Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-10-14
GLIMPSE OF OLD TIMES.
EXERCISING THE GHOST OF A
MURDERED MAN.
An Imposing Religious Ceremony Per-
formed in MexicO--The Murder
Unavenged and the Ghost
Restless.

The solemn and impressive cere.
mony of exercising an evil spirit or
ghost was lately performed by Father
TomasO. in a small Mexican village
The ghost is that OF a murdered man.
whose assassin is said to be still at
large and UNPUBLISHED. IN 1887 u
small wooden house on the outskirts
Of the town was occupied by
foreigner thought to be an Italian
who piled the trade Of pastry cook and
who was surly. ill-cond toned fell
low. making no friends but many on
emies
One morning this Gambati was
found lying on the pavement before
his residence with n knife handle
protruding from hi, back and its
long, keen shaft completely buried in
it, About his neck was the RATA or
horse hair lariat used by the Mexi-
can hcrIer. and which had been epi-
ployed to drag him from the house.
As the murdered man had no rola.
tives or friends and there seemed alb
sOlutely no clew to the perpetrator OF
the crime. the affair was soon forgot
ten. and 1; new tenant was found for
the house. But the newcomer spent
but one night in the place. and the
next morning lett declaring that he
had seen CANT ati walking about the
house. Tho story was at first ridi-
culed. but others soon began to cir
culate the story that the murdered
pastry cook had been seen at the
windows on the steps and even ly-
ing rs he had lain dea upon the
pavement
No one would or could occupy the
rmlng on oath that Cam att had
beaten at the doors. calling to them
to avenge him. or to depart at once.
The command UNDECIDED the spccter
, proceeded to render itself so Disagree
able us TO force the occupants to
evacuatc the premises. They were
not even allowed to ct their meals
in peace the cups and dishes being
thrown TO the floor by invisible hands
| the pots being overturned on the oven
and the table upset and broken even.
This resulted in the place being
| abandoned and shut up, but the ghost
WINS not content with possession but
began to extend hi, nocturnal per-
fcrmances to the pavement.
1t is claimed that passcrs.by were
repeatedly startled to see tie street
door of the house ly open and a
figure thrown or jerked ont on the
steps only to vanish at once. or on
coming that way late at night persons
of reliability had found across their
path dark. unnatural shadow so like
II man lying prone with a halter about
his throat that they had fled in terror.
As it was believed that Gambati could
not rest because of his murderer s
escape from punishment renewed
efforts were made TO bring the crimi.
nal to Justice but these failed sig
nally, upon which it was resolved that
delegation of the neighbors should
call upon the ghost to request it TO
name the one who made it such. This
was done at night by the delegates
ranging themselves outside the house
and bawling II statement of their
mission through the door
Either the ghost was not at home
or was offended by the proceeding.
for this visit was followed by nearly
thfee monohs Oh peace ior the neigh
oorhood; OUT just as tne community
was congratulating itself on the rid
dance inc nuisance broke out fal
worse than before ohr'eks an
how lings more like those of wild
beasts killing eacn olner' than eman
ating from any lhing human or wha'
l L.
had been SO were 10 De heard every
nlght issuing from the ola mouse
Inc thih9 got so oau' tne heighoor'
say that IL was determined 10 put ar
end 10 IL oy burning Inc place; on
me owner an American residing II
New or'eahs get.'he wihu OF inc In
tentioh' hotinee inc ponce ana meas
ures were 'aken W project inc prop
erty' ne i'rs' h'ghe inc Waterman
was on du.y ne was so frightened o.
an appar,tion' ~h,cn ne described a
an n, va ,ai,ly u, ,pI Ing, Win o'ooo