The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-06-10
CHARLESTON GHOSTS.
STRANGE BEINGS USED TO WALK IN
SILENT PLACES

Disappearance of the Meeting Street Ghost
The Ghost of the Jewish Ccmctcry-Of
st. Philips Church Yard-Thc Woman
in Whitc--Six Little Ghosts Sitting ina
Row.
The Mcctin. street ghost disappeared
during the early part OF the week and
will not friyhtcn the good people III that
vicinity any longer.
This is not the first ghost that has ap-
peard in Charleston. Many of them
have visited and revisited lis under the
slimpscs Of the moon. making night
! lllcOus with their wcircd-likc move
mcnts and terrifying the spectators with
their grim and CHASTITY countcnances.
| All of the midnlyh r,arauders, of course,
! were not ghost some Of them were
real flesh and blood. 1t is we'll known
that there are persons who. like the
nyena, have an insane desire to prowl
around grave yards and cemeteries at
night. For instance, about thirty years
aSo what was thought to be il ghost.
used to appear in 81. Philips Church
ward. sometimes seated upou the tomb
, of the Mcacher family. and sometimes
moving with cat-like tread among the
trees and monuments. The excitement
mt the time was so treat that women and
children in the vicinity could not be
induced to remain in i room ut night
alonc:s Ifa door opened suddenly they
expected to see Il @rinning raw-hcad and
bloody bones enter. The moaning Of
the wind out side or the bowling Of 4
dog in yard were signs that the ghost
was somewhere in the vicinity. The
ghost was at last captured and proved
to be negro by the name OF Charles
who belonged to the Mcachcrs.
Many years before the war watch
maker by the name of Lyons was mur-
dcrcd ut his residence on East Bag.
The assassin entered the house through
the street window and cut Lyons throat
while he was quietly sleeping III his bed.
Scarcely were the remains Of Lyons laid
away in the tomd before ghost appear
cd N the old Jewish burying ground in
Coming street. The ghost appcard in Il
white shr)ud and when not walking
among the .ravcs. could be seen seated
upon the hearsc house shed. The cN-
element became so great and rumors so
much exaggerated that some people
declared they saw the ghost at night
climbing st. Michacl's stecpc. The
negroes became so alarmed that many
Of them were afraid to walk the streets
ut night. Finally several persons star
ted for the Jewish burying-ground with
the intention Of shooting the ghost.
Ghosts, like crows can smell gun-pow-
der far off. and you can never get within
gun-sll0L range, OF them. While the
ghost hunters were marching arounf the
graveyard, dr,nrm;ncd to make Ghosts
ghost ont of the ghost If the ghost would
! let them. the ghost Of the cemetery was
| in their midst following them around.
| It was one John MrC'ulum. Il wild
Young man Of the city who used to ap-
pear in the grave yard at night covered
/ with a sheet. and amllsc himself BY
frightening people and creating SEN
sation.
! II there is place in Charleston that
seems inviting to ghostIy visitors that
place is st. Philips church-yard. Its
recessed position, its weeping willows
with their branches nearly trailing over
the tombs. and intcnSilyiny the dark
hess of the night. the numerous graves
in such close prOmoNHy to each other,
all offer rs delightful home to the
restless spirits rs the Vale Of Tempe
offered 70 the dreamy child of song.
About Il halfof a century ago, midnight
pedestrians along Church street were
startled by the appearance OF IL woman
in white who was frequently seen walk
in. solcmnly but maicstIcally near the
fence railing. After making her rounds
Of the graveyard she would disappear
in the darkness Of the trees and be seen
no more until the next night. One
night we'll known sporting man OF the
city in passing the Church saw the ghost
standing gncar the railing. llcrrlght hand
was thrust out. and she was rs notion
less as a statue. He seized her hand
and squeezed it in his vicc-likc grip. y
picrccinr shrek caused him to release
her and she turned and fled, passing
into a window OF small house which
bortlcrcd on the graveyard. She was
somuambulist and lived in the house
mcQtlOncu. lllC Nlil'oh h"' ~" "A
she had no difficulty i'll passing in and
ont of it. This was the last time. how
ever, she was seen walkinyin the church
yard. .,,.,.,,
\ young man Of this city whose word
> Is beyond question stated to represent
tativc ofthc Dispatch that not long ago
he was returning to the city on foot
along the meeting street road. When
pavnc's bridge VA, reached he ''dIsillct-
ly'' saw six little ghosts sitting down
hobbn.. nobbny and bobbinG to each
other. They were dressed all in white
and icsticula.cd like clowns III E'hlohs-
inc. He held his breath [" pass thclii,
but had not zone ilr before hc lclL lhat
lhrv were following him. l.ookmg back
hr saw that all six were in pursuit. lie