Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-03-17
Ghost of "A Murdered Girl.

Every one along the upper Ohio Valley
remembers the terrible murder of Nancy
Jane Weire. in the little village of Empire
Jefferson county, Ohio This crime. and
the arrest, trial and conviction of the mur.
derer, Edward Householder, were for many
months the sensation. Of the surrounding
country, and the memory Of the case was
suddenly revived Two or three weeks ago,
in u rather sensational munner. For long
time after the murder of Nancy Weire the
house which she had occupied, an unusually
large building, was unoccupied, but it was
finally rented by Mrs Hamilton, who pro
posed 10 make living by taking boarders.
Her patrons were mostly the potters who
were employed on the West Virginia side of
thu river, and among them there soon
spread story that the house was haunted
by The ghost of the murdered girl. Very
little credeDce was placed in these stories
by healthy-mindedr residents. and the idea of
a ghost was ridiculed by Mrs. Hamilton.
Thus matters stood until last Wednes
day evening, when there alighted from the
Pittsburgh train travelling man for Phil
adelpha dry goods house, who was desirous
of crossing the river TO visit come of his GUS
TONERS in New Cumberland. He found the
ice running too heavily to admit OF his be-
ing ferried over, and he found sccommoda-
tions for the night at Mrs. Hamilton's
What followed is best told in his own Ian
guage.
AFTER supper l was escorted to a large
apartment on the second floor. The room
was fairly we'll furnished, and after sitting
at the fire for awhile retired. leaving the
lamp burning brightly on a small table near
the fire, and on the opposite side of the
room from the bed. l had probably been
asleep Two hours when | was suddenly
startled wide awake by an indesoribabe
feeling. AS rose in bed 1 glanced across
the room, and was startled at seeing young
and very pretty girl sitting in chair beside
the table upon which the lamp was sitting.
After looking at her moment l asked ::
turned her face more fully toward me, with
the expression of one who had been recalled
from a pleasant reverie by the voice OF q
friend, and smiled at me. | hesita-
ted moment, and then got out of
bed and advanced toward the girl, who kept
on looking full in my face. When was al
most within reach Of her, and was about to
speak again. she suddenly faded from sight,
6Uu dU tut iuslaut SuO DSCumC iutiSiOiO VIC
lamp went out, leaving ne in total darkness.
I relighted the lamp as socn as possible, but
no trace of my fair visitor could be seen. l
examined the door and windows, but all
were securely fastened. Greatly puzzled, |
wen; back to bed, and shortly afterward fell
asleep, and wes not again disturbed until
morning On going down stairs | related
my adventure to Mrs. Hamilton, who told
me about the murder, and added that the
chamber 1 had occupied was the one the
body of Miss We're had been discovered in
By her sister. 1 asked for description OF
the dead girl: and that given me tailed e1-
actly with the appartion had seen. Late
in the morning secured photograph 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 resemblance was perfect. 1t must be
remembered the. previous to my retiring for
the night had not even been aware of the
commission of murder in the village"