The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-17
A Haunted Tavern.

From the Harrodsburg (Ky) Democrat.
Readers of this paper will remember that
about a year ago we published the blood
curdling experience of the Yocum family
at the haunted tavern" on the Mack &C.
Gil farm three miles from this place. The
house was built in 1913, and has a bloody
history If its walls could talk they would
give a fendish account of the murder of
traveller for his gold along about 1915. Here
it was in 1920 little slave run upon the
roof to escape chastsement at the hands
of his young mistress. She went into the
house, and, returning with a rifle. babe
the little imp to descend. He refused, and
she shot him through the head, and he roll
ed from the steep roof a corpse at her feet
1t was in this same house that young Dr.
Harry Thomas lived in $780, using the up
per story as a doctors shop" and dis
secting-room, and who died a horrible
death within its precincts in 1882.
But to return to the Yocum family. They
moved into the place two years ago. One
day, as heretofore related, the father and
two sons were shocking corn near the
house, and something like large red COM
fort came through the boarding
and tapped in the air, and would then go
back through the planks. This happened
several times, and always in daylight, and
on the side of the house where there was
no window or even a crack in the planks.
by the men at work in the field, and by
neighbors, no one at the house, was ever
able to see anything unusual About the
same time, but at night, chairs began to
bump or walk across the floor. The up
shot of it was that the Yocums moved
out and got as far away from the place
as possible, going to the extreme end of
the county. Then Uncle Billy" Overstreet,
who lived in the neighborhood, bought the
log or kitchen part of the old tavern, tore
it down. and out of the timber built himself
a domicile. and from that day his troubles
commenced.
One night "Uncle Billy left this place
to go home. On the way out he met one
thousand cattle being driven by a neigh
Dor who had long been dead. He hallooed
10 him, but no attention was paid TO the
call, except that the ghostly herder rode
within three feet of him. stared into his
face and passed on. "Uncie Billy" says
this did not scare much, but admits that
he did keep a sharp lookout to prevent
being surrounded by the cattle. For two
months after this the old man always
managed to get into the house before sun
down. But one night he was again de-
layed in town. and reached his gate al 8
O'clock and was raising the latch, when
something gripped him on the shoulders
from behind. For four solid hours he was
walked about the farm by the invisible
force that held him in a death grip. At
hrSt ne was disposed to hold back, but
soon learned better for each time he re-
belled he was so vigorously showed for
ward that his head was nearly jerked
from his shoulders. Whenever a fence
was reached he was lifted over it and
gently set on his feet on the opposite side.
After being walked" all over the country
the old man was showed into a sinkhole,
and lay there till daylight He then crawl
ed out made his way to a neighbours.
and told his narrowing experience. In
relating this story to the Democrat, he
said he was eighty years old, and his long
walk "fatigued him very much and was
very wearing on his constitution" He
drew line on the floor with the blade of
his Barlow knife and added I'm
Christian, and am going To heaven, GER
tain; hate a liar as much as anybody,
but what l have told you is true as you
see that mark on the floor" and his looks
and actions impressed one with the truth
fulness of his story.