The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-03-29
TIE HAUNTER HAUNTED.


During the first three years oil my career
as a detective had some singular jobs given
10 me 10 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 Il
large city in Pennsylvania stood c large farm
bonse There had been murder committed
there. and whisky had played havoc with an
heir and the house had stood vacant for
three wears before saw it. The farm had
nassod into the hands Of a New Yorker on
,norteage. and he seemed 20 have forgotten
nh about it. Naturally enough the cry Of
haunted house" was raised, and presently
van could not have hired a neiChbor 10 enter
tho house in the day time There were peo-
nle living within a quarter Of q mile OF the
place and by and by thcy began 20 tell some
queer stories On two occasions parties of
three or four went ont from the city TO stop
in the house nll night, hut in each instance
thew we're driven away b. strange noises be-
fore midnight lived in town forty miles
from the haunted house, and consequently
heard nothing of IL.
had a case against an Ascending treas
urer. lie had tue funds of large and pros
porous LODGE ia his hands and got away with
5000 belonging 70 il he furthermore Dor
rowed about 2,000of bis friends, and got $50
more on q forced dra4t This occurred in
town about thirty miles from the haunted
house. The defaulter had bought a railroad
ticl.o; for Chicago, and had left behind him,
as ii by accident, parcel addressed 10 Il
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
cag0 as fast as steam could carry him, but !
reasoned Just the opposite. He had gone
without his trunk or clothing, but when |
came to overhaul his things, bis landlady
figured out TINT 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 q toarder
who died months before.
There were three highways leading out Of
tho town. ] worked two Of them without
success On the third soon found a farmer
who had seen q foot Traveller resembling my
. man pass on the evening he absconded Five
miles further on | became positive Of lis
identity. He walked all that night with
only two brief halts before midnight to in
qure about roads, but once on his trail |
SON picked up plenty Of pointers The alb
sclnder's name was Kelly and he was a
keen, shrcwd fellow He had planned tho
er,bezzlement and escape weeks ahead, and
he followed out q regular programme. He
left town dressed Is ldDoror, and carrying
II valise Tie had & light felt hat, black
felt hat and cap, and about once in ten
miles no exchanged his headgear. lie was "a
smooth faced man, bat he had provided him
sell with goatee and side whiskerS thus
hoard OF hun ouco as 4 smooth faced young
man wearing cap and having one arm in
sling; next as q youngish man with goatee
AMI black hat again as full whiskered
rnen with light hat. | confess that | was
badly puzzled and about ready TO despair
when 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 windmill company whose rights
had been infringed on, and who were taking
steps TO collect royalty
When Kelly entered the kitchen for din
ner hired boy Of color, who was not per-
mitted 20 eat with the family, was left in the
sitting room His curiosity regarding the
contents OF tue valise was aroused, and he
picked the lock and Oyerhauled them He
was careful not 70 say anything Of this to
the family, but when / came along Oh my
errand | soon discovered that he had Sc
cret The sight OF silver piece loosened his
tongue, and he told nue. of the hats and false
whiskers After thai had no trouble in fol-
lowing Kelly, no matter which Disguise no
assumed There was a direct highway from
the TORN he left 20 the city with the haunted
house, but he did not keep it. He would
branch OF here and there and make half
circle 10 come back again. One or two
nights lie slept in barns, and so lost track OF
him for q few hours On another occasion
his feet became sore, and lie lay by at tay-
ern for two days, and | actually got ahead of
him
While the towns were only thirty miles
apart Kelly Travelled all Of 100 miles in max
ing the distance, and he was twelve days
about it. l followed him mile 10y mile, and
owing 10 severe storm was thirteen days |
traced him into the suburbs Of the city, and
there lost him, and, though had the help Of
three or four local officers, We could get no
tid~C VI az vi VIC utStl VI "a
person 100 miles away who bore Kelly's de-
soription, and was about 70 start after him
when l overheard the following converse
ton In q restaurant.
$50 the boys who went to the haunted
house got scaroln
"An awful scare guess new ghost has
taken possession"
"What did they SEQ Or hearf'
Saw doors open and heard groans and
various other noises"
"Wel, it's funny"
Eyes"
1t may seem strange to you that at once
decided that had located Kelly again. It
was quite probable that no had known Of tho
haunted house for years, 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 10y local detective visited the
place. Ii was rambling, big farm house,
situated twenty rods from the highway, and