The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-06-11


idated Old Mansion-Stone'sP uZziin G
Disease and the Insanity OF His Wife
Mr. Merrilrs Investigations and
His Surrender.
From the Neis York World
AUGUSTA, Nix June S.-Augusta people
are all agog over the discovery Of haunted
house on one of the upper streets Of the
city. Timid people speak of the matter in
hushed voice, while others make light of it
and profess unbelief but whatever people
may think, whether they are believers in
ghosts or not, does not seem to affect this
case, as the witnesses are reliable citizens
who are wont TO tell the truth, are widely
known Tor their honesty, and were never
known to become victims OF the super
natural before.
The house. which is said TO b. infested by
the spirits OF the departed is a small two
story structure with fat roof, and is located
in rather wild spot near the head Of Green
street, about half mile from the river. 1t
stands at the head of little lane ten rods
from the main street, and is embowered in
apple trees In front and on the north side,
while there Is a garden spot with wall in
the rear. A little brook Of dirty water
trickles forth in front Out of the back
windows can be seen the uncanny white
gravestones f the Catholic burying ground
and Mount Pleasant cemetery, which are
but q short distance away. The house was
once painted white, but the clapboards are
now WeatEer-besten 20 a diRgy wood color,
while the blinds which covered the window
are partly gone or hanging in an unkempt
condition. There IS a cellar, four rooms on
the first floor and five on the second. a
cramped little L makes out at the rear.
The building is the property of a Mr..
Bennett, and for several years was occupied
by Charles o. Stone, carpenter, who lived
there with his wife. He was affected by a
peculiar disease which 50 puzzled the doe
tors that they were unable to give any salts
factory diagnosis. Gradually lie wasted
away until, about thirteen months ago, be
died, first requesting that an autopsy should
be made to ascertain what caused his death.
His wishes were complied with, and the
corpse was examined by Drs G. II. Brickett
and Robert Marin, two young Augusta
physicians, and they pronounced the disease
cancer of the liver. Soon after h death
his wife sickened. She seemed to lose all
her vitality and strength, and her mind
failed so that she was placed in the insane
hospital While there were some peculiar
circumstances connected with the death Of
Mr.. and Mrs Stone, the events which fol-
lowed were of the most startling character
Mr. David Merrill, who is employed by
Water street coal dealer. He moved in
about year ago and had resided there
several weeks when suddenly one night
after he had retired he was awakened by
three loud knocks upon the head of his bed
Others followed at intervals and he heard
them in different portions of the house
nearly all night, 50 that ne was unable to
sleep much Very naturally he Yves some
what frightened, as was his wife, who was
also awakened by the rapping The dis
turbance was repeated about every two
weeks. Once Mr. Merrill thought some
one was knocking for admittance at the
door, but on opening it suddenly no one was
there. Again, In the night, when the rap
pings were more frequent, he took lantern
and made a careful examination of the
premises about tbs house. A light snow had
fallen, but not a vestige Of a human foot
print could be discovered On another
night, when il wa pitchy dark, a sense Of
something horrible seemed 10 creep over
him, and be awoke from a deep sleep and
gazed toward the window. There a sight
met his eyes which he will never forget
Standing fixed at the window was the mo
tlolless phantom form of man with a thin
face and wearing a SLOUGH hat which was
turned up in front and behind Mr.. Merrill
is A man Of great nerve, but this was blood
curdling, and he raised himself up slowly
in bed, upon which the spirit form vanished
and with it a perceptible halo which hung
about it. From descriptions of the man.
Merrill thinks the phantom strongly resem-
bled the deceased Mr.. Stone He positively
asserts that the above statements are the
truth, and as he is a man Of veracity there
Is no reason to doubt him.
But strong corroborative evidence that
the building is infested by supernatural be-
ings is possessed. Mr.. J. F. Frain. an intel
j.. {. Aliens publishing house, succeeded
MIR. Merrill as tenant. A few days after he
moved in his wife heard one OF their chill.
dren screaming with frigh. in the chamber
where the child slept, and, running in. the
boy said he had heard voice shouting. and
1t seemed to say "E, "En He asked her
b If she could not hear it. and she replied.
"Fo; it was nothing but the wind,h In
fbo ut aweek rappings on the footboard Of the
bed commenced, and a shutting was heard
by the man and his wife in the room below
as If merry party were whirling in a
giddy dance. The husband endeavored to
quiet his wife, WHO is very nervous
woman, by telling her that the noises were
caused by the tramping Of horses in an adj
joining stable. These sounds continued
with variations night after night. A clink-
ing as If an anvil we're struck with ham
mer was occasionally heard from the
chambers, apparently on the first floor.
Going down stars the sounds seemed to
come from the cellar. On the cellar being
visited the sounds appeared to be over,
head On other occasions boisterous
laughter has been heard, as if coming from
hovy Of lively girls
One night as the gentleman was in the
front room with the lamp lighted he opened
the window 10 close the blinds. While in
the act of doing this he heard crash in the
room behind him and supposed a picture
bad fallen from the wall for the noise re-
sembled that Of falling picture and the
smashing Of the glass. Mr.. Fraiu turned
around, but the pictures were all hanging
in their accustomed places IL is not strnnge
that Mr.. Frain and his wife got tired of
these supernatural exhibitions and desired
TO move, as they did few days ago. They
both stoutly maintain the truth Of the story
and say they know what they are talking
about.
Mrs. Stone, the wife Of the deceased
former tenant of the house, died in the hos
pltal about a week ago, and since then the
ghostly demonstrations have decreased. and
Tor two nights nothing has occurred TO mar
the quiet Of the midnight watches
Another tenant has been secured, and will
enter the building at once. This is really a
remarkable case, and while readers NAV
scoff, the standing of the parties here Is
such that it is difficult to disbeieve their
assertions.