The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1889-04-13
THREE QUEER VISIONS.
How the Last Proved a Terrible
Reality.

Early in the winter of 1885 was
lodging in a large, old-fashioned house
on Spruce street. below Eleventh. In
somnia, brought on by business
troubles, had reduced me to a state of
nervous collapse, and, although | did
not suspect it, was on the verge of
serious illness. Rising one night after
vainly counting sleep for two hours, l
determined to- take a warm bath by
way of a soporifc. The hour was
quite two o'clock. Having thrown on
a heavy dressing gown, entered the
little bathroom and turned on the hot
water. While the tub filled [ gazed
out at the rear of a house about one
hundred yards distant on Clinton
street. Suddenly, on the illuminated
curtain of room two or three floors
above the street. l saw figures of a man
and a woman in silhouette. Stirred
by curiosity / watched the curtain
with its tell-tall pictures, wondering
what movements they would execute.
AS / gazed surprise and horror seized
me, for | saw the man raise a
shadowy arm and pierce the woman's
bosom. with a dagger. She threw her
arms wildly in the air, opened her
mouth as if to emit scream and fell
to the floor whence, of course, her fig
ure cast no shadow on the curtain.
All this had occupied perhaps less than
two seconds, but in that time / en-
dured a mental torture such as | had
never felt before. AS the dagger de-
scended l invOluntarlly threw out my
arms as if to shield the victim and ut
tered an exclamation of mingled rage
and horror. The absolute silence of
the pantomimic murder made it more
shocking, and for an instant felt as
if the darkness and loneliness of the
night had shut me in with the muir
derer and made me participant in
his guilt. / turned shuddering from
the window just as the shadowy crimi
nal stopped towards the spot where
his victim lay, and before | could cry
out | reeled and fell heavily to the
floor My fall reused the house, and
Philip Holt, whose rooms were on the
same floor, carried me to bed. The
vision of that night hastened my long
threatening illness, and ten days
passed before my faculties returned
sufficiently for me to relate what l had
seen. The doctor smiled at my story
and said:
1T was pure hallucination, my
dear fellow. Such things are common
to persons in your condition"
But" said l, 1.-The thing happened
when ! was broad awake, and in every
detail it was as distinct as any genuine
occurrence l ever beheld."
mot at all remarkable, was his re-
ply. You ought to be satisfied with
the knowledge that there has not been
a word of such crime in any newspa-
per. An affair of the kind could not
have been concealed for ten days.
Don't think of it any more"
Two weeks later ] was in my usual
health, save that my old trouble of in
somnia hovered threateningly near,
and REQUIRED with any imprudence in
eating, worry and excitement. Not en-
tirely satisfied with the doctors theory
of my vision / went around to the
lodging-house on Clinton street and in
quired for rooms. A snuffy old hag,
with peering, suspicious eyes, and ar
air of undetected criminality, showed
me through the house and offered tc
rent a furnished suite. consisting ot
bedroom, parlor and bathroom. A:
near as l could guess the parlor wa;
the room where the crime of my visior
had been committed.
"Who occupied these rooms lastP'
inquired.
Mr.. Carr and his wife, answered
the hag, with evident unwillingness.
"Do. you know Mr.. Carr's business!
THE tenants business amt none
mine," she replied, sharply.
"When did the Carrs move out?"
About three weeks ago."
Ibid you see Mrs Carr on the da
they left the houseP"
Now, what do you ask me that for
/ don't watch peoples doin's in thi
house. The tenants is respectabl
families and they don't like meddlin'
IF Won want those rooms you can hav
'em. but you won't stay long if you as
too many questions about your neigh
bors. w don't want a o troublesom
or disorderly people here. It's quit
l.o,,oo -