The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-04-04
The Strange Franks Played I'm Phil
ndesphia Du cling.

The Strange Franks Played I'm a Phil
ade,phia Dwelling.
WEIRD wHIsPERINGs AND UNCANNY SOUNDS
DISTURB THR MIDNIGHT REST OF BENJAMIN
SHANE AND HIS FAMILY.
tPhlladeiphia Prcss.l
There is nothing about the appearance
81 a22 north Eleventh street which would
sdggest ghosts. The house itself is three
story brick Str1icturc-the oldest. by the
way. in the square with plain white WIN
dow-shuttcrs. and a well-toned look, such
As usually comes from long, quiet exist
ence in dusty neighborhood. The inte-
rior arrangements arc Of the simplest kind,
and Of that character which prevailed
twenty-five years ago.
on the first floor there Is a narrow entry
or veStihule leading from the doorway and
terminating at the foot Of the stairway,
which extends to the top story, being even
narrower than the entry, and confined 10
IFS proDcr limits by a plain wooden banis-
ter. ON the lower floor are two rOOms-a
parlor. and i'm the rear Of that a sitting
room. On The floor above are parlor, bed
room directly over the parlor. and back Of
that again another bedroom. The ar
rapgemeni in the third story is similar 20
that 81 the lower floors, there being two
bedrooms. The front room is approached
from The rear 10y the hallway. into which
also INC door in the rear room opens.
Reside, this, the TWO rooms COM
municate by a third door. About a
foot beyond the rear door in the front
room on this story i, q trap-door securely
fastened by a bolt upon the upper side.
The bolt j. rusty. and can be moved only
with difficulty. and iar from noiseleSsly.
In the rear Of the hallway there is q WIN
dow. securely fastened, looking out upon
a tin roof. that over the summer Kitchen.
which Is two stories high. such. In brief.
j. the house and its interior arrangements.
About six months ago Benjamin shane. 4
salesman. who formerly lived in West
Phladeluhla. moved into the house with
bis wife and three children. Tattling
neichhars soon carried L. their ear, the
news that the house had long been haunted.
and. by virtue OF this fact. had never be-
come welded 10 it. numerous occupants
for a longer continuous period than six
months.
HEARING TIE GHOSTS.
Mr.. shane. not being ,uper,iitious. was
inclined % laugh at the ghostly tales carried
20 him by Dis neighbOTs, and declared his
ability and willingness 10 fight dozen ,pi-
ritual demons. II need be. unarmed and
unattended except 10y q candle. The Gays
rolled 10y, and tie ghosts did not make
tbcir avuearlrcc. The ncighbOrs grew
fainter and fainter with their lcud-nouihed
susuicions. and ID was az last believed that
the >upernatural visitors had been finally
and efectually hanished. This hope, how
2. ! Ia CO -
last Nonday night there was ina-urated such
2 series ~ Vmarkable visitations as has
never been surpassed IN the annals ~
gh0std0m. That evening Mr.. Shane t.
tired early. a was lis wont. and by 10
O'Clock was fast asleep. He occupied tie
rear room I'm the third story. In the front
room were sleeping two young men. j.
Onpcnhcimer and /. lolzmann. Every
thing was quiet. The lamp upon the man.
t-l was flitkerin- Gimlv. suddenly upon
the outer surface 81 the door leading from
the hallway into the room in which Shane
,Ieut there descended three sharp, clean
emf inns. Shane was awake in IN instant.
All the tale, DE- had ever heard OF ghosts
syye,lt through bis mind Ike 1ash. Before
bo could spring from hi, bed there came
three more taps. louder than tie MS, and
c'esr-toned. inci>iye. Shane. now right
sDe6. called ont. " Who, there" No
answer. who's there - be called out
aelin. sill no answer, not the fainte-i
noise. not even a rustling. The silence
wa, intense lie arose and crept into tie
front room. The two Young men were
sitting up in bod. They, too. had heard
the tapping. and their hair Wa> fast begin
ming % rise. Directly Mr.. Shane, who
Wa, sleeping in TIE second story, appeared
N the foo, q the stairs. and calling her
husband asked him ii be had knocked.
lie declared Dee Lad not. An exhaustive
search was instituted. The traT-doOr was
fastened. 80 was the rear window in the
hallway. The door leading from It into
the front room was locked and bolt
ed. Here was the mystery. The next
NIGHT there were 10 signs Of ghosts. but
on "wednesday they reappearei with IN
creased yigor. and NJ about the same hour
shane was asleep I'D tie rear room; tie
two vouu. men IN the front room. and lr
-bc front room below were J. r. Chandler
and lis VIE. Scarcely had shane ,hut ID.
eyes. thinking himself rid OF tic ghost
than there came q loud crash, this time
upon the door leading from the r9l-Wa,
into tie front room, Ike q charge OF mus
kerry. or. what l. better. like Wcll-almel
blow with a heavy bludge0n. All three
men simultaneously jumped from ihcu
beds. The blow WIS succeeded by Gcel
silence. There was not even 4 crcak any
where. tut ali still - death.
THE LAMP GOES OUT.
To increase the mystery. the lamp -ittin-
uron the mAntel fiickercd twice. accom-
p4aicd both times 10y perfectly audioi
nu.f. natural. o. II made by some one. AM
suddenly expired, shrOudine The room II
darkness. The lamp was rclishied, am
lain va, q search instituted, o. fruit
le.s d the first. Chandler and D..
wife. in the second story, heard III
. noise. and came running up the stairs
They saw no one, and heard no one
The trap-dOor was fastened. TIE Wndo'
locked. and all the doors secure. IhuTsCa
evening the inmates OF TIE house wei
p congrceated on the lower floor liylh
cards. Mr.. shane and Mr.. Chandler Dol
G distinctly heard a noise in the upper nal
yvav Is Of some one walking heavily. J ne
, ru-hed IN sfairs. but saw no one. Late
that evening the rapping came. lneXphc;
be - before. Friday evening the NEAR
cbolv experience Of the preceding nigh
had 10 be gone through with agar
q ~harD. like sound needles, the raps SO
: through the an, and again tue three me
G bounded 10 their feet; and fourth TN
J they were compelled to retire
: their sleeples. couches without ha'
ing solved the mystery. since the
k thew have not been heard. This IS J.
}. doubt because the family has been afraid
5 go to sleep. The police have been notiiit
e Of the matter, and ascTibe the noctuTn
5 visits TO natural and outside sources. III
e does not appear possible. Last evening
e most careful and complete investigation