The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-03
STRANGE VOICES IN THE CAPITOL.
Freaks of Sound that Scare Many Wis
itOrS
From the WASHINGTON Star


A reporter saw a fat colored woman
the other day standing in the passage about
third of the way up the DOME She was
dressed gorgeously in a purple bombazine,
and carried hand bag aDd a cotton UNI
brella. She weighed about 250 pounds
Laws, chile, " she said in a frightened
whisper, II heahs voices. Dis buidin' IS
jess full OBJ voices. Deys ebrywhar bout.
An them chilluns done gone up an lef me,
and yer / is. Nun, | dom much like dem
voices! Use afeard I'll nebber git out OBJ
dis" She was trying to be calm with a
great effort
Desc voices" are great source of fear
and superstition to simple minded visitors
Country colored people particularly are
frightened at the voices they hear among the
clustering columns and arched passages
Sometimes the voices come up from under
the feet, sometimes from the solid ste ono arches
overhead. Again they sound from among
the shadows in n corner where nobody is
They are heard i'll the crypt, still more mys-
teriously in the old hall, where there are
plenty of people stirring around in a food
OF sunlight, and more strangely still in the
great dome, from whose height men have
committed suicide. The building is always
full of echoes desc voices are cherry
whar." With these many of the employees
of the capitol and others fond of practical
joking play upon the nerves of the super
stitious colored people. Sometimes the jokes
are played on people who are not supersti-
tious. The saucer-like canopy, upon which
the great allegory roofing the rotunda is
painted, acts as a sounding board, and will
convey the least whisper with perfect dis
tinctneSs from any place in the upper gal
lery to the point opposite.
When sentimental couples get close to-
gether in this circular gallery and lean over
the rail, watching the people moving about
on the floor of the rotunda below, and whis-
pering gentle things to each other, meant
for no ears but their own they are often over
heard by innocent looking young men who
happen TO be lolllng on the opposite side of
the gallery, as Iar away as possible. The
young couple may be startled by some most
lnopportune remark sounded in their ears
when no one is near them. At most ten
der moment an irreverent or jocular remark
Is startling to their sense of security. When
parties of tourists climb up to the dome they
are often astonished to be addressed by
name in the most familiar way by voice
from one of the allegorical terrors painted
on the canopy above. Sometimes they are
invited to come up and take lunch A party
of Ohio people were in the gallery talking
to each other about their home matters A
young man on the other side of the gallery
listened until he got the names of several Of
the party Than he called out: us that
you, Mr. Blanks Why, how do you dos
| Come up here; we have lunch here for Ohio
folks" The voice apparently came through
the canopy, from some chamber still higher
up. They were not aStonshed that the
| government should make especial vision
| for tie entertainment of Ohio folks, and
theysfrompty accepted the invitation. The
whole party trudged up the very step and
| dangerous flight of stairs leading up to the
| worm-hght, at tine head of which they were
met with anUtce: Visitors not permitted
! to go higher" And there was no lunch
anywhere i'll sight. Some of the ladies were
! anxious TO get down as soon rs possible.
Two colored men leaned over the rail un-
der the great allegory and talked about
Lynchburg, whispe ing mySterlously about
things strictly private to themselves. A
| young man lolled against the rail just oppo-
site them--too far away to hear. they did
not mind him. Directly a voice came out of
one of the painted figures over their heads
warning them to go back to Lynchburg,
surrender themselves, and repent Of their
wrong doing.
WAS it MURDER the voice inquired
"De good Lo'd" cried the two trembling
men, as they made n break for the stairs.
Another very old eX-slave was accused by
"A voice that appeared TO come from the
mouth of the figure supposed to look like
jeff Davis of being 'a runaway niger, AID
threatened with the whipping 20 and re-
turn to slavery. These things surround the
dome with mystery, but such would not be-
permitted if the perpetrators could be caught
! at il,