Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-02-28
numbers, diem \ ha,teripr sound aud

numbers, then u hatteripg sound and
confused demand for admittance at the
great door of the hall, which opened in
like manner of its own accord; then
piercing shriekS rs Of people ascending
the great staircase, and the cries OF
women and children flying madly from
pursuing enemy. The amazed officers,
hastily Snatching up their swords
rushed III y body into the entrance hall,
whore numbers Of their men. attracted
BY the fearful NOISE, were also looking
wildly about them. They saw nothing,
and only felt y chill current OF outer air
which AT once eXtlnguished all the
lights. The shrieks and noise of peo-
pie pursuing Others up the stairs still
continued, but high up in the house;
and we must now leave the tenants of
the lower apartments in state Of
alarmed bewilderment, and follow the
shadowy ''rabble rout" to II large room
at the top of the mansion, which had
been assigned rs sleeping place
for twelve of the young soldiers who
could not find accommodation below.
They were all preparing for rest when
the tumultuous cries of people ascend
ing the stairs, and Of others in hot pur-
suit, made them fear that an insurrcc-
ton had broken out in the town, and
though few of the hraveSt proposed
their making a rush downstairs to the
assistance ottheir officers and comrades,
they were overruled, and the door Of the
room was hastily barricaded with heavy
articles of furniture dragged from their
places for the purpose. The noise ad-
vanced, the door was assaulted, every
obstacle gave way, and the aStonishcd
occupants of the room felt themselves
seized with strange, cold horror rs u
rush of air extinguished the light, and all
who stood i'll the way received heavy
blows from invisible hands, which left
some of them senseless and the rest in
n state of idiotic bewildorment. One
only of the number retained full and
clear possession ofhiS senses, and seems
to have had a perception of the ghostly
nature of what was passing. When
the door was burst open he was stand.
ing i'll the middle OF the room, and SO
escaped the blows showered on his
comrades. With great presence OF mind
he rclit the lamp, but 1t went out again
directly; still he described being able to
see by kind Of shadowy twilight
which pervaded the room. He distinct
" remarked u throng of spectral fig
ureS, which appeared like blush va
pors, with dim and indistinct outlines,
passing swiftly to the top of the room.
When they reached it the noise was
dealening; he heard the wailing cries Of
little children, the shrieks and prayers
for mercy of women, the bitter oaths
and imprecations of men. the clashing
of weapons, the deadly stabs. and the
dull thud of falling bodies rs each vic
tim was in turn dispatched; in short,
the bloody drama of long years before
was re-enacted ON that fearful night.
At length an appalling silence settled
upon the horrors OF the scene, and the
hitherto spell.bound spectator knew
and felt no more till he woke to life
in II ward of the regimental hospital,
having been brought with difficulty
through the dangers Of n brain fever,
Three of his companions were dead
of the same complaint, and two more
were in II state of hopeless idiocy. The
strictest inquiries were made, and y
searching examination took place IN
the endeavor to detect any fraud or de-
cepton, but nothing was elected in the
way Of reasonable explanation, and the
matter was hushed up by the authori-
ties. Soon afterwards the government
purchased the estate, and RACED every
building to the ground.