smaller, and was evidently
man of the kind who preferred to let other
do the hard work. He gave orders. Now
these grave-robbcrs don't dig open the entire
grave. They simply dig hole in beside
the grave, smash in the coilin-boX ant
caslset, and with hook or rope, drag OH
tile poor dead remnant of mortality, double
it up and thrust it into bag, refill the hole
replace the turf, and drive of.
by the time we got our plan of attack
upon them digested they had dug their llol,
and were making arrangements to smash the
coffin with sharp crowbar when we up and
at 'em. The fence near the stile was broker
down, and we had each selected one of tn,
square piclsets as weapon. They use eal
picIets down there, Charlie; heavy oak
about an inch square, and they We're excel
lent to break n mans head with-at least q
white mans head; but | found coored
mans skull n hard nut to crack. We made
dash over the graves and were upon then
, before they got fairly turned TO face us-fol
the scamps did not run as | thought they
would. selected the white man, but as W,
closed in upon them | found that had til,
African to deal with, and let him have il
with all my might, stumbling as | struck
; and falling upon the ground with the CHOU
! on top, my head and his heels being in close
proximity. To change cnds' was n short
, job, and just AS was fastening my grip on
f his throat he got one of his long arms fire.,
and dealt me horrible blow between tn,
eyes, and the same moment ! saw Il flash
heard n sharp report, heard Mart yell, and
then all became confused, for only knew
that and that terribly strong black devi
We're locked in each others arms-that had
his head :" in chancery," and almost had
! one hand on his throat
never shall forget the agony of those few
. moments when we each fought for life. They
seemed like hours as we wrthed and strug
gled there over the graves. ii | could hav,
got him by the throat could soon have fixed
| him, but we each had to use n hand for pro
lection, and IL soon developed into n mere
question of endurance. had no time Oh
breath to call for help, and, indeed, ! AN
not sure that thought of it. only thought
of how to choke oil that black and hideou,
iiend, and at the same time keep hin
from rising to his feet TO choke me on. /
, almost prayed for an arm six inches longe,
f in order to- get my digits around his throat
, for we were locked i'm such "a queer shan,
f that. although / had his head under my
arm. | could not get my hands upon hi,
: thOr9cjp duet, and for n time ! almost
despaired, until the big fellow, by an effort
that must have strained his muscles not {
, little, managed oget TO his knees. Bat was
. foo uuick for him. and. breaking all holds.
, sprang to my feet. and struck him square IN
the face. | could hit hard in those DAYS
Charlie. and. after staggering lin, CLOSED
with Him again, and taking him by tia,
throat, well, ! guess | banged his head
over against the pretty headstone that i.
! sacred 10 the memory of Major Winslow'
, daughter.
D They told me arterward that Bob Whit,
and the girls heard Mart yell, and heard tn,
| pistol-shot, and moment afterward saw {
/