The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1897-12-07
THE INN AT BIRNLEY
By CHARLES B. LEWIS.

In every city and town in the land
you will find a mill, store or factory
which seems to be hoodooed. The loca-
ton is apparently all right but whoev-
er 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 a man liked by all, had q
fair amount of money, and everybody
wished him luck and predicted that he
would do we'll. It 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 a ladder and was
fatally injured. The inn was opened
with a housewarming. Some of the
guests drank too heavily, quarrel o.
CURED, and the postmaster Of the town
was stabbed to death. The people ad-
vised Walters to get out of it. He look
ed upon it merely as 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 a 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, 1t was left an un-
occupied ruin.
It had stood thus for year or SO, an
eyesore to the town and wonder to all
strangers, when 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 out from Columbus,
O., to drive to a 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 1t.
After that letter nothing further was
heard from her, though the husband
had been seen in one of the territories
alone. was only boy then, and / can
not remember all the details. Irecollect,
however, of Cummings explaining that
it was not a 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 in Birnley recollected the 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 8 o'clock
one evening while there was circus in
town. / 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. saw only the man get into
the carriage. was sure the woman did
not depart. When spoke to the hostler,
he took no interest in the matter. When
/ asked Mr. Eldridge, the second land
lord, about it, he replied that of course
she went with her husband, though he
was stumbling about and half asleep,
and 1 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 a 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 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, a satchel containing female ap-
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
track, and the rear yard of the inn was
explored. Men dug into the ground in
90 different spots, but after long
days work it became certain that no.
body had been buried there. The barns
had never been rebuilt after the fire.
Cummings hired dozen men and had
the debris removed, but still the search
was unsuccessful He had previously
gone over the house, which was little
better than a ruin, but now he entered
upon a closer investigation. The win
dows had been broken, doors carried
away, and the leaky roof had let in the
storms until the floors were rotten.
Now and then half dozen boys enter
ed the house and clambered about, but
as rule it was avoided as an uncanny
place. Up to this time no one had hint
ed at ghost or strange things, but that
was to come.
Mr.. Cummings, a constable and my
self entered the old inn one evening
after supper to make thorough search.
What the brother expected to find he
did not say, but he made up his mind
that his sister never left Birnley alive.
My persistenoy in declaring that she
did not go away with her husband and
the fact that the husband left at such an
unusual hour probably gave Cummings
the idea that she had been made away
with during the night.
On entering we mounted to the second
story and entered the room the couple
had occupied that night We wer'
standing still and gazing about wher
there suddenly came sound as Of wo
man sobbing. | bolted at once, but tht
constable followed at my heels, anC
when Cummings Joined us below h'
was pale and trembling. 1t was a queel
sound we had heard, and after discuss
ing it for spell the constable went TO
Mr.. Hastings, who was a justice q
the peace. Hastings arrived to ridioul'
our fears, and together the four Of u