Omaha daily bee., 1888-07-01
A GhOStly Crew.

AT st. Marks, Fla, the negroes and
many OF the whites are in an excited
condition over the reported ghost that
is now seen at the wharves on the bay
on the first of every month. AS near
as can be learned. last year a colored
mau was killed while driving piles for
the lower pier, his death beng q horri-
bic one. The pile-drivers used here
are shaped like Il tall derrick, having
two mainmasts rising up,separated some
two feet. The huge iron weight is
groved inside of these two, and after
being hauled up to the top by a donky
engine, is let go, falling with immense
force upon the big upright pines that
are intended for piles, underneath,
them down several feet every blow.
One mar is generally stationed near
wher the manner strikes to attach the
chain to haul it up again with, and also
to watch the head of the pile, TO see
that it does not splinter too much.
The grow carelss after a tine, and many
accidents occur every year. This man,
it SEEMS, while the weight
was being lifted stepped on top
of the upright pile that was
being driven in, to steady it and push
it to one side. Suddenly the iron chain
above slipped, and the huge iron mass
fell with terrible force and swiftness
upon the doomed man. A dull, sicken-
ing thud was heard, and portions of his
body were plastered all over the boat
and derrick beams and on the wharf
beneath. Strong men became faint.
INC work on that pile-driver was OIL for
u week.
The story soon became known far and
wide, and the superstitiOus negroes re-
fused to work on it, claiming that it
WAS nnlnrky and that tho uhnSt of tho
dead man stood watch over it, trying
to get some II else into trouble.
But us no other accidents occurred
the driver lost its i'll name and was
kept at work.
Some time ago, while driving lies
some miles below here, the man who
attended to the attaching of the chain
to the hammer, grew careless and lost
an arm by it. This started the old
story again on its round. One negro.
who was standing near when this last
accident occurred, solemnly AYERS
that he saw the ghost of
the man who was killed
seated on top of the pile and that he
held the other mans arm on it until
the descending hammer smashed it.
The man himself who lost the arm i'm
plicltly believes that such was the case,
t'iN S"Fo Az ouAuh Y ENI u uIllI III
in fact, he felt some one hold it on.
Several others say that they visited
the piledrivcr the other night and they
saw a ghostly crew work the machinery.
The big wheel rcvolved, carrying the
iron hammer up, though they saw no
one on the boat and there WAS no steam
up in the engine. The hammer was
drawn up and then it fell swiftly. AS
il touched the head of the big pile rest
ing there, not Il sound of its striking
was heard, but instead n wild, smothcred
yell OF agony and a dull thud like the
striking of flesh. Then Economical
shrieks and groans broke out on the
boat aud the men were SO thoroughly
scared that they ran for home and have
refused ever since to return. Not a
negro, it is said will venture within
half a mile of the place after dark.
The say the pile-driver is charmed
and unlucky, and the ghost of the one
who was killed stands ready there to
get some one else killed, as he is lone
some and wants company.