Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-02-24
A MODERN HAMLET.
The Ghost of a New York Farmer
Appears to His Son,
And Delivers a Solemn Charge to
Cease From Sin.
Another Visit from the Uneasy Sire
Promised for To-day,
And Hundreds to be on Hand to
Bid Him Welcome.

NEwBURG, n. Y, February 25.-To-mor-
row is the day set for William Van Tassa,
who died last fall, to return, according to
statements made by his family, to bis
farm near Twin Lake, on East Mountain,
at Central Valley, in this county. Hun
dreds OF citizens from the surrounding
country will be on hand to see the appari'
ton. Van Tassel was plain farmer. He
had between two hundred and three hun
dred acres on the mountain east Of Central
Valley.
The Dwelling
is situated close to the road and is sur
rounded by high woodlands and low
valleys.
Van Tsssel raised large family OF girls
and boys most of whom are now married
and living elsewhere. Two OF the sons
are running on the Erie Railroad trains
and third was badly injured on the same
road some time ago, One daughter mar.
risd a carpenter of Poughkeepsie named
Byron Baker and the youngest married
John H. Hoffman.
Baker. who resides on the place, told a
reporter that two weeks ago he was making
an axe.bsndle. William Bailey, son OF
another mountain farmer, stood near by.
Suddenly they were
Startled by Agopizing GrOans
in the barn. "I hastened to where sup
posed the groans came from" said Baker,
"and opening the door / saw an animal,
which seemed to me to be species OF the
leopard, dartipg across the hay
eli bed into the NOW, but could see moth
L. nf 10 harn q
a chest which contained many valuab es.
At this time l unlocked this chest and
found my fatherin,law's fur hat there, in
one end, undisturbed. l was not many
minutes employed, when Mr.. Bailey
startled me with the cry OF "Oh. look" |
looked in the direction indicated, and to
my surprise AMI horror | saw my father
in.law, William Van Tassel, who has
Been Dead Since Last Fall.
He was looking from the barn window, and
wore the fur bat which had locked in the
chest only few minutes before. He also
wore a sheepskin, drawn loosely over his
shoulders. | then again unlocked the
chest, and to my utter surprise found the
fur hat in the corner where had seen it
before.
subsequently,, when Mr.. Bailey asd
were talking about the strange visitation,
we were startled again by a loud voice call
| ing James, James, James. Looking in the
difec ion of the sound We saw my father
| in law standing in front OF the barn. wrap
| ped in buffalo robe and calling frantical.
ty: 'Jsmes, James! | want my son James"
| I Immediately went into the house and in.
duced James to come out. When he stood
| in the presence of his father ghost the lat
ter addressed him, saying: James, you
Must Mend Your Ways
aud stop swearing, and take charge Of this
| farm. understand that John H. HoH-
| man is coming to live here and l want you
| to tell him that will be here again on Fri.
| day February 4 h end il be is here then |
| will haunt the life out OF him. When
| this was said Mr.. Bailey went to the house
| for shot gun to shoot the ghost, but when
! he returned and pointed the gun in the di-
rection where the ghost stood 1t had
| gone"
TIE residents in the surrounding coun.
| try who have talked with all or any OF the
| trio say that all tell the story alike and will
not listen to any refutation by the incred'
| ulous.
| Mr.. Cooper, of the firm of Cooper &
| Barnes, at Central Valley, who had heard
the story. was found in his store to-day.
| He said "Baker, is the husband of one OF
| the oldest OF the Van Tassel girls, and
| Hnfman tie husband of the youngest
daughter. The latter was
Married Against Her Fathers Will.
Van Tassel did not live very happily with
his wife. They were both about sixty
years of sge, and he, being sick much OF the
time, became Peevish and fretful, and ac-
| cordingly q Coolness grew up between
| them. Mrs. Van Tassel had left the farm
about year before the old gentleman
| died and tsken her residence with Mrs.
| Hoffman at the Forest OF Dean Mines, in
| the town Of Highlands. She is, however,
| to return the farm this spring with her
| sofin-law Hoffman, who is to work it."