National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-08-26
auosTs IN A THEATER.
Strange Tales OF Midnight Perform
nnces by spooks, and the Revival
OF the Spectral Horse Drama OF
"The Good Ola TImes.o


Thalia thoator. formerly known as tho |
Old Bowery theAtor, have for some time
been started in the silent hours of tho
night by strange noises and sounds that
seemed to come from tho old play house.
Tho neighbors also say that they have
seen light flicker across the windows
at unseemly hours of tho night,
accompanied by some peculiar sing
ing sound, and that the old rookery
is haunted. A Star reporter CHANGED
to hear Of these strange reports and found
that they suggested professional ideas to
him. Acting on his journalistic impulses
he started to investigate the matter, and
called at Mr.. Amberg's house. btr. Am
borg, who Is tho lessee of the Thalia, is at
present in Europe, but Mr.. Hitler, the
manager of the Atlantic Garden, who, in
tho absence of Mr.. Amborg, has also charge
Of the theater, was seen.
what A ghost in the Thalia theater?"
shrioked he. 1T cannot be possible"
Have you not heard of the reports
that the place is haunted 2" asked the ro-
porter.
Nonsense. We have had the place
thoroughly cleaned within one week to
rofute all these stories, and nothing sus-
picious was found. This ghost story is q
humbug."
"You have given the whole story away
by admitting that within tho last few
days the playhouse was cleaned in order
to fathom the mystery of these strange
sounds and peculiar lights. Twill SEQ the
janitor."
The janitor, who sleeps during the
day, was on duty ut 8 o'clock in the
evening and interviewed by the Star
\
mitted having heard of the ghost
stories connected with the Thalia. Ho
said:
81 have TO patrol the whole theater twice
every night. 1t is q lonely. desolate place,
and said to DO peopled by the departed
spirits of many of the illustrious person
ages whose lives and deeds have been inn
mortalized in tho dramas and tragedies
that have gone over tho boards In the
depth of tho old building during tho
silence Of tho night many and various
unoouth sounds are often heard. think
it is the wind that blows through the
flies which causes all that noise"
Ho would not admit that the building
was haunted. acting, apparently, under
orders from his superiors to keep silent.
But former janitor of the theater, whose
address was accidently learned by tho re-
porter, proved more fruitful source Of
information.
"Havo you over seen any Of tho ghosts
that dwell in the ITALIA theater," queried
the Star man.
Eyes. That is no news; the place has
been haunted ever 30 long. Igot kind Of
used to the apparitions and noises in the
old play house, and when tho spooks be-
came obstreperous with their rackets
used to shut myself up in my room and
wait patiently until the chase was all
over"
"What chase do you refer too"
~ mean the wild huntsman. He often
ohasos over the stage by night, surrounded
by dogs and sometimes with train o.
attendants. The well-known cheer O.
the hunter, the cry of his hounds and the
tramp of his horses feet are distinctly
audible in the silence of the night They
say it's the ghost of the horse drama
The hunter was often followed by flash
of yellow light, as if no was driven by the
ueyil, from whom he sought TO escape"
"Have you mover, been afraid to 10. on
yourrcgnd during the silent hours of tn,
night2"
"Well, not for some timo. Up to on,
night was quite prepared to believe tina
all had experienced was the effect of I
disordered imagination, which had be-
COmo uTOubOu ny luu dbbUClhtiOHb VI Wv
old building, which, by the way, is tn,
e. oldest theater in the city. But there arr
; certain facts connected with that on,
night to which | refer that l cannot get
D over"
: After brief pause he went on an
) tell you what occurred. 1t was dull
; rainy night, and had dropped asleep in
! one of the orchestra chairs. / had beer
. asleep about two hours, whom was awak
a ened by tho consciousness that some on,
was standing over me. glanced towart
= the stage and there stood the figure of
& noted actor long since departed, whom
o had often seen when alive. saw hin
;. so distinctly that l was able to distin
. guish his changed features. Ho looko,
:. at me, and after moment or two h
beckOned to me and made sign, as
:. desiring me to follow him."
q "You say that he looked changed
" Can't you describe tho ghost to me?"
"When | did not STIR" said the oil
4 janitor, after q pause asif to allow hi
i listener timo to take in the Who'll
9 situation, poor Jim placed aletter in IN
- lap and walked slowly toward tho wings
70 He was tall, but exceedingly lank, wit
y narrow shoulders, long arms and Leg
q hands That dangled a milo out of hi
g sleeves; feet that might have served 10
shovels, and his whole frame was loosel
hung together. His head was sma
I. and fiat at the top, with huge ear
:, large, green, CLASSY eyes, and lon
~ snipo nose, so that it looked like
m weather cock placed upon his spindl
y neck. To sec him striding slowly owe
4 tho stage on that dull, windy nigh
=, when the whole place was filled wit
r weird and strange sounds, with his oil
y clothes bagging and fluttering about hin
:. one might have mistaken him for tn
T. spirit of an old, starved actor descendin
=. upon the earth. The next thing of whic
+. was conscious when suddenly awaken
ing was feeling perfectly chilled, o
L. rising looked at my lap, and You ma
Ia imagine my establishment at finding
L, letter, written in hand l did M
y recognize. / opened it and found
90 was note soliciting mid for the wife an
-. children Of a deceased actor. Since thu
time / am II believer in the reality
j, things than that. / remember anothG
e. stormy night, when came up from II
:" cellar and entered tho pit. Bless NJ
soul, the stage was dimly lighted up an
u terrible procession Of dead mon, heat
less bodies, and two-legged horses WI
passing over it. When / boheld this
scene started back TO my room as fast
q, / could, aud did not entor tho old hauntG
Y place again that night.
.; Have all the apparitions that you el
~ countered on your nightly patrol throuG
90 the Thalia theater been of fearfl
o. character? ?"
RI mot all. Tho old place is inhabitt
o. by some beautoous spirits, who som
o. o. times assume tho form of mortal wome
r., ] couldn't recognize them, but they we
e probably beauties of the days when Il
m theator was young as we'll 40 they"
JUS "The old fellow must have enjoyed hiI
rh self with his bottle pretty we'll in d
iii lonely small hours" was tho mental col
I'd ment Of the reporter, on listening 10 the
Id stories. The ianitor, az if no had re
TO- the thoughts of tho reporter, said, witt
y sad look. "Don,t belinYe cir that [ NJ