The Russellville Democrat., 1882-03-16
CRAZgD WITH FRIGHT
An ohio Young Man Shoots at a Supposed Ghost--Sad Results of Practical Joke,
 Cincinnati Ennnfrar

An Ohio Young Man Shoots at Supposed
 Ghost--Sad Results of n Practical Joke.
 Cincinnati Enquirer.
 1 A most remarkable case of insanity re sulting from practical joke has come to or no publicity has been given the matter Living about two miles from town is fam fly by the name of Waters. They are well. to-do, plain country people, who enjoy the respect of all their neighbors, and have a large circle of friends and relatives. The family consists of Mr. and Mrs Waters, now well advanced in years; two fine ap- bearing and sensible daughters both grown; and one son named Henry, who is hand some, manly fellow of ftwenty-three, whose pleasant face has made him many friends Henry had been brought up on the farm. and his experience beyond the limits of his home and the neighboring towns has been restricted to single visit to Cley eland at the time of the Garfield funeral obse. quies. He was much given to reading light literature of the blood and thunder kind, and his associates say he was very superstitious, and at various times ex- pressed himself ss believing in spirits and their visioned terrors. In fact, these strange fantasies had so worked upon his simple nature that he always slept with large old fashioned Colts revolver at the head of his bed, where he could place his hand upon it in an instant.
 Knowing his weakness, some of the neighborhood boys planned, in the best of humor, ascheme to frighten him with a makebeieye ghost at midnight's evil hour. A night was set for the perpetra. ton of the joke, and during that afternoon one of the youEg men carefully drew all the bullets from Henry's pistol, leaving the powder in each cartridge undisturbed, and placed the weapon back in it's accustomed place Henry retired as usual at half past eight, and about midnight, just as the moon was throwing a dim ray ot light across the floor, one of the boys, clad in ghoatly attire, stealthily entered the room and stood with outstretched arms, slowly muttering unin- telligib!e sentences.
 With an awakening tremor, Henry con- yulsively grasped his revolver and sat up right in bed, dumb through fear. The ghost advanced step, the mutterings con tinued, till Henry, wrought up almost to frenzy, drew to an aim the weapon he sup posed was charged with death, and stam- mered, If you are man, l shall kill you; if you are a ghost, this wont hurt you; and with that the loud report of his pistol startled the nights stiffness. There was Qulck mCtlO or the Shrouued arm, and the bullet was thrown back, striking the head board at HenTys side. This sent cold chill through his frame, but second time he took deliberate aim at the figure and fired. Again g motion as if catching the bullet, and it was thrown back upon the bed.
 Almost paralyzed with fear, Henry fired a third, a fourth and fifth shot only to have the bullets hurled back with noseless motion from the ghostly figure. Then, for q brief moment he sat as if transfixed, gag ing with mute bewilderment when, with wild shriek of terrlr, he fired the last blank cartridge and hurle 1 the pistol at the ghost
 With a merry laugh, the ehostly visitor threw off his flowing garments, and through the door came those who had gathered without to join the sport, when, to their horror, they saw depicted on the face Of Henry an expression which told the sad story that their joke had, alas been too we'll played. His mind could not stand the strain. He was q raving maniac.
 The saddest part of the story is that, al- though several weeks have elapsed since young Waters was frightened, he has not showed the least signs of returning sanity; ands swhiienot violent, is constantly shriek- ing out and pointing to imaginary ghosts. It is sad story and frightful warning to practical jokers.