Kansas City daily journal., 1896-12-30
WHENCE THAT MOAN CAME.
AN USDERT4RER's EXPERIENCE
WITH A .sGHOST."
A Dreadful GroaninS That Emnneted
From the Morgue Proved to BE
the waiIfngs of n Lost Cat
Trying to Get Out.

It would naturally be supposed that an
undertaken or embalmer would be the last
person to believe in ghosts. After few
months sevrice in his chosen occupation he
loses all fear and timidity of what was
mortal of man and that he should place
any credence in an imaginary ghost is
strange. It developed yesterday, however,
that a certain embalmer, who is employed
by one of the leading undertakers of this
city. and who has been in the business for
many years. had had an experience with
a ghost Christmas night.
The story was first divulged by his fel-
low assistant, with whom he sleeps in the
establishment. Their bedroom is between
the office and the morgue and it is neces-
sary that they should sleep there in order
10 answer the night calls.
''I was sleeping soundly when 1 was
awakened by John said the one who di-
vulged the story. He was trembling so
Violently that the whole bed shook.
Did you hear that?' he said to me,
with his teeth Gathering together. I had
hear nothing. but 1 was surprised at his
actions. l had never seen him scared at
anything before. / put my hand on his
head and noticed that tho sweat was stand
ing out on his brow in great beads 1
asked him what on earth was the matter,
but lie was shaking so violently that he
could not answer. By this time l was
sitting up IN bed, and demanded an eX
planaiion of his actions, but then l re-
nembered that he had been given bottle
OF extra fine as Christmas gift, and L
thought that maybe he had taken too much
of the contents before going 10 bed.
But just then 1 heard a noise that at
frs; made the cold chills run down my
back. John was simply paralyzed. The
noise came from the direction of the
ynorEue, and l knew that there were two
bodies there. jumped out of bed and
started into the Office TO get match.
accidentally closed the door after me, but
heard that dreadful moan again, and
Immediately following there was ue-
nlendous racket in the bedroom.
AT last / found match, but just then
the door was thrown open and John rushed
through the room and jerking open the
front door was out in the street before
could speak. Fortunately there was no one
on the street at that time of night-about
O'Clock in the Inorning-for John was not
in presentable costume. I succeeded in
striking the match, but just then that
dreadful moan was repeated, from the bed
room this time, and the match went out.
The moan was repeated several times, but
each time 1t was further away.
II succeeded in lighting the gas, and
outside air, ventared to the door. / called
to him to come In, and he did. but he was
white as a sheet. OF course, don't say
that I wasn't, but was not scared too
bad to not want to investigate the trouble.
John Yentured into the room, but left the
door wide open. I procured lamp and
revolver and started into the bedroom,
with John few feet behind me, carrying
a chair. That moan was emitted again.
II was most hideous. and the cold chills
rar1 me
1T now came directly from the morgue
and the door was standing ajar. The moan
was repeated again and again and John
insisted between his chattering teeth that
we call a policeman or anybody else that
might aid us. But promptly told him that
had never been afraid of ghosts and that
they could not do bodily narm. In fact l
suspected that some one was playing
trick on US, but at the same time that moan
was the most dreadful. thing had ever
heard.
1--WE started through the bedroom. when
saw something pass through the hall into
which the rnorgue opens. The revolver fell
out of my hand and the lamp came near
following John started back, but picked
up the weapon and called him back, for
knew that we had seen nothing but the
shadow cast by the lamp. The moan came
again from the morgUe. I stopped at our
bed and took g revolver from under the
pillow and told John to be prepared to use
it and to keep right beside me. We got
few feet nearer the morgue in the next five
minutes, but no moan came and we stepped
into the short hall.
sT told John to take the broom from our
room and push the morgue door open when
we came to 1t. I meanwhile turned on the
electric light in the hall. We got within
few feet of the morgue door, and John
pushed 1t gradually open, at the same time
trembling from head to foot. We could now
see one of the sheets that covered body
on slab. 1t had not been moved. John
took courage and pushed the door farther
open, and we could gee the ether body ly-
inE Just as we had left it after embaiming
it tGe night before. The moan came again
from ths corner of the rnorsue. but had
borne the strain long enough. and stepped
into the morgue. tightly grasping the re-
volver and holding on as hrmly to the
lamp. The moan was repeated again, but
IN an entirely different tone. The room
was now light, End from behind box in
the corner OF the morgue came a strange
cat. It was evidently trying to find its way
out of the house."