San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-05-30

ings that have led many TO believe that
ghosts were a reality and disembodies spirits
are free to act and often materalize and as
sumo the form of human beings. The old
Delaware mills, that stand on the north bank
of the Kaw river, have during these years
caused great deal of comment among the
skeptics who are slow to believe in modern
ghosts as they come down to us from the
past.
|. In 1862 Orlando Darling, a native Of Yer
mont, came to this place, and, with the as
sistance of a banker, erected a sawmil on the
site where the Delaware mills now stand
Business began to boom, and several young
men found employment in the mill Among
them was man named Thompson, who one
evening was shot in a row at a dance and fell
dead from the effects OF bullet from re-
volver in the hands Of young man by the
name Of Crone. Thompson fell to the ground
and expired almost instantly His remains
were brought to the mill that evening and
lay in state about twenty-four hours, viewed
by hundreds Of his friends. His body was
sent east to his friends for burial Crone,
the murderer, was arrested and confined in
the county jail for several months, but was
afterward released on condition that he
would enlist In the United States army,
which he did, and served until the close Of
the war A year or two later Darlings nill
was converted into a Touring mill and re-
NAMED such for several years, when the pro
prietor failed and left the country for Cali
fornia The property then changed hands
and after two or three transfers became the
property of the Union Pacific railway, and
since then, or about five years ago, it has
nd
tramps.
Since these mills became the property of
the Union Pacific Railroad company great
stories have been told by many who claim to
be eye witnesses to nightly visitants in the
form of spirits under the captaincy of this
man Thompson, who spent his last days on
earth in and around the old building. These
ghosts are said to be aoisS by the immediate
neighbors living near the mill These spirits,
to the number of thirty or more, meet about
10 O'Clock in the evening and then clear the
room Of all lumber and other material lying
around loose in the third story of the build
ing Then they commence their gymnastics
with wells and shrieks that would cause de
mon from the internal regions to give an au
dinnce for a few moments. After this pro
gramme is filed then come musical instru'
ments of a heavenly order, far transcendine
ANYTHING ever heard before. This music
continues until O'Clock in the morning, wher
general roll call ends the performance.
These nightly visitations and apparition'
have caused a terror and almost a genera
stampede among those having property with
| in rifle shot of these mills. The existence Of
the building has been threatened time anc
again, but the demons who hold sway in the
mill keep vigilant guard over the property
| The citizens on the north side of the river
have repeatedly warned the officials of the
| Union Pacific Railway company that this ole
building has lived beyond its usefulness, and
| its safety is not secure, and at any moment
| it is liable to be in flames, notwithstanding
the strong guard of spirits that many sup
pose are there in the evening. The above i:
| a plain statement of the old haunted mil
that for four or five years has been spectel
| to all the inhabitants thereabouts.
CKan.) Special to Kansas City Times.