South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1883-06-29
Driven Mad by q Ghost.
SNYpRRTowN, Pa, Juno 4

Monday night Mrs. Moore, wild.
ow, who lives with her young son in
an old dilapida:cd house ut brush
Valley, near here, was startled by hear.
ing shrek, followed by agonizing
yells, in TIE room next 10 hers, occu.
pied by her son. youth about sixteen
years of age. In fright she ran iu-
10 the room and fonnJ the boy almost
dead with fear and trembling in every
limb. She luietcd his fears and ques.
toned him. and after considerable de.
lay he told her that about twelve o..
clock, while listening to the furiorslv
raging storm, be was startled by see
ing through the dim light Of n lamp
which burned in the room man rails.
ing the window. Almost parnlvzed
with fear he sat mp in bed, unable TO
move. until By the aid OF vivid fash
of lightning ho perceive d the features
Of the man To be those of his faith
or, who was killed in the mines five
years ago. With the Shrek that lad
so startled his mother he sank on the
bed and the intruder fed hastily.
When the mother had heard his
story she turned her gaze towards the
window and beheld the Identical face
pressed against the pane. With
terrific yell she sprang to the window,
and raising the cash jumped through,
striking the ground, twenty-five feet
below, with terrific force and iniuripo
herself fatally. The sh,ieks & means
OF the Young Moore brought II few
neishbors to the spot, and they carried
the limp body OF the woman into the
house and after few hours labor
succeeded in bringing her to sensibili.
~. AS soon as she fixed her ewes Oh
her son .hc burst into violent tit OF
laughter, in which the con joined and
which lasted until both fell to the
soor exhausted. On the part 0f Young
Moore The fit of laughing was then
followed by violen, spasmodic attacks.
lie ioame'i ut the mouth, barked like
~ dog and made viclons snaps at those
who attempted to qniet him
n young farmer named HerricL
went mp 10 him and, while attempt.
ing to quiet hin, caught hol! of Lis
hand. No sooner had he done so
than he too was seized with fearful
spasms and writhed Oh the floor i'm i'm.
tense agony, exhibiting the peculiar
symptoms manifested by the Others.
The few other neighhors who had
come TO the scene were so badly scar
ed as to be of little assistance, and
they fled precipitatcly, leaving the |
three maniacs alone in the room. -
Mrs. Moore was stark raving mad and |
soon the two young men were busy
at work demolishing the furniture and |
striking one another. One Of the !
women who had at first rushed 20 The |
scene ran home and returncd with |
her father. al OH army sergeant
named Bliheimcr. who ran into the |
room and, grasping IIcrrick, threw
him To the floor aud, puitine his foot |
Hpon his breast, bound him. with the |!
bed ropes. He then secured Young !
Moore in a like manner. Mrs. Moore !
was bleeding from the wounds rerciv.
ell from falling out of the window
and lay on the floor insensible. Lift
loS hcT III Els arms Dll!helmcr carried !
the woman to the open air, the storm
having ceased.
One OF the neighbors had mounted |
n horse abont an hour before aud rid. |
den at full speed across the roug' |
country road in search Of doctor. /
After long search ne found ore and
brought him TO the stricken family. I
The young man IIerrick was taken 1
home BY his father in the morning
aud another physician attended him. |
No hope Is entertained OF Mrs Moore's
recovery. Mrs. Moore's husband was
killed IN the mining region FIVE years /
ago. She and her son are practical,
steady people The case has occas.
toned much excitement among the
farmers throughout the neig6bor-
hood