The Press., 1888-07-05

ones were so dilapidated that we heSitated to trust them with our weight By Il o'clock we had taken our seats in the sitting room, eyes and ears alert, and ready for any emer- gency There was no lock or catch on the door opening into the parlor, but it was shut. The two windows looking out of the room had been boarded up. We placed our lanterns in a corner and as we watched and waited the room was in semi-darkness and the house as still as death.
 It must have been near midnight when the performance opened We suddenly caught the faint notes of music, and the sounds lasted for two or three minutes. was satisfied that the sounds came from jewsharp. My coul- panion whispered that two female voices were singing, while guitar played an accom- paniment The music had scarcely died away when the parlor door opened noise lessly as the swing of coffin lid. I was per- fectly satisfied that it was the work of human hands but was startled. I had not told the detective that expected to find Kelly ill the house. had simply said that I expected to make an important discovery. When the door swung open the man started up in alarm and whispered:
 'tGreat heavens Let us be gone!"
 put my hand on his arm and waited for the next move In about minute we heard a tunk! tunk! tunk! on the cellar stairs. I knew that the sound was made by the oyster can being lowered a few inches from the floor and drawn up again by the string, but my companion rose to his feet, wheeled half around and whispered:
 "Look out for yourselfI The cussed thing is coming up out of the cellar.'
 'Keep still-listen!" I replied, and when the can had ''tunlzed" one for each step the sound ceased. Then the parlor door slowly and silently swung to. AS l have told you, 4I.zA z1IA caused by human agency, and yet l felt creeping of my flesh, and my forehead was damp with precipitation. The detective with me was as brave man as ever took up trail, but such was the effect upon him that his face was as white as snow, his teeth chat tered and he clutched me and pleadingly ex- claimed:
 "If we stay here another minute we are both dead menl"
 sat down and drew him down beside me, and as did so the parlor door opened again, and from the front hall came groans and sighs and dull sounds of a struggle. I kneW that the wire had seen was being worked behind the laths, but my companion could stand no more. He seized both lanterns and started out, and had to go along or be left ill the dark. When clear of the house he made a run for the highway, and found him on the further side of it when came up
 "What's the matter?" asked.
 'Good God, man, but my nerves are all gone!" he gasped ''I wouldn't stop in that house another five minutes for all the money in the statel"
 was satisfied that all the noises had been made by human agency. Some one had taken possession of the house, and had feeling that it was Kelly. It was just in hne with his other sharp tricks. did not tell r 1,oHT intended to do, but I had all my plans laid before morning. The old house was two and half stories and whoever was hiding there was likely to be in the garrett It was also likely that this garret was reached from the second story by ladder If the person was Kelly or any other sharp fellow, the ladder would be drawn up, or any one showing his head above the scuttle would receive a rap. If got squad of men and surrounded the house the occupant might get off by some unknown way, or find a hiding place un- known to us. If we failed to find any one the whole city would hold us up to ridicule.
 There was no window in the garret at the back end of the house. It was hardly day light before I approached it from that direction, entered the place with great tion, and hid myself away beneath the kitchen stairs. I expected the occupant of the garret would come down before noon, but he did not show up. It was dark and gloomy day in the fall, with frequent rain squalls, and about o'clock in the afternoon l crept up the stairs iL. my stocking feet, entered room near where the garret scuttle was locked, and began playing the ghost for some one else's benefit. I had brought along mouth organ, and sounded and hung on to few lonesome notes several times over. Pretty soon I heard a slight movement overhead. Then I took a fiddle string, made one end fast to a nail and when had hauled taut I picked the string with my thumb nail. l sent forth complaining sounds, and I added few sighs and groans The sounds above me became plainer and knew that some one was listening at the scuttle.
 gave him a few more notes, scratched on the wall and floor, and in a few minutes a ladder was thrust down from the scuttle. A few deep drawn groans on my part brought man down the ladder, and as he reached the foot of it collared him. It was Kelly He who had played ghost on others had him. self fallen into the trap. He screamed right out at sight of me, and he did not get his nerve back until I had him outdoors. He fully believed for the time that spirit made the sounds. The case about as l had figured. He had planned to come to the house, and he intended to remain there several weeks He had affixed cords to the top of the parlor door to swing it, and had arranged for all the sounds we heard. If I felt elated he felt very sheepish as an offset, and when sentenced to two years in state prison for his crime, he said to me:
 Ut isn't that was caught, but that was outwitted and -bamboozled. Why, man, I had that whole plan in my head for months, and I'd have bet hundred to one that I'd get safe off. Just think what fool I was to take up quarters in @ haunted house, and then let some one play the ghost on mer'- New York Sun