The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-07-28
TALL, GAUNT, AND SHEETED.
GHosT BAUyTs THE OLD SPRING
Nv WooDsTDE HEIGHTS

Behind the Women, Dances In the Hon
Untii tbs Dogs Bark, and VIII Set
Coat of Tar and Feathers with buck
shot Lining ir the Men Ever Catch II
Armed with shotguns and pistols. and &C
companied by pack of dogs. score or NOR
Of the residents OF woodsde Heights. II
Woodside village Long Island. started gu
last night to hunt down the mystery which
has been haunting the old town spring. scar
ing children and chasing women ard girls
| Tho spring Is In triangular clump OF wood:
| on the rising ground OF tho heights
Belts avenue skirts the woods on the south
| and Greenpoint avenue runs along at an angle
on the northeast. Thompson avenue bounds
the west side. and Cleveland avenue cuts
across almost directly east from Thompson
avenue into Greenpoint avenue.
This old spring dates back beyond the recol-
lection Of the Oldest inhabitant and II is said
that It never runs dry. 1t is the centre OF a
network OF paths that lead in from tho ave.
nues. The brush around It Is taller than a
mans head. During the recent drought more
than half the village OF Woodside has obtained
water from this spring. All day long and until
late at night groups of children. girls. and wo-
men could be seen In all directions with pals
In their hands, going to and fro from the spring
But during the last few days the little viii
lage has had great scare It started at tho
bubbling spring three nights ago. when q
crowd Of children came flying out OF the brush.
leaving their water pals behind. They said
they had seen ghost, and no amount Of per-
suasion could induce them to return for their
abandoned pals.
The scare was repeated several times that
night and on Q or twice on the following day.
until the children became 80 badly frightened
at mt nm NJ Thorn would yaptura 70 70
the spring. Thcn the women tried 1t and on
several occasions they came screaming out OF
the woods running for dear life and perhaps q
trile more scared than the children.
They oil had ono story to tell. While bend
Ing over. drawing water. they were stealthily
approached from behind by n tall. gaunt in
dividual. dressed entirely in white. who sud
denly sprang upon them. The children say he
got down on all fours and crawled after them
like n ravenous animal He chased 14-year-
old Annie Robinson. whose father keeps a
grocery store in Greenpoint avenue. more
than mile before she escaped.
Fourteen year old Josie Cation had a similar
fright. She lives in Cleveland avenue with her
parents. and her brother George and sister
Winnie were also frightened away from the
spring. Members OF the families OF Charles
Christensen. Frank Case. John Dietrich. J.
and others living in that vicinity
have encountered tho apparition at the spring
on different occasions,
On Wednesday night Mr.. Christensen caught
sight Of him and gave chase for q mile or so.
but he was not fleetfooted enough. and in the
dense woods he lost the trail. A search was
made by some OF tho men that night They
discovered a sort OF bed and shelter construct
ed deep In the wood. which was thought to
be the rendezvous OF tho person they were
hunting. watch was left at the place, but no
one came.
Young Thomas Robinson who clerks in
justave Burgess's store. came across the dis
:urber while on his way home about midnight
rom Mrs. Cations house. to which he had
been escorting one of the young ladies'. When
,ome distance away from Catons house Rob-
nson saw a figure sheeted like ghost float
tut OF q clump OF brush and cut fantastic CO.
70: s in the road. moving about as silently as a |
hadow
Young Robinson's heart came up in his !
hroat He says he didn't make any cutlery.
tut every now and then the ghostly dancer
Eould give utterance to an unearthly shrek
hat caused his hair to stand on end and IN ado
he cold sweat trickle down his back. Then
lie dogs began to bark. and persons disturbed
" the shrleks cane to their doors. and the
'hantom turned few handsprings and disap-
feared MS suddenly as he came.
Last night found the village thoroughly
Harmed. 1t was decided that these antics
aust be stopped, so with plenty Of ammuni-
ion the ghost hunters started out.
If the culprit is not shot In the chase. he will
robably receive a coat OF tar and feathers
nd good thrashinR Tho women folks OF
yoodsde Heights will not feel safe until the
host has been captured.