Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-06-25
LIFE IN A HAUNTED HOUSE.



times for her life. None OF the three
jurles would agree that the evidence
against her was ~ strong as 10 preclude
the possibility OF q reasonable doubt in
her favor. So the prosecution, In despair
" verdict. let the mother 90 free.
She went back 90 the house in which
the murders had BEEN committed. ana
lived a blamcless and uncomplalning NE
for half "a century before death came
% her release. Her neighbOrs fully Dee
iieved I'm her guilt. and summed her au1
hers as II they had been lcpers. To the
tragic and dramatic circumstances ~ me
murder itself was added The profound bee
lief on the part Of the country folk
around that ghosts Of the victims walked
az night. and those who could pass the
place after sunset wthJunt shuddor.ns
were considered brave Indeed.
The late Archibald Douglas Gordon.
whose high literary reputation was well
established before his death. know tnis
| place and It's uucanny reputation. ana
went to live Ia This hunted cottage for
some time before MS death. Among his
papers was found the following story.
relating 10 the murder and 90 his ox-
perieuccs as dWeller IN the haunted
house:
II ia not much 20 boast OF or 20 com
in a haunted house The house IS not
more than a journey OF an hour and
quarter from New York. Almost htfy
years ago there occurred in 1t hideous
and horrible murler-a cruel butchef}-
closely resembling the Borden murders ~
the superfluous ferOcity shown Dos the
wretch who committed a. Like the Bor-
den murders. 10 has never been solved,
and the shadow Of n frightul suspicion.
as well as the memory OF an awful
crime has hung FOR half a century over
the haunted house IN which i've.
Not long ago the grave closed over the
human b ing who, after having endurea
for nfty merclless years, with placidliy
apparently incompatible with the theory
of guilt. a hatred and a resentment on
the part Of her neighboB. unparuleicl
i'm its yehcmeuce. died without murmut
without protest. without a syllable OF
confession For fifty years she mot tht
iuexorable detestation and contumely OK
those who had grown old IN the same
village with her with an absolutely ln-
scrltahle face. FIFTY years ago tle} ulr''
simple and et0lid folk as me people are,
10 KIN her barehanied in passion -
vengefu hate. Three times lid she con-
front. unquaking and unmoFei thtre 'l-
forant mrics And when, al last, the an-
thorItias rave up their efforts % make
the evidence iii their theory OF her blood
pt.iIftue-~ with the same amazing
courage which Characterized her DOB ai
she did. she came back 60 I've ln iH'
house in which the murders were u'n"
the haunted house iu which | live. There
She made her home through All mo
gloomy years during which %" furious
passion Of long ago simmered down into
a dun and chilly hate.
There IS NO need. ty recalling the de-
tails of tho tragedy. o. harrow up the
innocent and stricken hearts that have
suffered for ID lifetime the consequences
~ this deed 90 somebody ON them
meatIv enduring through their ruined
lives such n sorrow and shame as Veisnei
upou the gulluess kindred ~ tho-" VINO
died AZ the stake FOR Vitchcraft. the
shadow Of an ineNtceab.e curse has
rested impacab'v for two generations.
So long as the iron heart ~ the woman
who went two wears ago from mortal lo
infinite judgment neither bent nor hroN'
SO long might one refer to the unIof-
gotten crime But now that she has d.s-
solved once more into her original t.e-
ruent5 and nothing IS LEFT to remind one
Of that dreadful chr stmas-EVe, save me
house In which / live and the resigned
and patient woman. her kin, bent ana
bowed by an unending storm OF Nens iul
reorohation. 10 Is only just % let vague
uncertainty mantle the story ~ the house
ln which ! live precisely rs tne roses hNd
thu. lilies make couuterpans for her last
bed. and deepen the silence OK me ups
that shall never speak again
she AMI the victims Of that tragedy OF
most unchristan Christmas-Ev- We're
Of one family but their dust does not
commingle. Her grave is some d;stanc"
from the village IN which all OF Them
We're born ami died. Tho same stony ROAD
on which looks down the house in which
the deed was done winds past the httle
graveyard no which the poor victims
have been asleep FOR half century. 10 ls
hut a step from one 20 the other, and "
il were not for the screening trees.
could look out OF a window OF the room
in which the savage hand of murder
translated them upon the white stone,
shining In the moonlight. that simply COM
memorates the mother and the child,
long since turned % dust beneath %.
There remain indeed no other Vestises
Of the tragedy than these-th- Two graves
In separate burial places the house in
which l live. and gentle creature with
the face and the soul OF a saint whose
banignity and virtues have tor more than
fifty years. like the trickling OF "a pure
spring. oblitcrated. atom by atom, the
stony memories OF her mother
very well knew 30 was haunted
house when / FIRST decided 20 live In &C.
For years IL had been the dreadful pride
OF the folk among whom 70 is situated.
~ the distance OF twenty miles from
New York tradition Is as constant as
IL is I'm rural England-as u IS i'm the
Province OF Quebec. For years no sunday
drive was altogether satisfactory that
did not include glimpse 81 that scene
Of an insOluble mystery-the house In
which / live And when. with COM
plete understanding of the facts IN the
case, / resolved % become lbs inmate.
the neighb0Ts Were fun OF warning II
1 had believed half the dire progn0sti-
cations with which / was favored
should have turned gray contemplating
the consequences OF MY folly. The house
was peopled by all conceivable varieties
OF discmb0dted spirits. Al various hours
after midnight. 50 ran the marvellous tales
Of local sages. the spectres OF women with
ashen faces had peered out OF the win
dOWs Sudden lights would flash up ln
the darkness and illuminate the weird,
gaunt yisages Of phant0ms. One vision
was especially commended 10 me-that az
"A woman with features Wrung by an
guish. who sat often on stormy nights
at an open window, with her staring
eyes upturned 10 the lightning. And there
was dnOtnDr Mtdltl " nose ldIitrilE ttill-
pany was guaranteed me. n ever J should
become lonely and demand the society
of an apparlti0n. This urbane and ac-
commodating night rider would be-
bearded pirate fresh from the Spanish
Main. who. disturbed forever by his ina
bility 10 rec0lleCt whore ne had stored
his spells, would necessarily return from
Paradise-or is autipodes-to dig up the
cellar Tor traces OF his cache.
But the most significant phantom, 50
said the gossips. with which 1 was bound
% become acquainted would be that OK
a little lonely child. that would come
astray OF bleak nights. or the yine-
Swallowed piazza. and Wrins its baby
hands piteousiy and Big TO be taken out
~ the tempest. And when. moved by the
plight OF the tiny castaWay, ] should open
the door and bid Do enter, why then. with
CHASTITY smile and a hooking laugh,
the ungrateful little spectreNwould vanish
into the storm.
TO abbreNiate the horrible suspense Of
those who read this true story. l may as
well say az once and for an that. keenly
- ! have looked for these homogeneous
and incOherent Visitants. l have so FAR
cen none OF them. The women who were
pledged by their sponsors 10 SIT an night
% my bedroom windows and weep have.
.n the p0litest manner. waived their dis
nal privileges. The phantoms with weird.
gaunt Visages discouraged beyond doubt