The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-19
CURIOUS GHOST STORIES.
avn1ow,s ISLAND WAS TIE SCENE
OF THE ADVENTURES.


.ba Cases Related
From, the Nelo York Times.
,-,o,9 the earlier traditions clustered
= Rsdlow's Island, to which ellusion
~ made in previous article, was one to
fact that the late, though not partiou =
o-l,, Isnsnved, Capt. Kyd, had made the
Ia,o,d one of his banks of deposit. How the
..o,v originated no one knew, but one man
hooara thoroughly convinced OF its truth.
This was Sergs Gibbs. He enlisted in 1925
and remained at Fort Wood until it was
si.man.led. He believed that his manifest
-Iostnv was to unearth the treasure. But
Cibbs was timorous and wanted a partner.
uobad heard that whenever a pirate cap
thin buried a pot OF gold he always piled
,be bodies OF two OF three OF his crew on top
20 keep guard.
Gibbs wasn't afraid of ghosts, but he pre-
farred that any interview he might have
with them should be in the presence OF
witness Not for many years could he find
sny one to share his belief or join him in a
treasure hunt. But at last, in a recruit
ramed CARPENTER, Gibbs found the partner
ba headed. He knew even less about Kyd
than did Gibbs. Still, Carpenter was will
inc to take Gibbs word for it that the treas
ure was there somewhere. The only diffi-
Guilty was to find it.
In this dilemma they concluded 30 consult
fortune teller Gibbs and Carpenter
hunted one of them up the first time they
obtained pass. to the city. So small a
matter as locating a treasure buried by
pirate century or two ago did not trouble
him. Besides, he was an unusually gifted
seer being the seventh son of seventh
daughter and born with caul. Having
BY a few discreet questions learned some
thing about the topography of the island,
the seer asked If there wasn't O fiat rock
somewhere about the premises.
There is" said Gibbs, ION the north shore
front, just about the middle Of the island.
But it's only accessible at low tide"
Just the place pirate would choose for
such purpose" said the seer. "But the
exact location can only be determined by
witch-hazel divining rod"
This, happily, the seer was able to furn-
ish for a consideration. But the treasure
hunters we're warned only to make the at
tempt "at the full of the moon" and at
midnight. This suited them, as it insured
secrecy, but it caused them much delay.
But they came together at last. When they
set out Carpenter was little tiinid about
ghosts, but Gibbs thought he could stand
the dead pirates if he got the cash.
They climbed through the barracks win
dow, scaled the ditch walls by means of
ladder, orawled between the sentries, and
finally reached the shore. Tue witch-hazel
charm was brought out, aud the search be-
gan. By the time it worked the tide began
to rise. With pick and shovel, previously
concealed on the shore front, the men began
their excavation.
How long they dug, how deeply they
went into the wet sand, or what they saw,
lorthought they saw can only be guessed,
but Gibbs finally uttered an unearthly yell
that turned out every mau in the guard
house. Gibbs was found unconscious In the
water, and Carpenter was intercepted by
sentry as he fed in the direction OF the bar
racks.
Later, when they told their story to the
commandment they said they had uncovered
a fat box at the depth OF four feet, but Just
as they were about to seize it they we're con-
fronted by the regulation demon. Their de-
scription of the beast varied. Gibbs said 1t
was black, horned, had wings on its shout
ders and wore its tail barbed. Carpenter
said it was red, had neither wings nor legs
aud moved without visible means Of loco-
motioR- Gibbs said the Kyd speoter
breathed sulphur fumes in his facs and
threw him into bhe bay. Carpenter said he
didn't wait for that. The men expiased
their folly by day in the guard house. and
whatever treasure Kyd buried on Bedlow's
Island is still waiting for some one to dis
cover it.
Two years later the island had another
ghost, and of more substantial texture than
the demon Kyd. 1t came out Of the ceme-
terry. Among the soldiers was boaster by
the name Of Gardner. He was possessed of
cultivated taste for the supernatural, and
had met and exercised many ghosts. It was
source OF continual regret to him that he
had not been partner of Glib and Carpen-
their Oat cd yap EfYra ole had fbo
red or black beast been corraled preser we'd
IN spirits. But Gardeners time came It
was when, as sentinel, it became his duty
TO mount guard on the graveyard post"
from IL O'Clock p IN. until Q O'clock a. m.-
an uucanny time and place for q man with
weak nerves.
Look out for the graveyard, Gardner
and don't let any of the ghosts get away"
said the corporal, adding as the squed
marched away. "the muster roll will be
called at midnight"
Perhaps this speech frightened Gardner
perhaps he saw something" At all events
shortly after midnight he ran alright to
the guard house. To the sergeant Gardner
narrated how tall thing, all in white. ~
had suddenly risen from a new made grave,
h0ated rather than leaped over the fence,
sAatched his musket from his hand, and
4roVe MIN from his post at the point of the
oayonet. When asked why he had
NOT exercised this ghcss after his usual
lasnlon Gardner replied that he wasn't
USED 70 American ghosts-he was an En-
giSnmsn, by the way-and this ghost was
o'1erent from anything he had ever en-
countered. British ghosts were generally
aged and respectable, some Of them of three
centuries standing, and always we'll bred.
5iuey never INDUCED in undue familiarity,
uIu not 80 much as point finger; q fixed,
stony stare attested their nobility of birth
and death. But this American ghost had
SHOWN no breejing at all; it had violently
assaulted him, and generally behaved in
most unghostly fashion.
Inc matter was duly reported at head
quarters and Gardner was ordered on the
same post. That night the farce was re-
pested, except that Gardner was a little
more frightened. He told the same story,
MS teeth chattering like the bones" in an
end mans" hands, The third night Gard
ner was posted on the same beat, with the
same result 80
4, What shall dol" asked the officer of
Ine DAY, as he made his report to the COM
nahdant. THE man has evidently seen
1Iomethiug. His fright is too real for simu-
Wen, the usual ghost never appears
more than three nights in succession" said
.u5 commandant. "If this one breaks the
rue he will find himself trspped-for | as
sqhe that this is a male ghost. No respecta-
We female ghost, even of uncertain age,
would be out after midnight without an