Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-13
GHOSTS In A TENEMENT.
EAPPINGS AND GROANS WHICH
FREEZE THE BLOOD.


A structure in which One nf the Citys
Mos Famous Tragedies Was Fn~c,ed
Not Cursed by Supernatural Vsita-
ti"ns.
NEW YORK, April 10.-At No. 81 Bond
street Is an old-iashioned three story
house of taded brick, with dormer win
dows and an arched front door. The
lower part is devoted to business pur-
poses, and the sign Of a small-fry iaweler
drcOrates one side of the entrance. Cheap
LODGINGS are to let in the upper stories.
Although shabby and forlcrn, the house
bears the appearance of having seen
better days, ana it was evidently a fash.
ionable mansion in the time Bond street
was fashionable street. But the cd
house is principally noteworthy for hav-
ing been the scene of n murder which
distracted the metropolis as few murd, rs
have. In the old-fashioned back parlor
now used by the jeweler as workshop,
was DR.. Burdell foullv dealt with
quarter of century ago. With the eX-
ception of the Nathan murder in the
summer of 1870. no similar crime ever
eTcited more horror, and. as in the case
of Mr.. Nathan, the murdeTers Of DR.. Bur
dell were never discovered or, at any
rate, never punished. Although many
believed his hOusekePpor, Mrs. Cum
uitgham, guilty OF being at least
an Hccompice the crime could not he
brought home to her. and she was acquit-
ted when tried. The murder is now
almost forgotten, but the older residents
Of Bond street still point out the house TO
an inquirer, and, so to speak, with hated
breath, recall what once took place there.
According to all the laws which govern
ghosts the house ought to be haunted
In a we'll regulated community. subject
10 proper spiritual manifestations, the
spiri of the unfortunate physician who
was 80 uutimelv sent beyond that bourne
from which, except in such cases, no
traveller returns, should revisit the see ne
Of his su den taking of and disturb the
sleeO of the tenants Of the fatal mansion.
There is no ghost story connected with
the house however, and DR.. Burd, II sleeps
quietly in his grave in spite of his murder
not being avenged.
W bile this house Of murder. contrary 20
precedent is ehostess a building up
town guiltless, so far as s known. Of hav-
ing been the scene Of any crime, is appar-
emily given over to supernatural visitauts.
H. is an apartment house in Forty-trst
street, between sixth and Seventh ave-
nues. Each Il iOr Is occupied bY n separ.
ate family. and each family Is tormented
by "A separate ghost. the floors are all
ARRANGED alike, and one particular room
in each story. from the basement tn the
| roof is nightly dSturhp1 hv mvete rious
noises. The ghost never plays i's pranks
/ outside Of this tier Of ro m. On eithel
side is apparently forbidden ground The
witching hour of mid uI9ht, when grave
yards yawn, is. OF course the time the
ghOstv manifestations begin. + rst there
are heard ranpings Of greater or less
lOudness in different parts Of the haunted
rooms. These die away alfor . while,
and are succeeded by horrible ornanings
which, although low and muflled seem
all the more horrible on that account. and
cause the hair OF the listeners TO stand on
end, and their blood to free ze in their
veins. Wien this has continued until
human nature can endure IL no longer,
quiptness succeeds ana the rest Of the
night is peaceful. When midnight again
comes, however, the rappings are re-
newed, and. as before, are followed by the
bloOd-freeZing grOaning.
The noises are alike In all the rooms
which are haunted. II after listening TO
then. IN the first story. one goes to the
corresponding room in the second or third
be hears the same sounds. and. AZ the
rooms are alike in shape and lac ltion. but
for the difference in the furniture he
would not know that he had changed his
base of operations. AS the noises are
heard simultaneously i'm all the rooms. IL
is to be presumed, as intimstod above.
that aeh room has its own private ghost.
tor it is not on record that ghosts are
ubiquitous any more than mortals On
the other hand. as ihe noises are the same
and are heard in the same order In the
different rooms the ghosts must all belong
to the same family, for ghosts who
were not kin to each other should not
flattrr each other bv initiating each Other's
mOdUS 0peTdRdi. Blu all this Is coriac-
tural. The fact remains. however, that
every twenty-four hours The night is ron
dpTed hideQus by noises. the OriQin Of
which is thus far uuaccOuntnblp. These
noises cannot he explained away on the
ground of imagination. There are too
many Witnesses for that. Ii Is not Iikp,V
that every member OF parh Of the four
families in the house is the victim Of
fancy. Even thn m ST. skcpucal inmate
Of the premises, who SCOTS AT everything
not TO be explained by natural laws, ack-
nowle ges hearing the mystr rious unisps
So far, In spite Of the most IiVent
search 20 discover the cause Of the nightly
YiSiiatious, no natural explanation has
been discovered. The attempt 10 prove
the noises Of mundane origin hHs been an
honest ono. Tor ~ was made DN the land
lord, and be has the hrst Of reasons for
proving the noises 10 be due 20 natural
causes, and thus finding the means Of
putting an end to them. for an his ton
ants will leave himunless he succeeds.
They have already given warning, and his
premises will be empty by the FIRST Of the
coming month II the noises continue, for
new tenants are not likely 10 take the
place of the old when the building has
such a reputation for being haunted that
no one now IN h. viii stay In IL. II the
landlord. spurred on by self interest.
eventually fails 70 discover the nature of
the so far unaccouutahle noises nnd put
an end 10 them, people who are inclined
hat way will have another reason for be-
lieyng that there are more things in
heaven and earth than are accounted for
in our philosophy.
DIR. JOHN +. GRAY, WHOSE SON or THE
SAME NAME,
q recent graduate OF the COLLEGE NJ physl-
clans and Surgeons, was married in Grace
Church last evening, tells stories queer
in their way as the above Of some Of the
patients In the State Insane Asylum. in
Utica. Of which he is superintendent.
One occurrence for which the doctor
vOuches seems certainly 10 defy ihe laws NJ
Rruvitntion. An athletic patient who
WAS ordinarily allowed 90 20 bt large. as
II was supposed that he was cnntpntcd as
wei as harmless, is said 10 have
suddenly made up bis mind 90 escape.
ln place Of waiting until the time
hfa autly nall hn s.g,ttII