Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-22
A NEW JERSEY SPOOK.
It Performs Circus Acts in Clever Manner
On q Stone Wall

PHILADELPHIA, July 21.-The village of
Belleville, \. j., an old fashioned place
upon the sandy banks of the Passaic river,
has veritable ghost of its own whose
ind like deeds have terroriZed the peace
full community among which it holds an
upwelcome residence. A month ago twi-
light and the early evening were pleasant
periods to the inhabitants of the town.
The men were in the habit OF collect
ing in free and easy groups on
the street corners while the housewives,
with sewing or knitting in hand, chatted
socially to one another in the doorways or
on porches. Even the children danced
around imaginary May-poles atdusA with
OUT the slightest fear or apprehension of
danger. But in single day all of this
was changed by the unexpected appear
ance of some superhunlan being, who
appears nightly now TO the terror-stricken
residents.
The story of this ghost-like visitor runs
IN this startling yeil. On the read to
Montgomery near the bridge. stand the
mains OF an old calico factory. Trees sur
rouud the place, and it Is very lonesome.
Nothing but the bare walls OF the build
ing are lett standing. These are three
stories high and very irregular.
Peter UIeghan, of Mill street, and a
nesday night, al late hour N when
they saw what appeared TO De the mead and
shoulders OF mau looking out from one OF
the upper windows OF the ruined mill. Ii
a moment the object disappeared and IN u
short time they saw the mead and
shoulders and finally The rest of the body
rise until the full length appeared and
rested on the top of the narrow wall. The
object then began to walk around the
building with deliberate tread, and with as
much apparent ease as though 1t had sew
erai feet OF surface 10 walk upon instead of
only one. The two men stood breat HESS,
expecting every moment TO see the thing
lose its balance ana come crashing to the
earth. On it kept, however, never making
miStep.
When the men recovered from their sur
prise they determined t. inyes; gate the
mystery, ana pushed their way through
the heavy underbrush and entered the
ruins. They made thorough search OF
the place, but could not find the object.
Tie supposed spook generally makes its
appearance between II and Il O'clock at
night, and keeps up its perambu!atlons
regardless of those who may be watching
it from the road. AS soon, however, as
anyone attempts to enter the mill the Oh
ject suddenly disappears, and no one mas
been able to discover IN what direction 1t
goes. 1t appears to be about SIX or seven
Ieet high, and is invariably Il I'd
in long flowing mattel OF
white. Occasionally 1t utters a
low sepulchral sound not unlike the moan
of a mortal in Distress and gain it shrieks
loudly at sight of some passer-by. No
stairway leads to where IL has been seen,
and no ladder that would reach the top of
the wall could be found in the entire
county. And how the ghost manages to
preserve its equilibrium while walking
around uUOQ the nigh walls. which are
not more than a foot thick, is another
| wonder which the Bellevue people say no
mortal can explain. Twilight now shows
the Bellevllle streets to be deserted, even
the Uravest men not venturng out except
in groups of four or five