Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-10-09
THE GIRL IN WHITE.
MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF LIZ zIE CLARK TWENTY YEARS AGO.


 Seen by Hunters and River Men-It Is Always Arrayed In a White Gown. Fully 20 years have passed since Liz- rie Clark, an orphan with a heritage, disappeared from n hotel i'll Dallas City, Ills, as completely as if the earth had swallowed her up. In all that western country there has never been stranger case than the disappearance of that girl, and there has never been n greater ghost mystery than has been and still IS occa- stoned by the evidently disembodied spirit of the girl
 The story of Lizzie Clark has been county history. She was an orphan and had some property and money. A guard | ian had been appointed, and Lizzie, being ambitious to add to her little store, set about to work in n hotel hard by the river edge. Through the dining room of this hotel runs the line between Hancock and Henderson counties, so that often q guest reached from Han cock into Henderson county when after if seated opte each other at this board, are III different counties. Many a man wanted for some offenso in Han- cock county has sat at this table in Hen derson county and grinned at the sheriff of Hancock county.
 It was ono afternoon about 20 years ago that Lizzie Clark, who had been washing dishes in the kitchen, stepped out into the yard of the hotel. She was seen to leave the kitchen by several working around the house, who paid no attention to the girl, but that was the last ever seen of her. Those who saw her step out into the yard heard no scream, no stiilcd moan, no struggling, but there are people yet living who be- licvc that the girl was suddenly seized, stranglcd, concealed ill the house until dark and then cast into the dark river. Be that as it may, tho murderers, if they remained in the same locality long, have been amply tormentcd since.
 It is said that the murderers did not leave the locality for some timo there- after, and yet, again, others say the girl was never murdered, but drowned herself, and that her ghost is not ono of a murdered person s, but one of sui eide. All one can gain from tho differ cnt stories and theories is that the girl was dealt with foully i'll some manner. and that her ghost still haunts the To- cality. Of course every effort was made to ferret out the mystery. Detectives hunted high and low, money was spent to no purpose, and finally the guardian of the girl < estate turned her money and property over to the county authori- ties, i'll whose hand it remains to this day because there is no kith or kin to claim it.
 The girls ghost was first seen in De- cember, lSSi, when party of duck hunters wcrc returning to Dallas City from the islands An excursion steamer had become disabled lato in the season and was lying on the bank of the island across the bay. She was ill Il rather bad fix. It was expected to leave her there during the winter. As the hunters ncarcd the craft q form in white was seen to run out upon the upper deck. It was a young girls figure, and she was evidently hcln@ pursued, for from across the watrr came screams, and then the fullOwin. words: Leave me alone, leave me alone. or 1 will drown my self! With that ti-t sprctcr flung itself into the river There was q splash, and the cold waters closed over tho white body Several times during that winter the ghost of Lizzie Clark was seen at night and at early candle light around the disabled steamer. When the steamer was taken away the next spring, work men and stCamboatmen heard pitiful screams from the willows on shore as the boat moved away. The spirit did not leave the island. and it is believed f now that she was buried on the island after the murder
 Of later years. however, tho girls ghost has been seen in . skin at night, and it was only . few evenings ago that one of the St. Louis and St. Paul fast steamers ran into the spectral thing. The pilot did not seo the ghostly craft until too late. He says he saw a boat of white that looked more like floating fleece than anything else. In the boat was young girl in white raimcnt. but l there were blood Clots on the white dress. She was rowing swiftly. Whom tho prow of the steamer struck this frail craft, 1t cut through it like mist. The ghostly occupant only laughed a sort of uncanny lnugh-a half scream-and when we had passed I saw tho spectral craft dancing on the waves behind. l doubt if an ordinary skiff could have lived i'll the waves of our steamer, right under the paddles " Thus spoke the pilot, and he is a man of few words and sterling integrity.
 Have you seen Lizzie Clark s boat?" is now the question that goes from one mouth to another during the summer season. The question is not asked so of ten in winter from the fact that the poor girls spirit does not seem to roam so much. Hunters have come into Dal- las shaking with fright and calling for Il dram to brace their nerves, saying that while coming down from the is- lands above on the ice they had met Liz zie Clark walking rapidly toward them. She always wears that white dress, and the blood stains on the neck are plain. The girls eyes are always staring wide open. as if she were being suffocatsd- Her spirit has been known to step out from behind a clump of dead trees at the head of the island and face passers- by. She will give them terrible look and then scream pitsously. In an in- stant more the spirit has disappeared Chicago Times.