The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-02-17
SPECTRAL PIRATES.
SCENES or MORE THAN FIFTY
YEARS AGO RE-ENAcTEp.

Ellis Island. the Governments rmnai-
/ grant Landing, Is Said to Re Haunted
by the Ghosts OF Former Criminals of
the Sea Who Were Hanged There.
/ Ellis island is haunted. There Is no
/ doubt about it, for the watchmen who
| guard Uncle Sans immigrant station on
I the historic little island say they have seen
l sights given 20 few moTtals TO see, and
I have heard moans and cries and shouts
/ which never came from lips OF man Mere
/ than this. one man there knows what IL Is
| TO incur the displeasure Of the disembodied.
| He was providing around the ghost well at
1 the forbidden hour when a heavy spade
welded by ghostly arms descended on his
/ head and knocked him senseleSsL A great
/ bruise on the back Of his head is still there
TO confound the incredulous.
! AT midnight shadowy forms. clad IN long
capes and three cornered hats. walk abroad.
and. arm in arm. make the circuit OF the
/ island. The ghosts are said to be those OF
the pirates hanged years ago on the ''pi-
rates tree" in the shadow Of the ancient
governors house. This house is still stand
ing. 1t has defied the ravages Of time, and
its oaken beams and white ash shingles
/ are as sound as they were the day they
were taken TO the island by the villagers
of ''Neu Yorke." who turned out in force
TO erect the building.
Southeast of the old house stands the
pirates tree" In summer its leaves rus
tie against the shingled side OF the house,
and in winter the branches OF one gaune
limS-the very one upon which the pirates
were hanged-beats q mournful tattoo
against the low caves as IL sounding the
'long roll" for the souls of the departed
buccaneers.
STRANGE SOUNDS
A few feet from the tree II an Rrtesian
well. IL was sunk at the expense OF the
government, but no water was found. and
after boring nearly a thousand feet the
project and well were abandoned Nothing
but deep. black hole, FOUR feet in diane
ter and eighty feet deep, now remains 10
mark the spot. Four men lost their lives
In that well by being caught in quicksand.
and their bodies were never recovered The
branches of the pirates tree extend over
the mouth OF the well. and the ghosts of
the pirates make il their headquarters at
midnight, and at that time it is said the
branches Of the tree are nightly agitated
and blow upward, as il great draft il
sued from the depth OF the big lole.
Despite the most searching Investigation
the residents on the island cannot account
for the strange sounds and sights IN any
other way than that ghosts ara abroad
A feeling of terror has seized upon the
government employees who arc forced To
remain night after night on the island. AZ
times when the spirits become unusually
festive. doors known TO have been securely
-. 4
dows known TO have been fastened were
raised and lowered
Lights have been mysteriously ex-
tinguished. and mighty gusts OF wind have
come down the ohimneys. This latter
strange proceeding is said TO be due 20 the
fact that the more venturesome ghosts
take special delight in rushing down the
chimneys.
After the ferryboat J. II. BripckerhoR
makes its last trip the island becomes q
lonely spot indeed Business ceases. and
as the setting suns rays become DINNER
and DINNER and the shades Of night en-
yelop the little isle, feeling Of desolation
peryades the place.
GHoSTLY BUCCAyEEHs.
Those on the island say that Just before
midnight the wraiths begin TO appear and
Trinity tower begins to toll II Sepulchral
tones are heard issuing from the direction
of the well Suddenly dozen shadowy
forms dressed in long capes. high top boots
and three cornered hats leap up from the
darkness Of the well aud dance frantically
about the edge. Then the branches OF the
pirates tree" shake violently, tho tree
rocks from side TO side and groaning 10
heard.
The spirits Of two buccaneers are seen
bent over the ground beneath the tree GO
ing through the motions Of digging. at
times the hanging Of the pirates IL re-
hearsed Two Of their Tumber are drag
ged forth from the shadows Of the old
gunner's house and hanged from the fatal
branch. When the moon shines brightly
the ghosts seldom venture from she black
pit.
On Wednesday night Waterman SpraRus
was missed and IL was thought be had
fallen into the ghosts well The watch
men and Treasurer Manning armed them
selves and sailed forth 70 find the belatsd
Waterman. They came across him lying
near the doctors quarters. partially
stunned. When he recovered be said he
heard noises that frozs his blood, and be-
fore be could run be was felled by spade,
which lay near where he had fallen.
Sprsgue's head was swollen, but IL was n9s
cut. While they were leading Spragus
away Treasurer Manning saw something
uncanny and yelled. "Ghosts." There was
a stampede and poor Sprague was lefs
Struggling behind lie hid himself Ia
trunk and remained there until morning
HISTORY or TIE BLAND.
The very next night Watchman Jahn
and Of his assistants act out 20 unravsl
the mystery. They lay Ia wait near the
well Until midnight. At that hour they
were almost petrihed when they saw the
forms Of two men clad ia the costumes
pirates affect hanging By the neck from
the pirates tree. When they recovered
from their fright the brave wstehrnen
scurriesi for their quarters as fast as their
legs could carry them. and have not ven
tured out at night since
One hundred years ago Ellis Island Wa
known a. Oyster island Shortly after the
war Of 1872 Captain Morgan. an Old ssa
deg. turned pirate and committed mAny
outrsges in the bay snd on the coast he
was captured after q fierce struggle. and.
with four Of bis yirScicsl crew, was banged
70 the pirates tree.
Nearly forty years later the nntor50us
b1oeaneer. Captain Gibhss, whose deeds a
ia7rlessnsss stirred up the sntiFs commit
nifty. was hanged on the sane tree. In TIA
presencs Of 100 psoYss.-Hsw York ADJ
yeTtiseg.
A Trfbats to . Fsd-
First Barzlz. goatsi6sb-Hslio. par1f
wot's the mAtterf
Eecord Rurziar (ryseking himself out ths