The herald., 1895-07-27
THE COUPLE IN BLACK
Spooks Said to Frequent a
Residence Locality
TWO VERY MYSTERIOUS VISITORS
Peripatetic Visitants Entirely
in Black
HILL STREETS GHOST WALK
A Clergyman's Unsatisfactory Interview
With One of the Pair
Both Shades Exhibit Penchant for Vanishing
Into Thin Air
She Darkness Of Night, the High Board Fence,
the Growth Of Blue Gums, All Favora.
bic Conditions for the Material
HILL STREETS GHOST WALK
A CIergyman's Unsatisfactory Interview
With One of the Pair
Both Shades Exhibit Penchant for Vanishing
Into Thin Air
She Darkness Of Night the High Board Fence,
the Growth Of Blue Gums, All Favora.
bic Conditions for the Material
Appearance of the Forms

The inhabitants of the south end OF the
city are at present greatly exercised over
the reputed nightly visits of two very
mysterious persons Both OF these visit
ants are shrouded from head to foot in
somber black and the resem blance to
some OF WilkIe Collins startling person.
ages is something remarkable. One of
these agitators is q man, and the other
purports to be of the gentler sex. Both
are regarded as something of the spook
order, and many of the nieghbors are
afraid to venture out on the street after
dark.
The Rev. George Binder, living at 1139
South Hill street, has had an interview
with one of the ghosts, and when seen
by Herald representative yesterday af-
ternoon he said
"These visits have been going on for
the past two weeks. We do not know any
canse for anyone to frequent the street in
front OF our house, and when these per-
formances began had few words with
the woman. Sne gave me no satisfaction
and am wholly in the dark as to her
identity.
my encounter with her happened in
this way. about a week ago. after | had
heard these stories from the nelghbor
about a black robed woman, | was sitting
in the front room near the window, when
! chanced to see just such woman pass.
''Slie was rather tall, and wore black
clothing from head to foot. After walk
ing up and down the street several times
she sat on the curb and buried her face
in her hands. Thinking that | might
perhaps be of some service to her. 1 went
over and inquired if She was in trouble
.''What / want is to be left alone, sho
replied, and springing up started down
rbe street. | returned to the house and
sent my wife and neighbor out to see if
the woman wanted to talk to them. They
followed her down to Twelfth street, and
On reaching the corner found-nothing.
The figure had merged into thin air and
the street was practically deserted by pc
destrians. The ladies returned to the
house somewhat mystified. The latest ap-
pearance was made on Sunday last, and
/ went to the police station and told them
of it. | don't know what steps were taken
in the matter"
No further inform alton was cleaned at
the police station regarding the affair. the
police having apparently done nothing in
the matter.
Several hundred feet down the street
from Binder lives another family, who
seem the opposite. The youngest daugh
= ter, Miss Jagersted. was out riding on her
wheel at about o'clock Wednesday even
ing. and had ridden some hundred yards
from home when she saw tall form ap-
preaching her. 1t was apparently man
clad in black, and he seemed to wish to
speak to her. AS he came up the young
lady called for help to several OF her COM
papions, who were seated on the curbng
half block away and as they came rum
ming up the man made hurried trip to
the sidewalk.
after short consultation, said the
young lady, in telling Of the affair to a
Herald man, I'VE decided 70 tinu out who
the man was and all four started to run
after him. He ran also and we kept up
the race for several blocks. and then. all
OF u sudden, the man disappeared. Right
in the middle of the block he stepped be-
hind tree. and when We reached the
spot there was nothing there. OF course
it can't be IA ghost but then there is
something very strange in the case and
am afraid that some trouble will come
OF it,
Others added their versions of the affair
and the spookologist will find a rare field
for investigation in the south end. it
is rumored that at one time the ofcer on
the beat spoke to the woman shade and
was told that ii he did not desst she
would shoot him. That he desisted goes
without saying. Meanwhile the occasional
night visit goes on. and the belated pc
destrian in that portion of town has ac-
Quired nabit of glancing over his shoul-
der as the cold chllls cnase themselves up
and down his spine.
The "ghcst walk" is on Hill street be-
tween Eley enth and Twelfth, and Is di-
rectly in front of the Childs place. \
high board fence separates it from the
grounds and a row of blue gums grow
along the outer edge; The average citizen
passes by on the other side after dark.
and it certainly is in no danger OF becom-
ing popular gathering place for the
clans.