Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-14
THE HAUNTER HAUNTED.

.
es a detective had some singular jobs given
to me to work ON, and the manner in which
one of them was worked, and the develop
ments Of the case, may interest the reader.
About three miles outside the limits Of a
large city in Pennsylvania stood large farm
house. There had been a murder committed
there, and whisky had played havoc with an
heir, and the house had stood vacant for
three years before I saw it. The farm had
passed into the hands of a New Yorker on
mortgage. and be seemed to have forgotten
all about it, Naturally enough the cry of
haunted house" was raised, and presently
you could not have hired neighbor TO enter
the house in the day time. There were peo-
pie living within quarter Of a mile Of the
place, and by and by they began TO tell some
queer stories. On two occasions parties of
three or four went out from the city to stop
in the house all night, but in each instance
they were driven away by strange noises be-
fore midnight. 1 lived in town forty miles
from the haunted house, and consequently
heard nothing OF il.
had a case against an Ascending treas
nrer He had the funds OF a large and pros
porous lodge in his hands, and got away with
$1,000 belonging TO it. He furthermore Dor
rowed about S2,0CO of his friends, and got $50
more on a forged draft. This occurred in a
town about thirty miles from the haunted
house. The defaulter had bought railroad
ticket for Chicago, and had left behind him,
as if by accident, q parcel addressed to a
party in the Garden CITY 1t ought TO have
been reasoned that this party was he under
another name, and that he had gone TO Chi
cago as fast as steam could carry him. but |
reasoned Just the opposite. He had gone
without his trunk or clothing. but when I
came to overhaul his things. his landladv
figured out that two clean shirts. several col
lars. q stout pair of boots, and an old suit of
clothes were missing from the house The
boots and old SUIT had belonged to a boarder
who died months before.
Ghere were three highways leading out Of
the town. | worked two of them without
success. On the third l soon found a farmer
who had seen a foot traveller resembling my
man pass on the evening he absconded Five
miles further on | became positive Of his
identity. He walked all that night with
only two brief halts before midnight to in
quire about roads, but once on his trail I
soon picked up plenty Of pointers. The alb
sconder's name was Kelly. and he was a
keen, shrewd fellow He had planned the
embezzlement and escape weeks ahead and
be followed out a regular programme. He
left town dressed as a labOrer. and carrying
a vaIise. lie had light felt hat, black
felt hat and q cap, and about once in ten
miles he exchanged his headsear. He was a
smooth faced man, but he had provided him.
self with gOatee and side whiskers. l thus
heard of him once as smooth faced young
man wearing cap and having one arm in
sling; next as a youngish man with goatee
and black hat; again rs full whiskered
man with a light hat confess that I was
badly puzzled and about ready TO despair
when l came to a farm house where he had
stopped for dinner. He was then smooth
faced and wore a cap, and claimed to be an
agent for a windmill company whose rights
had been infringed on, and who were taking
steps to collect royalty.
When Kelly entered the kitchen for din
ner a hired boy of color, who was not per-
mitted TO eat with the family, was left in the
sitting room. His curiosity regarding the
contents of the vaiise was aroused. and he
picked the lock and overhauled them. He
was careful not TO say anything of this to
the family. but when l came along on my
errand l soon discovered that he had a Sc
p
tongue. and he told me of the hats and false
whiskers After that had no trouble in fol-
lowing Kelly. no matter which disguise he
assumed. There was q direct highway from
the town he left to the CITY with the haunted
house, but he did not keep it. He would
branch off here and there and make half
circle to come hack again. One or two
nights he slept in barns, and SO | lost track of
him for few hours. On another occasion
his feet became sore. and he lay by at tav-
ern for two days, and l actually got ahead Of
him.
While the towns We're only thirty miles
apart Kelly travelled aIl Of 100 miles in max
ing the distance. and ne was twelve DAYS
about L. l followed him mile by mile, and
owing TO a severe storm was thirteen days. /
traced him into the suburbs of the city, and
there lost him. and, though l had the help Of
three or four local officers, We could get no
further trace of him At length we heard of
person 100 miles away VINO bore kellys de
scription, and | was about To start after him
when | overheard the following converse
ton in a restaurant:
so the boys who went to the haunted
house got scare"
An awful scare. guess new ghost has
taken possession
"What did they see or hear
'Saw doors open and heard groans and
various other noises"
"Weli, its funny
.Yesr
1t may seem strange 10 you that I at once
decided that | had located Kelly again. Z
was quite probable that he had known Of The
haunted house for wears, as its fame was
widespread, and the fact OF new ghost
showing up just at this time made me sus-
picious. That night at 10 O'Clock. accom-
panied by local detective. | visited the
place. 1t was rambling, big farm house,
situated twenty rods from the highway. and
the ground around was grown up to'wee,is
and bushes All the windows were broken.
and some Of the doors stood open, and a more
gloomy place never saw. We entered bv a
rear door, ana found the floors rOCtiry away
ard the plaSJer!ng crumblinC off. We pushed
on TO the sitting room. where the young men
had stationed themselves the night before.
and here found some blocks Of wood 70 sit
down on. There was doorway leading into
the front hall, out the door was gone. There
was a doorway to the p2rlor, and the door
was partly open. Aswe looked into the par
Tor swung the door 70 and FRO, and knew
from the movement that the hinges had been
freshly oiled.
When We came to inspect the cellar We
found little but cobwebs and duSt. Each OF
rs had lantern. ana each inspected for him.
sslf At one corner Of the cellar I found an
old oyster can in queer position Il seemed
to be sticking 70 the floor above, but after 4
close examination without however touch