Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1897-12-04
THE Inn AT BIRNLEY.
by CHARLES b. LEWIS.

you will find mill, store or factory
which seems to be hoodcoed. The loca-
ton is apparently all right, but whoev-
tr buys, leases or rents makes failure.
When George Walters of the town of
Birnley decided to build an inn and be-
come a landlord, he selected what was
called the best location in the corpora
ton. He was man liked by all, had a
fair amount Of money, and everybody
wished him luck and predicted that he
would do well. 1t was strange what a
turn Of luck came to the man. He had
been successful in everything, but on
the day he broke ground for the new
enterprise he fell over some timbers and
broke his leg. Before the framework
was up a workman had been killed.
While the building was being complet-
ed painter fell from ladder and was
fatally injured. The inn was opened
with housewarming. Some of the
guests drank too heavily, quarrel oc-
CURED, and the postmaster of the town
was stabbed to death. The people adj
vised Walters to get out of it. He look
ed upon it merely as a run of i'll luck
and remained until his wife died of ty-
phoid fever. Then he sold the inn to a
stranger named Grafton and moved
away.
Grafton had wife and three chill
dren, and he had not been in the house
a month when two Of the children were
drowned in the river near by. Fifteen
days later the tavern stables were burn
ed to the ground. The man realized
that the place was hoodooed and got
out of it, and it was taken by another
stranger named Eldridge. This owner
made a low place of it, but for six
months nothing happened to create
much gossip. Then Eldridge was kill
ed in quarrel over cards, and that was
the last of the Red Rose inn as an inn.
1t was offered for sale at almost any
price, but the story of its i'll luck had
gone abroad, and no one would take it.
1t was finally put to use as warehouse,
but after fire, which destroyed por-
ton Of the structure, it was left an un-
occupied ruin.
1t had stood thus for year or SO, an
eyesore to the town and wonder to all
strangers, when q man named Cum
mings came along and made certain in
quiries, which at once revived all the
gossip. He had a sister married to a
man named Drayton. On certain date
the pair had set ont from Columbus,
o., to drive to town in Illinois. They
had their own carriage, and that they
passed through the town of Birnley was
proved by the fact that the sister mailed
him letter with the postmark on it,.
After that letter nothing further was
heard from her, though the husband
had been seen in one of the territories
alone. 1 was only a boy then, and | can
not remember all the details. Irecollect,
however, of Cummings explaining that
it was not q happy marriage, that the
woman had large amount of money
with her and that he was sure the hus-
band had made away with her at some
point on the journey.
No one i'll Birnley recollected tho ar
rival of the couple or anything connect
ed with them--no one but me. 1t SO
happened that was able to furnish in
formation. They arrived at s O'Clock
one evening while there was circus in
town. I had helped the hostler to put
out the team and had seen the man and
woman at supper. Just at daylight
having remained with the hostler all
night after we had taken in the circus
we were called upon to bring around
the team. l saw only the man get into
the carriage ] was sure the woman did
not depart. When / spoke to the hostler,
he took no interest i'll the matter. When
/ asked Mr.. Eldridge, the second land
lord, about it, he replied that of course
she went with her husband, though be
was stumbling about and half asleep,
and / am sure he did not see her. Ell
bridge had gone, the hostler had gone
and / was the only one who could give
any details remembered and described
the two people and the horses and car
riage, and Cummings had no doubt that
they stopped at the inn. From Birnley
he proceeded ON his journey west, seek
ing to pick up the trail. He got trace OF
the man dozen times, but the woman
had not been seen. After three or four
weeks he came back to Birnley with the
firm belief that the wife had been muir
dered there.
There was a river flowing through
the town and a millpond below. The
first move made was to drag this pond.
The work was thoroughly done, and,
though all anticipated that skeleton
would be found, nothing of that nature
was discovered. There was found, how
ever, satchel containing female APP
parel. This had been weighted with
bricks and was lying at the bottom OF
the pond. When the satchel was found,
Cummings felt sure he was on the right
~ *, and the rear yard Of the inn was
explored Men dug into the ground in
] so different snots. but after a long