Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-21
EXCITEMENT ENOUGH AND TO
SPARE.
A Kansas Village stirred to Fever Heat
by the Conduct OF a Young Woman.
From, The Ne,c York Sun.


this vicinity are perplexed over amystery
which, in many respects, has never had
counterpart in this section Of the country.
Walker browns is a well-to-do farmer
who lived until a few days ago in Ora
nada township. He stood well among his
neighbors, and his wife was highly es-
teemed. She and her sister. Miss
Nellie Mccarthy, were school teach
ers in the vicinity before her mar
rage to browns, and after that
event Nellie went to live with them at
their home in Granada. The family ap
peaTed to be happy one. Two years ago
this fall Miss Mccarthy disappeared very
suddenly, and although Der relatives
spoke lightly of her departure, as If it
was nothing unexpected, the neighbOrs
got the idea that there WAS a secret at the
cotton OF the affair After the lapse of
several months, however, the circum-
stances were almost forgotten, when in
terest in them was revived by an occur
renee which has not yet been SATISFACTORY
ly explained.
from the time that Miss MCCARTHY disap-
peared, nelghbor OF Mr.. browns mad Oc-
casion 10 visit the browns residence. The
night was dark and rainy, but as he
walked toward the house he thought he
saw IN the light which streamed from one
OF the windows human figure crOuching
near the dwelling. He paused for some
minutes and watched the object till be
was sure that he was not mistaken, and
then, approaching nearer. he called out:
Hello there! Who are your"
There was a rustling in the dripping
bushes, and when the visitor mad reached
the spot the stranger had vanished in the
darkness. GOing into the house, the
neighbOr told Mr.. browns of the circum-
stance, and the two men made a search
Of the yard and the buildings adjacent.
but found nothing unusual. The next
night, soon after dark, the watch dog be-
gan barking furiOusly, and, though Mr..
browns sailed out and endeavOred to
pacify the beast, he was unsuccessful.
All night long the faithful animal con-
tinued its yelps and howls, and sleep in
the house was out Of the question. In
the morning Mr.. browns found that tour
or I'VE OF his hogs were dead in their pens.
On tue following night the dog was quiet
until about minnight. when 1t began
again, and, though Mr.. browns made a
tour Of his place, be found no intruder.
Toward morning the dog became quiet,
and when its owner went out in the
morning he found that the beast had died.
Becoming thoroughly alarmed, the
farmer resolved on sitting up and making
an effort TO fathom the mystery. He
secured the services of his hired man and
those of "A neighbOr, and, all arming them
selves thoroughly, they waited for a
demonstration without, making an eXami-
nation OF the yard and the buildings as
the night progressed. Having found
nothing in any Of their searches, they
became sleepy after midnight, and sat in
Oh 1i in no mi
when there was a thump on the side OF
the house which aroused them from their
slumbers and sent them out, guns in
hand, in something of a panic. Nobody
was to be seen, but under the window
was a stone weighing two pounds
which had been thrown against
the house, and which accounted for
the noise. Thoroughly mystitied. the
three men re-entered the house, turned
the light low, and waited. An hour later
they saw the Stats of the blind on the east
window open, and beheld two ewes peer
ing through. Eacn man grabbed his gun,
but before the ", apons could be raised
the apparitiOn had vanished. All hands
then rushed out, only to see the blackness
of the night. Lights were brought. and
in the soft earth under the window were
found footprints, but they could not be
traced.
Ob TUE next ulEut IUG men SbaIlOne0
themselves out of doors, waiting until
darkness made il an easy matter for them
to hide. browns hid In a dry goods box
on the east side OF the house. Melvin
Young, neighbor, took up his position
under bush just west of the house, and
Sam Griffin, the hired man. hid in the
smoke house to the rear, where he could
observe the entire back ward.
AT about 10 O'Clock Young observed a
figure creeping slowly toward the house
from the orchard and after making sure
who's there@
Receiving no answer, though the object
came to halt, he said:
Answer. or I'll fire."
The object turned to run in the direc-
tion OF the orchard and Young, raising
his rife, fired. The report brought the
other men and Mrs. browns to the spot,
and the pursuit was continued. browns,
spying the fugitive, raised his gun and
fired, and moment later young fred
again. This time there was piercing
scream. followed by the shrek:
"My Godl You have killed mev
Mrs. browns appears TO nave recOg-
nized the voice, for she rushed past the
men, bidding them at the same time to
cease shooting, and, coming up to the
| fugitive. she raised the head and beheld
nef own sister. Nellie Mccarthy. the
men bore the girl TO the house, where il
was discovered that she had two reyolvers
and bottle OF strychnine. Her wound
was in the muscles of the right leg, lust
above the knee, and was pronounced not
serious by the physician who was sum-
mOned. For more than a week the whole
affair was kept a secret, and when il
finally leaked out, and the neighbors be-
gan to manifest a curiosity to see the
Young woman she had gone, pnd the
browns were unwilling TO talk about the
matter. A little later Mr.. browns sold
all his property, and with his wife moved
away.
While speculation as to the cause of
all this disturbance was rite aud many
| theories were being INDUCED in, the editor
OF a local paper added fresh fuel TO the
blaze by publishing a letter from Miss
Nellie, which was postmarked at COup-
ell Bluffs, hut which beyond that con-
tanned no intmatiOn as 10 her wherea-
bouts. Alter denying that she is insane.
( and intimating that she had suffered
much, she says: Though not Insane.
the memory OF cruel wrongs, bitter sor-
row and dark despair which could NOT
drive away, was sufficient to have caused
insanity. 1 do not expect redress or ius
tice. may not vln6icate myself now.
for l was client too long. For the
sake Of others | thought could bear il
alone and make no outcrv, but that counts
against me and gives my enemies the
vantage ground now Rut IL will hp fntna