Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-18
pRIPs OF GORE
Horrible Sort OF Ghost That Hsuns .
House on Ieth Street

A Horrible Sort OF Ghost That Hsunss .
House on Ieth Street
WAsHINGToNI THE GREATEST TOWN
w for ghosts in this country. The city 10
dotted all over with haunted houses vhich re-
main unrented year after year on account OF
the spooks that are supposed 10 inhAbit them,
all the way from the great empty Taylos
mansion at the corner OF 18th street and New
York avenue 10 the humble and deserted negro
hut In swsmpoodle, regarded by neighborhood
superstition the abode Of bogies most
horrible and frightening
But perhaps the most thoroughly original Of
Washington ghosts is located in house on 18Th
street northwest between and r. The dwell
ing has been FOR rent and unoccupied nearly all
OF the time for several years past. notwithstand-
ing its situation in the fashionable quarter.
The last tenants were induced 20 take ID by the
extremely low rent. although the real estate
agent, Tor securitys sake, would only let them
have IL on years lease. How they got out OF
the bargain don't know, but they moved away
at the end Of the fifth week. That was siK
months ago.
IL seems that eight wears ago man com
mitted suicide in this house with a razor. The
deed was done in cold blood apparently. He
stood in front Of the mirror which overhung
the marble mantelpiece and deliberately cut
his throat from ear 20 ear. Then as appeared
from the condition in which things were subse-
qnently found, be chung with one hand to the
mantelpiece. while his blood poured out upon
the hearth, until he fell and died.
That was the story. the tenants here re-
ferred TO understood IL afterward. Their no
ton OF the ghost when they took the house was
altogether indefinite, and they only laughed at
II, considering IL rather in the light of a Joke
than otherwise. Ii so CHANGED that what as
they found out later, was reputed 90 be the
particular haunted chamber occupied by
the two daughters Of the family-hfteen and
eighteen years Of age respectively.
From first TO last there was no such thing OBJ
served as an apparition. The girls slept we'll
save Tor the fact that they were ANNOYED on oc-
casions by a sound OF dripping which thew at
hrst supposed was caused by leak Of some
continuance Of this dripping during long spell
OF dry weather, and more particularly did they
ind reason at length for wonderment in the
circumstance that the dripping began invari-
aoiy at about HIS p. m. and lasted for perhaps
twenty minutes, but not longer.
The dripping sound seemed 20 come from
the mantelpiece and they carefully investigated
that fixture and its surrounding. but without
result, save for the discovery OF a slightly hol-
lowed area In the stone underneath, which had
apparently been made by scraping away its
substance.
Inquiry developed the fact that the stone had
been scraped away for the purpose OF elimi-
mating the spot where q pool OF the suicides
hour at which he killed himself was about as
pm.
The tenants moved out
The residence on the north side Of streets
is supposed TO be inhabited by the spook
OF certain Col Lindsay who died before
the war and has since then been seen al
various times in the act Of wandering about the
mansion. On the south side Of II street,
east OF 18th street, is a house concern
ing which stories are told of a very extraordi-
nary nature. One Of the most surprising %
them relates TO an old colored woman who,
the present occupant states, appeared to him
and his family several times for the purpose,
which was finally accomplished, OF revealing
the whereabouts Of some money. The mystery
OF the old Tayloe house. already referred 60. at
18th street and New York avenue, has never
been unraveled yet The spectral goings on
there are SO extraordinary that one will live
In the house, although the United States govern
ment once occupied il for awhile in the daytime
as the war record Office, and previously 90 that,
during the war, sisters Of charity lived there,
after purifying it from top TO bottom with
holy water. The tale il that the former pro-
prietor Of the establishment either whipped
one Of his negroes TO death in the garrett or
tortured his human chattel to death in the cell
windows Of the empty dwelling by passers-by at
night. Much superstition 10 connected with
Secretary blaine's house opposite Lafayette
Square, in which Secretary Seward SO
nearly killed by an assassin. and in front Of
which Gen. Sickles killed his wife's lover, Bar
ton Key.