Morning journal and courier., 1886-08-12
GEORGIA GHOST sORIEs.
Disappointed Preacher-A Spirits
Search for His Head.

From the Atlenta Constitutional
Zone of the strangest things about the
Beck murder case" said a gentleman from
Rabun, 'fhas not been told. Beck has a
physique which would do honor to an ath-
lete and his immaculate shirt front marks
him from afar. When he was put in Jail for
the murder of his wife and sister he was al
ways to be seen at the second-story window,
where the reflection of the sun in the after
noon blinded everyone to all but the shirt
front. Finally he was removed to Gaines
vile. One afternoon shortly after company
was gathered on the front porch of Duncan's
Hotel, among them well known preacher
4 see something over in that window re-
marked the preacher. Instinctively the
people hu3dlei close together as they looked
upon the sight 1T must be Beck's haunt, ,
suggested one. 'Sures I'm boll,' said the
preacher, 'it does look like ghost A visit
to the Jail was decided upon and the party,
armed with axes, sticks and other articles of
defense, with the preacher at their head,
started out to explore tie building. They
entered with trep;dation and slowly winding
up stairs consulted for moment al the cell
door before entering. With resolution
wrought up and pale face the preacher
the truth flashed upon him. It's only a
wisp of st-aw placed in a broken window,
he faltered. A caucus was at once held in
the jail. where all were pledged to secrecy,
but one of the ladies of the party told it to
her most particular fciend, and before noon
next day the particular friend of everybody
else in Clayton knew all about it."
81 know lady who saw a sure enough
ghost" interrupted gentleman ffom Full
ton. f'Her name was Aunt Martha and she
lived out here near thu liver. Her house
lay between the lines when the Federals were
pressing Atlanta. Several years after the
war she picked up skull on her farm,
which she carried home and placed under the
head of her bed. That night she had a
most horrible dream. man without a
head was walking around the house crying
out mournfdlly for something which he had
lost. At last the latch was lifted, the door
was opened, the figure stepped in and walk
ing brislzly up to the bedside exclaimed in
thunder tones, L want my head!' The lady
opened her eyes and found herself sitting
up in bed with the skull in her hand, in
the act of giving it to its owner. He ad-
justed it on his shoulders and boWing his
thanks left the house"
This story aroused Walton county man
who lives near haunted house: ''It Yves
one of the fnest houses in Walton county
before the war, but when its owner went
to the front the family left and the house
was uninhabited. One day a strange lady
and gentleman, with a beautiful fifteen
year-old girl, were seen moving about in
the house. They made no acquaintances
and no one knew them. Stories began to
circulate that at the hour of midnight ter
1ible cries of pain could be heard from the
house. Then the cries ceased and no one
was seen around the place. A committee
of curious people entered the house for in
vestigation one day. The lady was found
chain d to the wall, with provisions within
reach, but no trace of the man or girl could
be found. The woman refused to talk and
that night disappeared. Ever since that
time strange noises have been heard in that
house. A dozen people have tried to live in
it, but in vain. One of the most recent ten
ants was preacher. He boldly declared his
purpose to rely on the power of prayer. One
OF the first sights beheld by the people at
dawn next day was wagon loaded with the
preachers furniture and family. He shook
his head sadly when questioned and refused
to make answer"
A listener from Sumter county, who had
exhibited the greatest interest in the relation
of the above stories, claimed the telling of
the next. zone of the first settlers of Sum-
ter, whose name was prominent in public
matters, had a daughter on whom his heart
was set. She was of graceful mold, jet
black tresses streamed down over her shout
ders, her eyes were of the softest blue and
her lips of the most tempting red. Her
spirits dropped and the brilliancy OF her eyes
ffded. The father pressed her for the cause
o. her grief, only to discover, to his indig-
nation, that she deeply loved the teacher
who had recently taken charge OF the local
school. The old gentleman, as one of the
trustees, had the offender at once dismissed
and ordered him away from the country.
When he went home his daughter was miss
ing. His first thought was that she had
Il l,,,f 1no1yino of q hand the
Muckalee river, where the girl used to spend
much of her time in meditation, he saw in
the rushes the outline of a white figure. 1t
proved to be the dead body of his daughter.
In her breast was found note. Dear Faith
er: As you refuse to agree to my happiness
here have sought my bridal in the Mucka-
lee. Goodbye The old man went home
and was found dead next morning. And
now, strange to say, on the night of the an
niversary of this tragedy the figure of fair
young girl can be seen running wildly along
the banks of the Muckalee. 1 have never
saan IL 1uusalf hut nv father often has,