Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-04-22
Intangible and Uuearthiy Forms
Which Appear to Bewilder and
Betray Man.
A Murderer Haunted Through Life
and Given No Rest by His
Victims Ghost.
The Appearance Of an Apparition
Leads TO the Capture OF the
Criminal.

himself Price Alexander, fine looking,
about forty years old, we'll dressed, pas
SADLY educated, made his appearance in
Huntingdon, Carroll county, Tenn, seek
ing employment as carpenter. He did
not profess to be a fine mechanic, but
was qualified to do ordinary work In that
line.
HIS manners were 80 easy and DISPOSE
ton so obIging that he excited no oppo-
sltioE among the local workmen, who ex-
tended to him every assistance IN their
power.
He bad not been in the community long
before a peculiarly was noticed by his ia
innate acquaintance. Whenever working
alone, or when left By himself for any
length OF time, he manifested a restless
ness that made his employment somewhat
unsatisfactory. He would stop work every
few moments, glance furtiyely to the
right, left and rear, as if he apprehended
the approach of an enemy. And again,
when he had a JOB that necosSitated his
being alone, he invariably provided him
self with whlskey, and not infreqlently
became 'howIing" drunk before it was
completed.
On the contrary, when lie was at work
with others, he was strictly temperate and
When he secured board and lodging he
invariably stipulated that he was to oc-
cupy room with some one, generally pre-
terring some of the children Of the fam-
| lily.
He remained In the country about one
| year, when, after snort courtship, he
married most estimable widow by the
name Of Carpenter. living four or FIVE miles
south OF huntingdon, and from ali ap-
pearaDces 1T was most happy union.
| His wife looked after her domestic affairs
and conducted their little farm, assisted
| by Alexander at those times when he was
not employed al bis trade.
Among the carpenters with whom he
worked was a man named Rufus Vlckers,
for whom he formed very warm attach
ment. iJ was Nickers who introduced
him to bis wife, who had discovered his
dread OF beng alone, and as true friend
had encouraged the match to promote his
happiness.
The first incident that excited VIcker's
attention and led him to believe that there
was some mystery connected with Alex
anders life occurred as follows:
| They had made a contract to build a
house for old Uncle Sammy Coleman, and
| Alexander was to go to Vicker's boarding
house and remain during the night and
| both start early the next morning to-
gether. Alexander reached the house
about the time the family were retiring
| and was shown to VIcker's room The
! latter was not in, having gone to d neigh
| boris, some miles distant, upon business.
Alexander retired During the night
| VIekers returned, and in order not to
awaken the family crept quietly to his
! room. Raising the latch noiselessly and
opening the door gently, he was surprised
| to hear a subdued conversation in his
room. One of the voices was strange and
| its tone was so low that he could not catch
the words; the Others was Alexander's,
and he heard him say in half groar:
"Oh, COD! this is terrible! Will you
never leave me alone?'
The other said:
''1he sands in my hour glass were near.
ly run down; you showed me no -"
The last words were too indistinct to be
heard at the door.
Alexander made some repiy to this:
what it was Vickers failed to catch, but
making a noise, the conversation suddenly
ceased. lie went to the fireplace and
made up light, found the lamp and
lit it.
He was a8tounded to find Alexander
alone IN the room, sitting upright in the
oed, with an expression Of most intense
alarm on his countenance. His eyes were
wide open and the pupils expanded.
When V1ckers spoke to him he lay back
in the bed and his face assumed the wont.
ed expression.
After some little effort Vickers awaken
ed him and asked:
"Wnere is your partner?"
'Who?"
''The person | heard you talking with"
II have been talking to no one, but |
have had terrible nightmare.
ViCkers did not press the subject, but
retired, and the matter was in measure
forgotten. Some months after this oc-
Cured Vickers and Alexander were en-
ployed by Ferdinando Sanders, of Benton
county, to build some cheap negro houses
for him. The contract necess1tated the
getting out OF several thousand cypress
shingles, ano the two pitched th"'r tent in
dense cypress swamp and went to work.
A few days elapsed and it became neces-
sary for Vlckers to go to Camden, dis
lance OF twelve miles, a+ter supplies. He
was unavoidably detained, and did not
return until some time after midnight,
and was surprised to fad the tent desert
ed. Knowing Alexander peculiarly
about being left alone. he concluded that
he had gone to a neighbor's a few miles
distant, and being fatigued, rolled him
self up in bis blanket and tried to sleep.
Either on account of his WEAKNESS or
lonesomeness, he could not, and rolled
and tossed about How long this ccntip-
ue3 he could not tell.
Suddenly be became aware that there
was some one On the outside talking
Raising up on his elbow, listening.intent
ly, he located the voices ne ar a large log
about twenty feet from the tent, where
they rived their boards.
He heard Alexander ask: ''Is this to
last forever?'
a low, firm voice replied: Eyes fer
ever and fore Yer"
My G26i II is terrible
''AlI this should have been considered
before My life was as dear and sweet to
me as yours. came to you as a peace
maker, and you left me "a
Vickers had cravled out of his tent On
bis hands and sppro ached as close as pos
sible, and when within few feet. of them.
and before the stranger uttered the last
word, the latter turned and disappeared.
The leaves were dry and covered the
ground like a carpet, yet his disappear
ance was as noiseless as that Of a gentle
breeze that the leaves rise to kiss as it
passes by. Vickers could see the out
line against the horizon between the
trees; 1t was that of tall man, yet
withal, it Was SO shadowy that it could |
not be defined Alexander, who had been