The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-07-18
A sPOOK FISHERMAN.
He VanisheS Into Thin Air when
ever spoken To.

FROM the cincinnati enquirer.
Danville KY July "a phantom fish
erman that has been seen many times Of
late on the banks of Dicks river is IN
teresting the people Of certain portions of
this and GaTrard counties This fisher
man ghost inhabits that part Of Dicks
river known as the "Old Bakers MIL
Hole" famous fishing ground for three
quarters Of a century. 1t is located about
1--WE miles from Burgin, whore the Queen
and Crescent and Louisville Southern rail-
roads meet. The apparttion was first seen
IN April by an old colored man. Uncle
Dave Scott. one night IN April, as was
his custom, Dave sad he had gone to
Bakers hole that afternoon, arriving
there about dusk, and, after gathering up
little brushWoOd for fire and otherwise
putting his camp in order for the night
he had set himself down to fishing. Some
little time after the moon had cast a shad-
ow upon the opposite shore he noticed an
other fisherman sitting mOtionless upon
an old stump. He did not pay much at
tention TO the man at first. but he kept
so still, never moving his body or his pole
that old Dave at last began to suspect
that something was wrong. Then he
made a closer inspection of the strange
fisherman and noticed that he was very
old man, apparently, with long white
hair and flowing gray beard, that he was
bareheaded and that he had rather
ghosuy appearance.
Dave, after taking all this ill., commenced
TO feel sort of queer, and shouted at the
strange visitor. He had no sooner opened
his mouth, and before the echo Of his voice
had resounded In the nelghborhood cliffs,
than the old fisherman vanished into thin
air. This was signal for Dawes depart
ure, and he lost no time in going, leaving
his camp outfit behind.
The old negro's story was received with
incredulous smiles and jeers but he stuck
to 1t persistently.. party visited the Ba-
ker neighborhood several nights after
Dawes experience, and upon their return
announced that they, too, had seen the
apparition, and that II was genuine
ghost, and since them numerous fisher
men and campers have encountered the
midnight visitor. The phantom appears at
the same place every night exactly at the
same hour-u o'clock-and remains until
2 O'Clock in the morning, unless some
earthly noise or presence breaks the spell
and frightens II away.
Old people saysit is.the spirit of a Ia
nous fisherman who mysteriously disap-
peared many years ago. He was Vivian
Curd, bachelor, about Is years old at his
death or disappearance. Curd was an &C.
centric character and spent much of his
time in solitude. He let his haid and beard
grow long and unkempt was tall and spec
ter-ltke in personal appearance secretive
and unsociable. He would 20 to the IA
nous fishing ground at Bakers mill and
spend many nights and days there alone
fishing. When about GO years old he left
the community, went away to parts I'M
known, and remained ten years, returning
to his old haunts as suddenly and as mys-
teriousiy as he had departed.
He lived a lone in a snail house not a
great distance from the river. Soon it be-
came current in the community that old
Curd, during his absence from home had
acquired large wealth, which he had Sc
GREETED about his home, and that he al
ways carried large sums Of money about
with him.
This and similar stories were told and
old Curd became more of an object of in
terest than ever. One morning a neigh
Dor found 1t in a high state Of disorder
The front door was standing open, the
bedding was scattered upon the floor bar
rels, boxes and other furniture was heap
ed in great confusion and there was every
appearance of a hasty and complete
search having been made OF the entire
premises, and 1t was concluded that Curd
had been robbed or carried away. Some Of
the neighbors said no, that could not be-
for the evening before he had gone fish
ing. and was then on the river. However
the old man never came back. A party
was organized to search for him, and on
the cliffs they found the old gentlemans
well-known hat. with a clot of blood
clinging to 1t, but that was ALL No other
vestige of his body could be found That
summer when the river ran almost dry
the rifles and sandbars were scanned with
the hope of finding the skeleton, but in
vain, and to this day nothing has been
seen or heard of that would Indicate what
had become of the lost body.