Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-04
1t KEPT ITS WORD.
A Crematory Haunted by Mr.. Kilgore'S
Spirit-His Ghost Keeping the
Pledge He Made in Life.
The superintendent of the CrematOry
In Which the Philadelphia LAWYER
Was Burned Frightened by
Mysterious Sounds.

Philadelphia Special: The departed
spirit OF the late Damon Y. Kilgore, the
well-known lawyer who fought for so
many years to have his wife admitted to
legal practice, is said to be i'll at ease in
lis new abode. Mr.. Kilgore was cremat
ed as per his last wish, the crematory in
| Germantown, near Washington lane.
| being the place of his incineratiou. Ever
since the date of this occurrence the
place has been gaining the reputation
of being haunted. Strange and ehostlv
| sounds have been heard from twilight
until dawn. and number OF the employ
es about the place have resigned posi-
| tiops en- account of the omens. Groans
are heard, they say, IN the dimly lighted
corridors. Shadows have fitted about
the somber rotunda where the ashes of
the dead repose, and one might imagine
he could sec hobgoblins going through
sone wild and fearful dance if he sat
in the gloom of the basement and gazed
at the weird band OF light thrown on the
cemented floor by the cracking furnace
fire.
But it was not until recently that these
manifestations were traced to the spirit
of Mr.. Kilgore. On Wednesday night,
Mr.. Beamsderfer says he was sitting be-
fore the furnace, calmly smoking his
pipe, when there came sharp resound-
ing knock from the vicinity OF the burial
vault. It broke the intense melancholy
of the place with startling force. The
superintendent, man who never feared
dead, looked about him with frightened
eyes. Bis pipe fell from his lips, and as
he himself now says, he realized by in
stinct that his visitor was no human
being. The raps seemed to come from
the aperture in the floor where the cata-
falque slides downward. Gradually they
increased in volume until Mr.. Beams
derfer, unable longer to bear the suspense
grabbed his lantern with a trembling
hand, and started in that direction. Then
he seemed to hear the sounds on every
hand, growing louder every min
ute. AS he neared the spot, he
saw, in the mingled dimness of
the gloom and the rays of his lantern,
what seemed to be PROSTATE form,
which slowly assumed material shape I'M
til he recognized the features of the de-
parted lawyer. While he looked at it the
form assumed an upright position, then
struck several times upon the resounding
walls and glided noiselessly away.
Beamsderfer darted after it with his Ian
tern held above his head, but the specter
vanished in the darkness.
The next night the rappings were re-
peated for several hours, but no phantom
appeared.
Mr.. Kiigore YVES confirmed spiritual
lat in faith, and believed in communion
with the dead, Before bis death he is
reported to have said that he would re-
turn to the scenes of his li1e, fact which
added to The terror of the uperintendent.
Although no. spirituaIist himself, Mr..
Beamsderfer Is convinced that Mr.. Kill
gore's ghost is keeping the pledge made
in life, and he does not keep solitary
watch in the dimly lighted crematory.