The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-07-11
A CURIOUS CASE.
From tho Ne,o York Graphic.

~
1bicn one of them was worked and the
developments of the case may interest the
vender.
About three miles outside the limits of a
large city in Pennsylvania stood a large
farmhouse. There ba6 been murder COM
,,,,;.ted there, and whisky had played havoc
1rjfh Az, heir. and the house had stood vacant
Cor three years before | saw it. The farm
Snd passed into the hands of New Y orker
on a mortgage, and ne seemed TO nave for
GOTTEN all about it,
Naturally the cry of "haunted house" was
raised, and presently you could not have
hired neighbor to enter The house in the
Iav time. There were people living within
quarter Of y milo of the place, and by-and-
6y they began to tell some queer stories. On
two occasions parties OF three or four went
ont from the city to stop in the house all
night. bus in each instance they were
driven away by strange noises before mid
.icht. lived in a town forty miles from
the haunted house, and consequently heard
nothing OF 1t.
I had a case against an absconding treas
rrer. He had tho funds of large and pros
nerous lodge in his hand, and got away
with 6, 900 belonging to it. He further
more borrowed about s., 900 of his friends,
and got $500 on forged draft. This oc-
Cured IN town about thirty miles from
the haunted house. The defaulter had
bought railroad ticket for Chicago, and
left behind him, as if by accident, parcel
addressed to a party in the Gar
been reasoned that this party was he
under another name, and that he had gone
% Chicago 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 his land
lady figured out that two clean shirts, sew
eral collars, a stout pair of boots and an
old suit of clothes were missing from the
house. The boots and old suit had be-
longed to boarder who died months be-
fore.
There we're three highways leading out of
the town. | worked two of them without
success On the third soon found a farmer
who had seen a foot traveller resembling my
man pass on the evening he had absconded.
Five miles farther on l became positive of
his Identity. He walked all tnat night,
with only two brief hats before midnight
to inquire about roads; but once on his trail
soon picked up plenty of pointers. The
absconder's name was Kelly, and he was a
keen, shrewd fellow. He had planned the
embezzlement and escape weeks ahead, and
he followed out regular programme. He
left town dressed as a labOrer, and carrying
q vase He had light felt hat, a black
felt hat and a cap, and about once in ten
miles ne exchanged his headgear. He was
a smooth-tace man, but had provided him
self with a goatee and side whiSkers l thus
heard Of him once as a smooth-faCed young
man wearing a cap and having one arm in
sling; next as a youngish man with gOatee
and a black hat; again AS full whiskered
man with light hat. l confess that | was
badly puzzled and about to despair, when
i came to- farmhouse where he had stopped
for dinner. He was then smooth-faced and
wore a cap, and claimed 20 be an agent for
a windmill company whose rights had been
infmnged or and who were taking steps to
collect royalty.
When Kelly entered the kitchen for din
ner a hired boy of color, who was not per
mitted to eat with the family, was left in
thesittiug room. His curiosity regarding
the contents of the valls9 was aroused, and
he picked the lock and overhauled them. He
vas careful not TO say anything Of this to
the family, but when | came along on my
errand soon discovered that he had a Sc
Cget. The sight of a silver piece loosed his
tongue, and he told me of the hats and false
whiskers. After that | had no trouble in
following Kelly, no matter which disguise
he assumed. There was a direct highway
from the town he left to the city with the
haunted house, but he did not keep it. He
would branch off here and there and make
a half circle to come back again. One or
two nights he slept in barns, and so | lost
track Of him for a few hours. On one oc-
Casion his feet became sore and he lay by at
tavern for two days, and then actually
got ahead of him.
While the towns were only thirty miles
apart, Kelly Travelled all of 100 miles in
making the distance, and was twelve days
about il. | followed him mile by mile, and
OWING TO a severe storm was thirteen days.
traced him into the suburbs of the city
and there lost him, and though had the
helpof the three or four local officers, we
could get 10 further trace of him. AT
length We heard of person hundred miles
away who bore Kelly's description, and |
was about to start after him when | over
heard the following conversation in res
tauraut:
$50 the boys that went to the haunted
house got scareY
AN awful scare. guess new ghost has
taken possession.
What did they see or hearN'
Saw doors open and heard groans and
various other noises"
We'll it's funny
Yes"
1t may seem strange to YOU that at once
decided that | had located Kelly again. 1t
vas quite probable that he mad known of
the haunted house for wears, as its fame
was widespread, and the fact of anew ghost
showing up just at this time made me sus-
piclOus. That night at 10 o'clock, accom-
panied by local detective | visited the
place. ltwos a rambling big farmhouse,
situated twenty rods from the highway,
and the ground around was grown up the
weeds and bushes. All the windows were
broken and some of the doors stood open,
and tnore gloomy place | never saw. We
entered by rear door and found the floor
rottng away and the plastering crumbling
on We pushed on to the sitting room.
Where the Young men had stationed them
selves the night before, and here found some
docks Of wood to sit down on. There was
doorway Leading into the front hall, but
the door was gone. There was doorway
70 the parlor, and the door was partly open.
AS we looked into the parlor | swung
the door to and fro, and knew from the
movement that the hinges had been freshly
oiled
W hen we came to inspect the cellar we
FOUND little but cobwebs and dust. Each of
US mad lantern and each inspected for
uIn elf. At one corner of the cellar found
on old oyster can in n queer position. 1t
seemed to be sticking TO the floor above, but
oluer close examination, without, how
ever, touching it with my hands, ] made up
my mind that it was held up thereby "A cord.
SAD nothing tony companion about this,
nor about another discovery made in the
front hall At ono SPOT, where the plaster was
VI IRON base to ceiling. | caught sight Of
"ue nehlnd the laths. This led up and down
huu the lower and tVas r,robahly attached