The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-03-08

| died. George Vreeland took possession o.
| the old house as soon as the Gautiers lef
| IT, He married Catherine Ncwkirk il
! 1909. The Vreelands entertained well anc
the old homestead became noted for The
many gay balls and receptions which
were held there. George Vreeland died
| In 1874, and as he left no will the
| property was distributed among his
children. In these days the house
underwent a great change. The ele.
gance of the days of Samuel
Gautier had fallen away. The old stables
and kennels disappeared, and the old
house itself soon became q mass OF ruins.
SPEAKER HUDsPETH RENTS 1T.
The house was rented from year TO year
until in 1888 when il was patched up and
rented by Robert 5. Hudspeth. ex-Speaker
of the Assembly He rescued the old
mansion from further decay, and restored
considerable OF its older condition. In
1880 the Lehigh Valley Railroad sealed its
fate. The old homestead had grown to
be of quite some value, and the railroad
wanted it for the commerce. OF the near
future. Young George Vreeland had
died, leaving the place to the children of
his sister, Mrs. George Smith. Through
their brother it was sold, and Mr. Hud-
speth moved away Since then the man
sion has been empty, and in few months
it VIII be torn down by the railroad peo-
pie. 1t is said that on the night previous
~ DuS acdOu VI bu6 Ul0 SctpeeAAbs .ohO oetA-
shee" visited the homestead and
gave its uncanny warning, and vene
since the house was haunted. Several OF
the slaves who were Kept in the cellar
and died there, revisited the old home
stead In their spiritual state and raised
Cain generally. The story was handed
down by the Gautiers and even now no
resident of Greenyille can be induced to
go within one hundred feet of the haunted
house on dark night. Mrs. Benson.
mother of Robert Hudspeth, who lived
at the house during the period when Mr..
Hudspeth rented it, confirms the ghost
stories She says she never believed in
ghosts prior to taking up her residence at
the old mansion, but two years stay at
that place soon thoroughly converted her.
MRS. BENsoN's EXPERIENCES.
At three different periods OF the year
she heard mysterious rappings all over
the house. On each of these nights
one of the Vreelands died and
Mrs. Benson firmly believes that
it was the banshee that visited the old
homestead. On almost every night in
the year she heard the tramping of men
on the porch and the rafting of chains
in the cellar below. She Investigated
the sounds. but never found anything.
She soon grew accustomed to them and
as the ghosts never visited any other part
of the house she did not bother them.
She also says that at intervals of about
two or three months in duration, or about
the time usually occupied by Captain
Browns ship in making a trip to and
from Africa, she heard the swishing
sound as Of water striking the side of
vessel
Mrs. Benson says that she was not mis-
taken In these sounds as they were heard
by other members of the family. These
ghosts, however, will not roam very
much longer about the old house, and
any one who desires TO spend O nervous
night should go before the railroad COM
pany tears down the old building