The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-11-20
THE C0NNERSVILLE SPOOK
EVERYBODY TRYING TO CATCH IT.
1t Can BE Heard Walking and Then Again
1t Can't-A "sentiner' Man Sees More
Hunters Than Ghosts-Men Who Are
Not Afrsid-Is II Male or Female.

Connersville, fifty-eight miles east of In
dianspolis on the c., H. & l. railroad. was
recently brought into widespread no
toriety by the murder of a young girl
Katie Hood by name. He escaped detec-
ton. 1t is another addition to the list OF
the many mysteries in the annals OF
crime.
But Katie Hoods murder is not the
only sensation that Connersville can boast
of Now another remarkable occur
renee, or rather series of occur
rences, have conspired to rouse
the good people of the town to q
pitch of excitement, bordering, in some
cases, upon absolute terror. 1t was said
that people had been accosted on the pub
lie highway by ghost-like figure which,
in garb of mourning, fitted hither and
thither, appearing and disappearing with
mysterious and awful suddenness. y
SENTINEL reporter on arriving at the town
found that the ghost was the one topic OF
conversation. Squads OF men and boys
hung about the vicinity where the sup
posed ghost had been seen, while others
patrOlled lonesome district along the
river. After dark no ladies could be seen
walking alone. They went about either
in groups by themselves or accompanied
bv male escorts. The fright was not
confined to the fair ladies of this
beautiful burg. Some men, when walking
alone in the vicinity of the spirits favor
able haunts, seemed to prefer the middle
of the street, although Connersville has
excellent sidewalks OF good Indiana fiat
rcck. In these instances the walk was
kindly left for the perambulations of the
spirit. The reporter was told OF several
respectable people, who had seen the APP
partition near the intersection OF Ninth-st.
and Central-ave.
Miss Winnie Gale was the first of these
talked to by the reporter on the subject.
Miss Gale is bright-looking intelligent
and refined young lady of perhaps eighteen
years of age. She is a music-teacher, and
is a member OF highly respected family.
The reporter was assured by prominent
citizens of the town that what she might
say he could rely on. Miss Gale was
averse ''to talking for publication on ac-
count of the notoriety, she said,
but was willing to relate her ex-
perience TO her friends and ac-
quaintances. Miss Gale said: Con last
Monday night about o'clock was COM
ing from choir practice in company with
Miss Corners and Mr. Charles Storewald.
When we were near the corner OF Ninth
st. and Central-ave. figure approached
us clothed in black, like that of woman
with heavy black veil falling over her
face from beneath her hat-not over her
hat, but under it. She took hold
of my arm and said, Don't
L ~,rOf FTlxo r.r.,o 1,l-n tI,f
OF a woman, but the sweetest in tone OF
any / have ever heard. My friends sup
posing was talking to another friend had
walked a little distance away. l began to
feel frightened ard answered as well as ]
could, No; | don't know YOU Why
was the reply, as If in great surprise,
don't you remember our engagement?
managed to say that l did not. BY this
time / was completely terroriZed. With
out another word the figure then fairly
glided away, swiftly, noiselessly and in a
graceful manner But how she disap-
peared-that is, in what direction after go
ing little distance away cannot tell.
tt was almost an instantaneous disappear
ance. There was no sound of feet nor OF
rustling garments. 1t simply vanished.
The moon was shining brightly at the time
Ny friends waited at a short distance for
me At first they thought nothing OF the
figures stopping me. But the effect upon
me of the circumstance, and the ghost like
disappearance of the figure greatly ex-
cited them also. 1t was impossible to dis
tInguish even the outlines of the face
The sound of the voice was totally unlike
any other voice | have ever heard. The
figure was taller and not so slender in ap-
pearance as the late Katie Hood. Its
general manner. and especially its walk
did not at all resemble that of the Hood
girl. As lar as l can remember the hight
of the figure was not over five feet seven
inches. The incident has made deep
impression on my mind, so much so that
j do not like TO speak of it all i do not
think il possible that it could have been g
man dressed in a woman's apparel. NJ
man could, in my judgment, counterfeit
30 perfectly the voice and general manner
of woman"
Miss Connors and Mr. Storewald corrob.
GRATED Miss Gales remarkable story in
every particular. Mr.. Earl Bowers is one
of those who saw the strange looking
figure. It passed him on the street near
Central-ave. and Ninth-st. night or two
after Miss Gales experience. This time
however, the figure wore a snow-white
veil intead of a long black one, and Ions
black cloak.
He did not observe the figure until II
came close to him. Il did not stop OF
speak, but went swiftly by him. II
seemed to him that il disappeared at q
point opposite an adjacent alley.
Samuel Holland and George Spencer
colored citizens living in the neighborhood
Of Central-ave. and Ninth-st. have seer
the figure twice this week. Their descrip
ton Of it tallies with that of the others
except that the figure did not have Z
graceful walk. They thought it decidedly