The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-09-12
A FAMILY'S TERROR.
They Receive threatening Letters, and
Their Barn is Burned.


People about Delaware City are agtated
over a strange state of affairs which exists at
the farm of William G.. Ellison about two
miles from there. A number of threaten
letters have been received 10y the family.
straw stack and barn were burned on their
place and now they have been warned by
some unknown person to leave their home by
the first of the coming year. The fact that
threatening letters were received and the barn
burned was published at the time the fire oc-
Cured, but thu lull story has never before
been told. Ii reads like a romance. but the
family which is being annoyed finds rothing
romantic about the affair. 1t is cold, solemn,
horrible tact to them.
Some time previous to February of this
year the family, which is composed of several
members. discovered several threatening let
tiers, which in some mysterious way found
themselves into the house These letters were
followed by others and later Il straw stack on
the place was burned. The barn and other
outbuildings had a narrow escape, but were
saved. This was in the latter part of January.
A season of genuine terror for the family
now commenced The threatening letters con-
tinued to arrive and attempts to burn build
lngs grew numerous. At various times out
buildings were saturated with coal oil and at
tempts made in the night to fire them. The
family was unable to account for the strange
condition of affairs and lived in constant dread
that something would happen.
One morning in the early part of May the
family was aroused by the glow OF a burning
building and found the big barn on the place
in flames. Two men were seen running in
opposite directions down the road. They
could not be pursued, for the barn was full
of live stock. which it was necessary to save
and in addition to this they had gotten some
distance away before they were seen. The
air was full OF the odor of burning coal
oil, showing that it had been used in kindling
the fire. The wind was blowing toward the
house and it was with difficulty that the build
ing was saved. The live stock was gotten
out of the barn, but the building and its
other contents were destroyed.
The case was reported to the state authori-
ties and Detectives McVey and Witsil put on
NIlN IIltititi. IutS uTc sui ut WORK on llp
case. 1t was supposed that after this, the
notes would stop, but they continued to ar
rive until the members of the family terrified.
10 make matters worse one of them had Il
narrow escape from serious injury. While
returning home one night a heavy piece of
wood was thrown at his head by some one and
narrowly escaped him.
Two watchmcn were put at the place to
catch the persons who left the letters at the
house, but they have not caught them and
neither have the letters stopped coming. on
the contrary they have continued to arrive
with annoying frequency despite the presence
of the watchmcu and the vigilance Of the
family. The last one received told them, that
they must leave the place by the first OF the
coming year. The notes have also alluded to
the fact that the two watchmen were there.
but added that the watchmen could not catch
the writer.
Matters connected with the case which have
been talked over at the dinner table have
bee alluded to in the notes and answers given.
How the mysterious person who wrote the
notes knew of these conversations is more
than the Ellisons can understand. There
appears to be nothing which escapes the
vigilance Of this mysterious writer and it
has been absolutely impossible 10 catch him.
The Ellisons are unable to tell why they
should be so prosecuted. The farm on which
they live has been in the possession of the
family for more than siXty-iive years and
none of their people ever had trouble before.
SO far As they knew until these notes began
to arrive they had not an enemy in the world.
They can not understand such strange
matters and are in constant terror of some
harm being done to them or their property.