Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-08-20
A MALICIOUS GHOST,
Which Kills Poultry and Dogs and Rides
Horseback.


Which Kills Poultry and Dogs and Rides
Horseback.
st. Louis Globe-Democrat
Mr.. James W., a prominent De Kalb
(Miss.) farmer, has created quite a SEN
sation by reporting himself the victim
of the malicious spirit of a tramp who
died on his place last summer. Mr.. w.
says that the ghost has killed his watch
dogs, MANNED his sheep and injured his
horses, besides not permitting him to
have a chicken or turkey about him.
The tramp applied for supper and bed
last August, when Mr.. W., being short
of hands, offered him work, which he
refused very CURLY, saying he was sick.
He was then given meal, but told he
could not sleep on the premises, upon
which he grew very violent In language
and left vowing vengeance. AS the
man did look delicate and ailing he
was allowed to go, though it was feared
he would return and do some mischief
but the next morning he was found
dead in an adjacent field and buried by
the town, so nothing more was thought
Of the matter. 1t was not many weeks,
however, before the VS.. began to be
prosecuted by an invisible agent that
emptied the milk-pans, let the cattle out
broke the crockery and generally made
Itself nuisance. firing of this, and
growing more vindictive, it began
wringing the necks of the poultry,
choking up the well and undermining
the outbuildings. Mr.. w. being skepti-
cal in regard to supernatural interior
ence, for long time refused to admit
these tricks to be aught but the mischief
of some ill-disposed person, but was at
last compelled to accept the manifesto
tons as extraordinary. He would him
self lock and guard his hen house at
night, only to hear the frightened fowls
screaming and fluttering, though when
he opened the door his lantern revealed
the place to be empty, though the head
less still living bodies were indisputable
evidence that they had just been killed.
When the dogs were brought they
showed the greatest reluctance to enter
the house, and, whining piteously,
shivered and cringed, though of fierce
and game breed. Forced into the house,
they were heard to give sharp shrek,
and the next moment their lifeless
bodies were hurled by powerful hand
through the open door to their masters
feet. Several Of the most prominent
and respected persons of the neighbor-
hood vouch for this. The horses cannot
be sufficiently guarded to keep the
| ghost from turning them out, and FIRE.
| quently the family are aroused by the
CHATTER of hoofs past the house, when Oh
looking out they see horse fully sad
died go tearing down the road as il
ridden by some hardpushed rider
though none is to be seen. The
neighbors support this statement by de
claring that it is no unusual sight tc
them, and that nothing can stop one Of
the w. horses when thus ridden. The
poor creature, broken down and nearly
dead, so often found many miles away
while several have died by such treat
ment.
Occasionally the ghost grows so ag
gresslve that the family is Obliged K
leave the place, when it subsidies for /
time. Mr.. w. says that he has FIRE
quently been attacked by it and tina
once on entering the house in broaC
daylight he was knocked nearly sense
less by blow on the side of his head
while on another occasion he was cross
ing an unlighted hall, when he wa
pushed against the wall by powerful
hand holding his throat. He MANAGE
TO gasp out Il cry for help, when his VIII,
came running with lamp in her hand
which showed the hall to be empty, say,
for himself. Recently Mrs. W. hear(
her youngest child, an infant of few
months, crying in room upstairs, AMI
running to it, could hear distinctly til
sound of violent slaps, and on opening
the door found the baby covered witt
welts and red from head to foot. 1t i
believed that Annie W., aged three, cal
see the ghost, as she will frequently fl,
her eyes in space, saying, "Poor man, i
you sick?n and she Of all the family ha
escaped molestation from the maliciou
Spirit,