Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-10-14
COCKENoEs ISLAND.
1t is Said to be Haunted by tho Gisost CT
Charlie Ross.


People tell some strange stories about
Cockenoes island, a pretty bit of land
containing about twenty acres and sit-
uated three miles to the eastward of
this place, writes Norwalk. Conn,
correspondent of the Boston GLOBE.
The island has had the reputation of
being haunted by the ghost of the i'll
fated Charlie Ross, and for years it has
been untenanted save by parties of
eampers-out, one of whom, the other
day, rescued the unfortunate German
boy who was found floating in water
logged boat two miles off shore.
A story which is deYoutly believed by
people living in the vicinity of the island
is that the bones Of Charlie Ross lie
buried in some portion OF the island,
and within week something has hap
pened which has caused considerable
excitement hereabouts.
About the time of the excitement over
the kidnapping of the boy two hard
looking citizens were often seen on the
island. They occupied a house that
still remains standing. People who
visited the island were peremptorily
ordered off the place by these men, but
a number of people caught a glimpse of
a little boy whom the men appeared to
guard with jealous care. and they all
ways strove TO get him out of sight as
quickly as possible whenever anyone
visited the island The great anxiety
OF the men TO keep the boy out of sight
aroused suspicion, and the men and
their prisoner were at once connected
with the kidnapping case.
Many attempts were made to ret O
good look at the boy, but they failed.
One party, consisting of three we'll
known citizens, two of whom are liy-
ing, landed on the island one day and
fastened to the house. Their approach
was unobseryed, and they attempted to
get inside the house. when one of the
men, with an cath, blocked the door
way, and, whipping out a knife, threat
ened to stab the first man who dared to
cross the threshold The party had not
prepared for such a warm reception,
and they beat a hasty retreat.
One day the two men were seen leav-
ing the island, but the boy was not
with them. One or two men Immediate
ly set out in a boat and visited the
island in the hope of finding the lad.
They reached the old house and found
it deserted The promises looked as
though the late occupants had left for
good. Everything had been removed
or destroyed. Not trace of the lad
could be found. The men did not come
| back, and the story is that the child
was murdered in the old house and his
remains buried on the spot. Many
parties dug up the dirt floor of the eel
lar, but without finding any trace of a
murder
The other day an elderly man, poor
/ ly and roughly dressed, rowed out to
/ the island and visited the house. Sever
nj residents who saw him declare that
he bears a close resemblance to one OF
the two men who lived there so mysteri-
ously years ago. The old man drew
some plans of the house and made some
rough measurements of the cellar near
/ the east wall. The man left rs quietly
as he came, and refused to answer any
/ questions.
/ Immediately after the old mans visit
some young fellows went to the island
and out Of curiosity, commenced to dig
near the wall where the mysterious
stranger had taken measurements, and
they unearthed u human skull and
/ several bones, SO they said. Their story
/ is accepted by the townsfolk, although
there are those who say that the bones
they dug up probably belonged to the
dog the two men used to keep at the
/ island.
Several old residents say that the APP
pearance of the lad who was kept a
prisoner on the island TALES exactly
with the description of the curly-haired
Charlie Ross as printed in the news
papers. One or two gentlemen living
here believe that he was murdered on
the island, and viii make attempts to
clear up the mystery.