The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1891-11-25
AFRAID OF A GHOST
The Queer DOings in a Brook
lyn Police Station.
OFFICERS PULLED OUT OF BED.
Room in Which a Minister Killed His
Wife and Himself Haunted


tations OF the spirit-A Cot that No One
wan occupy-Tho Case Of Barney Ma
lone aud His Nocturnal Visitor.
BROOKLYN, Nov. 24-The ghost in
the police station of the Second Pre-
pinct, Of this city, is at it's work again,
and although the officers have had con-
siderable experience with the spirit,
there is feeling OF dread and anxiety,
II not alarm, among them, that seems
strange to men accustomed to trying
scenes
From Capt John Eason, its gallant
Army-vSteran commander, down 10 it's
latest enrolled pAtrolmAR, eAoh aud
every one firmly believes thst the sta
tion 10 haunted. Not OAly that, bat al
are willing to submit evidence on she
subject.
The station building, which eomprises
Nos 40 and 81 Fulton street, was for
merly a bank, aud had for jAnitor job n
Ksmlo. Mr. Kemlo occupied apart
msnts on the fourth or top hOoF, over
ooking Fulton street. His son, the
Rev. Mr.. Ksmlo, boarded with him, an
did also his sons wife, and PARTITION
separated the old mans rooms from
those Of his son and dRughteF-in-l law,
the latter occupying those to the west
of the dividing line, and the clergy
and his wife the eastern wing OF the
floor. One night about ten years ago
the young Clergyman, while temporarily
insane, cut his wifes throat, and then,
jumping from the open window OF his
fathers bedroom to the sidewalk, frao-
tured his skull and died at once.
| This fourth floor is now used as a DOR
mitory by sixteen officers OF the station,
and Patrolman Barney Malone sleeps,
| when he gets a chance, in bed i'm
mediAtely under what is termed the
"pRrson's window" by which is meant
the one through which KsmlO jumped
to his death. Two nights ago in the
silent watches Of the night Officer
Malone WAS awakened by the touch of
cold hands on his feet, which he felt
were dragging him from the bed. AL
though the light in the big room burned
low, there was still sufficient there to
enable him to sse-nothing. And yet
! be felt himself drawn down by an in
visible power, and he yelled as loudly as
he could, and stretched back HIS right
hand to the spot under his pillow where
rested his official revolver.
Under ordinary circumstances officer
Malone's comrades, who raised their
heads to inquire what he was raisiuR
so much row about. would have con
cluded merely that he had eaten a
hearty dinner, but knowing the history
of the room, Officer Hugh Mclaughlin,
acting as spokesman for the others,
contented himself with saying; "Oh,
boys, 20 to sleep; it is only that intern al
spook at one of his tricks Let US go to
sleep, and, Barney, please don't make
such an awful clamor."
This midnight episode may appear
groteBque, II not humorous, reading to
most people, but the men compelled to
sleep in that room take it very serious
| ly indeed. And it would seem as If they
had cause, for there is somsthiRg more
tragic than cold Rhoatly hands con-
nected with those apartments II is a
fact we'll known in police ciroos that
| the Second Station shows more deaths
among its members by far than any
other in Brooklyn, and though the med
ical man may be able to assign sani tary
causes for. such mortality, ths officers
of the Second persistently maintain that
it arises from superhumHn influences.
The force belonging to the station is
composed Of 50 men. Since the tragedy
of ten years ago many have died, and
of the number, five in succession, who
used to sleep Cd a cot in that space.
Their names were Richard HAlpin, Ed
| ward AcIer, Richard Cotton, Patrolman
Gardner and John Costello ths last vic
tim died seven weeks ago. A sixth
man went crazy, and was sent to the
hospital. He recovered, and was trans
ferred to another precinct, where he
does duty cheerfully and intelligeutly.
Any one entering the room for the
6rst time cannot fail to be struck with
"a vacant space between two bedcots right
in front Of him on the Fulton strest
side. PheGs is space for one moro cot,
but no cot is there, and no man in the
station would liS on one placed there for
Que night If by so doing he WAS TO earn
500
AS a matter Of fact, Hugh MoLAugh-
lin, above mentioned, who is a philoso-
phar ia his way, has standing offer Of
S26 to any man who will occupy the
vacant space for one night. Up to this
he has found no takers. The space Is
under the west window, and 1t was
there the crazy clergyman com mitted
the deed for which he died a moment
later of his own volition,
Officer Mclaughlin, the philosopher,
who knows more about the spook and
its ways and is more interested In its
movements than any one else says re-
garding it:
"People may laugh and jest about
such things, but, after all, will any one
assign cause for the noises we hear
and the things we see in this dormitory
apart from the supernatural The Of
ficers of the station, though l say 1t my
self, are as brave aud Intelligent as any
in Brooklyn, Owing to the peculiar To-
caliJy they have tolo duty in, they are in
ured to danger and vet Won cannot Ret
one of them to occupy that space. Even
John McCahan and John McKenna, two
men remarkable for courage, who sleep
on either side of it, are nervous and
wakeful half the night, Would l sleep
there No, guess not. do believe in
ghosts, but did not take any stock in
them until | came here.
"The most unearthly shrieks are
heard in this room at night, and though
the Captain says they are caused by the
rever erberations OF the Elevated Railroad
g.-g- IL.