Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-10-23
MEXICAN GHOSTS,
The Mysterious Experience OF a United
states Sailor.

The mysterious Experience OF q United
states Sailor.
A. L. Chatfeld. Of the indianapolis
Drug Company. was in the United
States Navy several years, and cruised
in every sea.
The experience that left the most
lasting impression on me was one l
had with ghosts" said he to an In
dianapolis News reporter. Now. |
do not believe In ghosts for one min
ute, but the experience had is one |
am not able to explain away. There
is bardly day OF my life that do not
think OF 1t. We stopped at Mexican
port and hadn't been there very long
before we learned that the natives
were very much excited over a haunted
house that stood of by itself in a lone
ly part of the town.
''All the brave men in the place had
visited the house to hear the ghosts
and the experience was such that no
one could be induced to 60 back the
second time. The second mate of our
ship and | decided to investigate the
ghosts. We firmly believed that some
one in the place was slipping into the
house and making the strange noises
that were reported as being heard.
The mate was man who did not know
fear, and we agreed that we would go
prepared to kill the first ghost that
made its appearance.
I'VE prepared for the expedition by
cleaning and loading four good revolv-
ers and by providing dark lantern.
In the afternoon we went to the house
and examined it carefully for secret
entrances. Every foot of floor and
wall was examined, and we saw that
the doors were all securely bolted on
the inside, except the one to which
we had key. Soon after dark we
went to the house and made a second
examination, and found it as we had
left 1t in the afternoon. We then took
our seats in the front room with our
faces toward an open door leading into
another room. The house was quiet
as death.
The mate held the dark lantern,
with the slide on, and we each held
revolvers in our hands. After we had
been there perhaps half an hour we
heard a noise like one makes in slightly
pulling chair nearer the table. A
moment later the chair in the room
which we were facing seemed to be
picked up and set down again. Then
we heard footsteps, and pretty soon
tho room resounded with noises The
scant furniture. it seemed was being
thrown pell NELL and the racket be-
came unearthly.
Now is our time, said the mate
in whisper. At that he turned on
the dark-lantern and sprang into the
room. The moment we entered it the
noises ceased and it was vacant. More
than that, the furniture stood lust as
we had left it. We examined the
doors and windows. and they were as
we had left them. The floor, too. WAS
examined, and no opening was there.
Before we had finished our examination
noises began upstairs, and in other
rooms. A dozen men with heavy boots
seemed to be running up and down the
stairway. With our dark lantern we
ran upstairs and through the several
rooms. but could see nothing.
whenever we would enter q room
the noises would seem to be in the next
room-or all over the house. for that
matter except in that one room. To
make the story short we remained in
the house until daylight, and the
noises continued all night. We chased
from one room to another until we
were almost completely exhausted and
not once did we catch sight of any
living object. We couldn't have been
in the noises. 1t couldn't
have been imagination tor neither of
us was excited or frightened. Those
noises were made in the house, but
what by is the greatest mystery of my
life"