Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-11-22
A GHOSTLY PICTURE,
WHICH HAS OCCASIoNED QUITE A SENSATION
THE PAST FEW DAYS
A Plate, Taken By an Amateur, Of Party Of
Friends Shows When Developed, the
Face Of Young Nan Who
Died Year Ago.

graphic circles, both professional and
amateur, have been good deal excited
over disclosure made by plate taken
during the present month by well
known local amateur.
This disclosure was nothing less than
the features of young man who died
year ago, deeply regretted by all who
knew him.
The discovery was made by accident,
! by young lady to whom number OF
amateur photographs we're being shown.
| Once she had pointed out the strange
! discovery she had made, the features
! OF she dead man seemed about the most
prominent point in the picture, and yet
it had been examined by a dozen or
more persons without anything unusual
being noticed. Since the additional
face was found, however, the picture
! has been a source of wonder TO many,
and both the negative and the picture
itself have been carefully scrutinized
by professionals aud amateurs alike,
but without any result in the way OF an
acceptable explanation Of the curiosity.
The circumstances surrounding this
strange photograph are as follows:-
About the first Of the present month
Mr.. A. Allen Wheat and wife went to
Danville, Va, and during their stay
visited at residence about ten miles
from Dauvills, In company with Mr..
Robert Haas, Miss Blanche Haas, Cap
tain Haas, and others Mr.. Wheat had a
small camera With him, and during his
stay O considerable number OF negatives
we're taken for amusement. On tho
14th Of The present month view OF
the residence aud group picture OF
those present was proposed, and Mr..
Wheat placed his camera Ia front OF
and at a considerable distance from the
building, while the ladies and Capt.
Haas disposed themselves about the
portico In front Of the main entrance
to the dwelling, the double doors OF
which were closed. Mrs. Wheat
stood upon the right side Of the
portico, as one energies from the
house, being foot or so to the right
side of the door, and beside the portico
post. Miss Hattie Halcomb stood upon
the second step from the top, directly
in front of the left half Of the door.
Miss Hslcomb was Ia mourning for her
brother, Charles Halcomb, who died
about year ago. Miss Blanche Haas
sat on the railing at the right side
OF the steps, In front and
little to the right Of Mrs. Wheat,
and Mrs Dorsey Jones stood to the
left, upon the fourth step from the
10 tho laft nf Mics
Holcomb, while Capt. Haas was about
one-third Of the way between the house
and the camera, to the left OF the road,
and Mr.. Jones had corresponding po-
stion opposite him, TO tue right The
photograph was taken, being about
four inches by five, and the group broke
up, nothing being thought OF the incl
dent, and in due time the Wheeling par
ty returned to this city, and Mr.. Wheat
had his negatives developed. After the
pictures had been mounted, they were
examined by number OF per-
sons, and nothing noteworthy was
found with any of them, until
day or two ago, when, as Miss
Jennie Baird was looking at the group
above described, she gave sudden ac-
cIamation, and pointed out another
face, not before noticed by any one.
The picture was again examined,
and there, Immediately behind
and little above the head
OF Miss Holcomb was the face
of her dead brother. The head was very
near the top Of the left half Of the door
way, and was about four times as large
as the other heads in the picture. The
face is bent over toward the right, as
though the person was looking at what
was being done at the camera, and this
brought the features somewhat into the
light, the background at the top OF the
doorway, and close to the roof,
being naturally somewhat darker
than IL was lower down the door.
The head was crowned By a dark
dicer hat, such as the deceased usually
wore, the hat being pushed back
little from the forehead, and the stand
ing collar and white bow also usually
worn by the deceased are distinctly
visible. Nothing appears below the
line OF the collar. however. The fea-
lures are bright and cheerful, as though
the possessor was listening to some
| thing pleasant, and those who knew
| Mr.. 10 lcomb in life declare the resem-
blance TO him perfect.
OF course, Mr.. Wheat has no solution
for the strange occurrence to offer, as
be was not even aware Of the presence
of the face until it had been pointed
out to him. The features resemble
those of no one in the party or about
the house at the time, and therefore
could not have been caused by a
chance reflection in the camera, and
this, also, seems impossible from
the fact that the features declared
to be those Of the deceased are At
least four times larger than the
other heads. The picture and mega
tive have been shown to professional
photographers, but they cannot account
for the mystery. The fact that the
obesity features Of the deceased appear
Immediately over the head Of the dead
mans sister is also peculiar thing,
aud one which would seem to require
s pecial explanation from SEINE one able
to unravel the knetty problem pre-
sented.
THE Great Panic Sale Of Clothing
| will be continued uHnl further notice,
- 1t9O ord 11AI Main street