Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-01-19
TENANTED BY $
Mysterious Manifestations that
Drove Ont All Who Attempted
10 Live in a Haunted House.


- - AA0AA1ke I
courier-Journal.
A house on York, between Eighth
and Ninth streets, has lately been the
subject Of mysterious rumors The
gossips freely allege that it is haunted,
and there have been no end of whis-
perings concerning its supposed ten
ants. Until a few months ago it was
occupied by family named Basley,
which consisted Of a man, his wife,
and six children. Basley was either a
Swiss or a German, his neighbors are
not certain which, and was a furniture
maker, employed in a factory on
Ninth, between York and Lexington
streets. He was a middle-aged man,
Of steady, industrious habits, and as
he was an excellent workman and a
clever neighbor, he was quite popular
among the few who knew him. The
family did not, however, court &C.
qua~intance, but maintained rather a
reserve.
Some months ago it was noticed
that Basley's health began to fail,
though he still went about his work
as usual. He seemed to be troubled
about something, and confded to a
neighbor his belief that he would die
soon. The other e~ndeavored TO dis
suade him from this idea, but he chung
stoutly to it, saying that he felt his
days were numbered. He added that
be was prepared for death, and would
meet it with resignation. Sure
enough, his presentiment was realized,
and it was scarcely a month before he
was laid in the tomb. He had been a
sober man and a good worker in life
and did not leave his family unpro
vided for, as he had some little saw
ings, and in addition a policy on his
life for $1,000. The money was paid
to his widow, and after o short in.
terval she sold out their household
goods and left with her children for
Missouri.
The strange part of the story now
comes. The house which the family
had occupied was quickly rented out
to a family named Brown. They did
not occupy it long, however, before
they gave it up and moved away, al
leging that the place was haunted.
They said but little about iC,
though, as they seemed afraid
of ridicule, and it was not long
before the house found another
tenant. The newcomers stuck to it a
short time, and professed to disbelieye
the stories that were told concerning
the place, but as time wore on they,
too, became alarmed. Mysterious
sounds were heard at all hours in the
night, doors were opened and shut
without human hands, and in spite of
locks and bars. Phosphorescent lights
would flash in at the windows, and
spiritual wailings penetrated every
nook and Granny Of the building.
THE TRAILING OF UNSEEN ROBES
would be heard across the floors, as if
the dead were passing through the
room in their shrouds; and it was even
whispered that the ghost Of the fur.
niture maker, looking weird and
CHASTITY in the faint CLEAN of light
which seemed to emanate from his
form, was seen on one or two occa-
sions. The family could stand it nc
longer, and struck with superstition.
awe and dread, they left the neigh.
borhoOd and subsequently the city.
/ A reporter OF the Courier journal
visited the house yesterday. 1t is il
a dreary, unromantic locality, only
short distance from a tobacco factory
and the furniture shop where the mar
Basley used to work. The house il
an unpretentious double frame tene
: ment, which was just undergoing som,
: repairs and alterations, and had
notice tackled on the fence that tn,
place was for sale. Looking at it il
the broad light Of day, with the sui
: shining down upon the puddles o
g dirty water in front and a group o
f, ragged urchinS playing zeal by, it wa
hard TO believe that so prosiac a plac,
f, should ever have been the scene o
D ghostly manifestations.
The reporter knocked at the dool
of an adjoining house. 1t was opened
4 by a frowsy headed woman with severa
children cliDging around her knees
In response to his inquiry as to thu
5 house in question, she stared al frs
! and professed entire ignorance of til.
subject. After some further question
ing, however, she acknowledged tina
3 she had heard people couldn't live
I there because it was haunted, Blu
refused to give any particulars. Sub
sequently the reporter met a man VIII
: was disposed to be more cOmmunioa
tive, and from him succeeded il
!, learning all that had been narrated
0 lie said the matter was not %generall
b known, as all the tenants who har
ever occupied the place had move,
l. away, but seemed TO fully believe il
t the ghostly manifestations, for whicI
he declared there could be no othe
than a superlative explanation.
At one time he said that a couple q
wild young men. who worked in tn
tobacco factory near by, resolved
spend a night there and see if the tale
were really true. They kindled frel
and determined to sit up till morninl
but they did not remain longer tina
midnight, as they we're frightene
almost out Of their wits by the ur
earthly voices, and even believed the
saw more than one spook in the ur
. earthly habitation. Since then no on
has had the courage to repeat the
: experiment, and the house has remain
= ed untenanted,