New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-04-04
He Saw a Ghost.

Every one along the upper Ohio
Valley remembers the terrible murder
of Nancy Jane We're, in the little VII
lage OF Empire, Jefferson county,
Ohio. This crime, and the arrest,
trial, and conviction of the murderer,
Edward Householder, were for many
months the sensation Of the surround
ing country, and the memory of the
case has been suddenly revived. i1as a
rather sensational manner.
For long time after the murder. of
Nancy We're the house which she had
occupied, an unusually large building
was unoccupied, but it was finally
rented by Mrs. Hamilton, who
proposed to make a living by
taking boarders. Her patrons were
mostly potters who were employed
on the West Virginia side OF the
river, and among them there soon
spread story that the house
was haunted by the ghost
OF the murdered girl. Very little Gre
dence was placed in these stories by
healthy-minded residents, and the idea
of ghost was ridculed by Mrs. Ham
ilton. Thus matters stood until one
Wednesday evening, when there alight-
ed from the Pittsburgh train a travel
ing man for a Philadelphia dry goods
house, who was DESTROYS of crossing
the river to visit some of his custom.
ers in New Cumberland. He found the
ice running too heavily to admit Of
his being ferried over, and he found
accommodations for the night at Mrs.
Hamilton's. What followed is best
told in his own language:
CATER supper [ was escorted to q
large apartment on the second floor.
The room was fairly we'll furnished,
and after sitting at the fire for a while
| retired, leaving the lamp burning
brightly on small table near the fire,
and on the opposite side of the room
from the bed. | had probably been
asleep two hours when I was suddenly
startled wide awake by an indescrib-
able feeling. AS | rose in bed I glanc-
ed across the room, and was startled
at seeing a young and very pretty girl
sitting In a chair beside the table up.
on which the lamp was sitting. After
looking at her q moment [ asked:
What's wanted?' AS spoke the girl
turned her face more fully toward me,
with the expression of one who had
been recalled from a pleasant reverie
by the voice OF a friend, and smiled at
me.
I hesitated moment, and then got
out of bed and advanced toward the
girl, who kept on looking full in my
face. When I was almost within
reach, and was about to speak again,
she suddenly faded from sight, and
at the instant she became invisible
the lamp went out, leaving me in
total darkness. relighted my lamp
as soon as possible, but no trace Of
my fair visitor could be seen. I ex-
amined the door and windows, but
all were securely fastened. Greatly
puzzled, I went back to bed, and
shortly atterward fell asleep, and was
not again disturbed until morning.
On going down stairs, l related my
adventure to Mrs. Hamilton, who
told me about the murder, and add
ed that the chamber had occupied
was the one the body of Miss We're
had been discovered in by her sister.
| asked for a description OF the dead
girl, and that given me Tailed exactly
with the appafition I had seen. Late
in the morning I secured photo
graph of Miss Weire, and there before
me was the picture of the girl who
had been seated at the table in my
bedroom the night before. The re
semblance was perfect. 1t must be
remembered that previous to my re-
firing tor the night [ had not even
been aware of the commission OF
murder in the village"