The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-22
By Jefferson County Correspondent
How the Courage of Three
Brave Men Fled in
a Night

Soon after the settling down of this
family there came Mr.. Andy Sells.
home seeker from an eastern state and
made his home with Mr.. Gish.
Mr.. Sells became Infatuated with
beautiful young woman, the daughter
OF neighbOring farmer, they were en-
gagged to be married; the day was set
and he gave to his intended $50 in
money as a present and token of his
love and esteem.
Before the time arrived, Mr. Sells
health failed him and despite the hos
pitality and tender care of Mr.. Gish
and family the grim reaper took him
home, thus forever marring the happy
event when both hearts would beat as
one.
Just previous to his demise he secret
ed somewhere in the mother earth
large amount of gold, the exact hiding
place of which has never yet been re-
Vealed although many noted mediums
tried to locate 1t, some saying 1t was
buried under the house, others that it
was secreted deep in the ground near a
lonely locust tree west of the house
Many years passed by, the prairie was
gradually transposed into farming land
and houses dotted the hills and valleys
young people grew old, the older being
swept away and among the aged ones
the good old man Elder VIM. Gish also
became numbered.
The family became scattered and the
home passed into strangers hands.
About this time there became rumors
of ghOStlike apparitiOnS, stra nge sounds
of voices and mysterious rappings in and
about the house; the new occupants fire.
quently related the manifesto lions of
peculiar and indescribabIe sounds and
the presence of grim visaged spectres.
For years the neighbors listened to
these startling revelations with indif-
ference but when it became known that
one family after another was driven
from under the roof, some of them in
the night carrying their beds on their
back through the rain to the nearest
neighbors, the citizens became aroused
and volunteered to assist in exploring
the mystery.
Large delegations from the surround
ing towns came to the house in the
evening and throughout the night they
listened to the strange sounds of voices
and rappirgs, each verifying their weird
experiences.
About a year ago the citizens not be-
ing satisfied to give up the conquest,
selected three good reliable farmers,
Geo Richards, VIM. CrOley and Matth-
ew Martin who were known to possess
unfinching courage to pass the night
under the roof and report the happen
ings.
There was an old stove left in the
building in which was made a bright
fire they spread out their blankets up
on which when weary to take repose.
Night had fallen and unusual dark
ness seemed to surround the desolate
habita ton.
Presently strange sounds like that of
inaudible human voices We're heard as
perhaps they were the victims of some
testers rushed each way to the openings
of the house but could see or hear moth
ing outside.
Still undaunted, they reentered when
groans began to emerge from the stove
the floor began to sway up and down
and then for a few minutes all was
quiet.
They went outside the house and made
a thorough search but found nothing.
They listened, the chilly wind sighed
heavy dark clouds hung in the western
horizon and the gate squeaked on its
rusty hinges, the owl hOoted in the tim
Der west of the house and the night
hawk winged his solitary flight past the
deserted house till the fappings of his
wings died away in the darkness.
Again they entered the desolate house
still possessing courage plenty, and
sat about the stove.
In the further part of the room was an
aSpara gus bush hanging from the cell
ing and to their establishment the bush
burst into flames and before they could
extinguish the fire it lay in ashes on the
floor; the same was regarded as *sOn1e
what strange but in less than a minute
the ashes suddenly began to move and
to their establishment it reformed into
the original bush and slowly raised and
suspended itself unaided by visible help
to the hook on the ceiling above.
This caused a reign of terror and
alarm among the investigating commit
tee, when as knockout blow team
and loaded wagon We're heard passing
along the roof of the house and for the
first time the courage of these three
men collapsed and the result was a
general scramble and stampede for the
doors.
This ended their investigation and
they fed to the nearest neighbors house
where George Richards as spokesman of
the committee with pale face and
trembling voice related their thrilling
experience.
In the April nth edition Of the Meri-
den Tribune, F. A. Haun, the present
owner of the farm, has written and
signed an article concerning the haunt
ed house. Among various statements
he said: "AlthOugh much has been
said and written about the haunted
house, I have kept silent because most
people l fear attribute it to ignorance
and superstition on my part. I am i'm
PEELED to say that many mysterious
things have happened there and appar-
credit without having personal knowl-
edge of the various occurrences.
(Signed) F. A. HAUN."
Mr.. Haun is a highly respected, in
telligent and responsible farmer, and
though reticent for reasons given
above he has to intimate friends con-
1ided may remarkable happenings.
He moved out of the haunted house
a year or two ago and now lives in a
newer house on the east side of the
farm.
His friends have related to the writer
some occurrences as follows:
When Mr.. Haun's wife sat alone
quilting in the house one day an old
man with flowing gray beard and hair
descended the stairway, walked directly
across the room, passed under quilt and
disappeared.
A short time afterward, when Mr..
Haun was working on his farm, a man
came up, riding swiftly on raven