The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-03-22
BLOODY GHOSTS.
.ro ENTERPRIsING AMERICANS
uoUGHLY HANDLED BY THEM.


rabitants Of One of the Suburbs of
,se City of Mexico Greatly Annoyed
nv the Nightly Revels Of a Band of
Evil Spirits.
r-fyof Nerico Cor. Philadelphia Times.
In one Of the eastern suburbs Of this CITY
stands or rather lies heap Of ruins, which.
lover 100 years. so says tradition, has
ho-ne the reputation of being the rendez-
Ems of evil spirits and dreadful spooks. who
make the nights so hideous with their reveIs
tbst the neighborhood is Stunned by all.
In consequence of this no dwellings are to
he found near the old ruin, though few
vssrs ago an American, by johnson, pur-
chased the site of the ancient building and
the ground for some distance around and
erected a number Of neat cottages to rent in
defiance of the ghosts.
He found no difficulty in finding tenants
among the American element. which re-
used credence to the stories told by the
Nsxicans But no sooner had the renters
become settled in their new quarters than
complaints began to pour in on the IN
fortunate Mr.. johnson that some malicious
nerson or persons we're trying TO render the
rejghborhood uninhabitable by keeping
them HUN IPAAE az llSub OT
such row in the old ruins as to make all
Lumber impossible. Mr.. johnson also took
this view of the matter and complained to
the authorities, who only shrugged their
shouders and declared that they had been
worried by like complaints for many years
and were powerless TO do anything about il.
They further advised him to give up his
enterprise, as he could not hope to GUST the
spectral tenants of the ruin. This advice
Johnson, with true American spirit. refused
to take, and, seeing that no assistance was
going to be given him by the Mexicans. re-
solved to solve the mystery for himself A
Sotal unbeliever In the supernatural, he was
convinced that some one, for reasons of their
own, wished TO drive people away from the
neighborhood and worked upon the super
stition of the ignorant class
He resolved to pass night in the ruin.
and see who or what it was that caused the
disturbance. Armed with a good rifle and
revolvers and accompanied by a powerful
bulldog, he repaired to the haunted building
one evening shortly after dark, when he
was surprised to find the old ruin illumi-
mated within as il for his coming Without
all was dark, but the old pile was as clearly
revealed throughout as il the sun had been
shining. The light differed from that of
the sun, resembling moonlight more, but a
great deal more penetrating and wholly
without shadow. Johnson searched the en-
tire ruin, but was unable to find the source
Of the illumination.
1t seemed rather to flood the pile than to
emanate from burning point. Abandon
ing the riddle, Mr.. johnson made hImself
comfortable with pipe and book, but kept
alert for the slightest noise, and his weap-
ons IN readiness for use. For time all was
still, when all at once a series of loud and
shrill screams startled the watcher. The
voice appeared to be that of a woman in
great terror or pain. and brought johnson
Instantly to his feet, but though he again
explored the house from top to bottom, he
could find no sign Of any creature, although
the screams kept Up without ceasing.
Johnson repeatedly urged the being who
seemed to be in distress TO give him clew
to its whereabouts, as he wished to go to its
rescue, but no answer was vouchhd to this
adjuration, and Johnson resumed his seat.
convinced that this demonstration had been
but rush to brighten him from keeCing his
vigil The next move was a fearful crash as
If the whole building was coming down
upon his head. So sure was he of this that
the man fed from the ruin precipitately.
Looking back he saw that the alarm was a
false one, and returned to find everything
as before. He waited the next move. re-
solved not to be duped again, but for a time
nothing more occurred. The dog now, how
ever, began to manifest great uneasiness.
oudpplue ~ SOluobuluR uuoeSu ana Then
covering as if under a blow. His hair rose
on his back and he began to howl as if in
mortal terror.
Johnson called the animal to him, but
1t seemed unable to obey, its eyes appearing
to follow something about the room. All
at once it sprang nearly six feet into the
air, to fall back in a huddled mass on the
stone floor. On approaching johnson found
the dog dead, with gaping wound in its
breast This wound did not seem to have
been inflicted by any weapon, but rather to
have been torn by powerful and cruel
hand.
johnson grabbed his gun, convinced that
his life would next be attempted. AS he
did 80 figure appeared at the door and
looked in at him. 1t was that of priest,
and was clad in ragged canonicals stained
with blood, which was flowing from a
chastity, horrible wound in his throat. AS
Johnson gazed at this spectacle, too horri-
he'd 10 speak, the light went out leaving
him IN black darkness, and as he tried to
gropo his way to the door number of hands
seized him and hustled him out in the street,
where, overcome by his fearful experiences,
be tainted.
When he recovered his senses it was day
light and he found that he was smeared
with blood from head TO foot, and that his
gun lay beside him broken into several
pieces, the metal part of the barrel twisted
Into hoop, while his revolvers we're
scarcely recognizable, so crushed and de-
mollshed were they. johnson crept home
and kept his bed for weeks, at the end of
which time he sold the ground for song to
asyndlcate in Boston and moved the cot
tages to another part of the city.
Since then the spooks have remained I'M
molested, the Mexicans passing the place
only IN broad daylight. and then only in
Company, and with many crossings of them
selves. But last week the syndicate owning
tne ground sent out an agent with direc-
uons to sell the stone composing the old
building. as it was proposed to erect can
IIllng factory on the site. The agent Mr..
nall, from Boston, had never heard of the
uhcanny stories told of the place, and pro-
ceeded to inspect the building He came
out OF the ruin in all haste, and, calling to
passing Mexican, asked him where the
wounded man had gone to. The fellow not
answering, the agent hurriedly explained
mat priest. wounded severely in the neck,
aad showed past him and ran out of the
house.
The Mexican crossed himself and in
.ortned the gentleman that what he had
zen was no mortal man, and that he had
Ttter desist from his attempt to NEEDLE
VIM the ghosts that held forth there. In
gedulous and amused at the fellows SUPER
tillon, Hall went about the next day try
ag 70 get laborers to tear down the old
structure, but was unable to procure sin
ne Mexican to lift his hand against it. He
r. last engaged four Americans and one
tushshman to do the work. which he was