The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-07-26
W A GHOST. " :
Strange Stories of Strange Sights
and Strange Sounds.
A Spectral Visitor Makes Its
Appearance With Super
natural Regularity.

The city was Mortified. A CHASTITY, mys-
terious murder had been committed.
mere allusion 10 it will recall the
crime 10 the memory of scores of people
in this city.
By whom the awful and bloody act was
committed has remained a mystery to this
day.
Why it was committed no man knows.
Certain it is robbery was not the object,
for the pockets of the victim were not mo-
Tested and his watch was left behind.
He had been dead three days when
found with his throat cut from ear to ear,
and couple of bullet holes through his
head.
The hody, mutiIated and terribly dis
figured, was found by a couple of small
boys, and soon after the writer of this
article was on the ground.
1t was a bright Sabbath morning, the
city was aglow with merry sunshine, and
merrity did the little birds sing in the
grove, the shades of which fell athwart the
CHASTITY find.
1t was out back of the Blind institute,
and 1t wus some twelve years ago.
The victim could point out his friends
the world, so far as the world knew,
After his murder strange tales were
told; tales which involved secret rides and
secret-but why revive them? They were
as strange and mysterious as the murder
itself.
Ever since that eveRtful night and it,
bloody, horrible tragedy, the very begin
ming of the secret assassiuations in this
city, strange sounds have been heard and
'ghostly spectres seen about the locality.
From all accounts the ghost of the dead
man regularly appears over there
about the season of the year when he
was murdered, and from all its actions
many believe it desires to clear up the
mystery Of that dark night twelve years
ago. However this may be, no one has
had the courage to follow the apparitiOn,
notwithstanding it has mutely pleaded to
be followed, and has pointed its ghostly
fingers in a certain direction, as if calling
attention to the abodes of the assassins.
1t was shortly after the murder the
weird, unearthly specter was first observed.
II was a dreary night. Rain was steadily
pouring down, the winds moaned dismally
and the lightnings flashed with ghostly
glare.
Two young men out visiting, returning
home very late, were caught out IN the
storm, and when opposite the point where
the murder was committed headless APP
partition suddenly appeared in the road in
front of them.
They brought their horse to a standstill,
and, quivering with fright, gazed at the
death-like figure. The horse did not see
the ghostly figure, or, if he did, he did
not show it. 1t moved eff in
an easterly direction, ever and
anon turning to beckon to the young men
to follow it. They refused to do so and
the figure disappeared.
Since then it has frequently appeared,
but not always head.e:s.
Strange lights have also been frequently
seen in the neighborhood, and means
have been heard, ard on particularly
stormy nights unearthy sounds followed
by piercing shrek have been heard.
Indeed, if common report is true, these
supernatural sights and sounds so worried
a prominent family that they sold out and
left the vicinity.
There are persons in this city who have
told the reporter of seeing the strange
sight and of hearing the strange sounds.
The ghostly visitor is not always head
less, but no matter how it is it always
travels in certain direction and always
beckons to be followed.
Next Wednesday night is the time for
its regular annual visitation, and if posi-
BILE STATESMAN reporter will be on hand
and follow it.
He followed spook last night.
1t was snow white, and when first seen
was slowly and furtively descending
fight of stairs.
1t was the hour when graveyards yswD.
Silence brooded over the city, the ghost
moved noiselessly, disappeared and
and the reporter returned to the office to
ask the telegraph editor, who is posted, il
ghosts do up their hair in curl papers.