Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1898-09-28
GHOST OF NINE. LEROY.
Rural Missourians Startled by the Appari-
ton of the Luckless Aeronaut.

ZION Oh inc Luckleb8 AeTOnAuts
Tho residents of Clayton and surround
Ing towns in ST. Louis county are all
worked up over the discovery OF the ghost
of Nine. lie Roy, the aeronaut who was
killed while making balloon ascension at
the county fair grounds at Dwyer Station,
three miles from Clayton, two years ago.
On the second anniversary OF the fateful
day when the daring young parachute
leaper fell 1900 feet through space and
crashed with terrific force into an elm
tree short distance south of the Missouri
Pacific railroad tracks q farmer driving
along the Clayton road saw the form of a
woman clad in tights and short skirt in
tho selfsame tree that marked the scene
of the frightful accident. Such is the story
told by the st. Louis Republic.
Three thousand persons in attendance at
tho fair saw Mime. Lie Roy drop to her
death. Among them was this farmer.
The occurrence made lasting impression
on him, but he declared that 1T was not
his imagination that produced the specter
he witnessed on q recent Friday night.
The face was that of the luckless aeronaut
Her long, flowing hair was waving wildly
in the cool night breezes and her arms
were Observation-Disclosures very picture of de-
spair, so say those who allege that they
saw the ghost.
Attorney William f. Fish and County
Treasurer William G. Wengler of Clayton
also saw the ghost. They were returning
from the county fair when the awful
vision confronted them. They were driv-
ing in buggy and stopped moment to
convince themselves that their Imagination
was not at work Both caught glimpse
of the figure at the same time, and both
simultaneously uttered startled cry.
"That's tho woman who fell from the
balloon at the fair" said one.
"Great Scott" exclaimed the other,
"and it was just two years ago today, and
Friday at thatv'
They didn't look again, but whipped up
the horse and drove off quickly. They
didn't stop until they got to Clayto
where they told their friends what they
had seen. At first the story was laughed
at, but as others gradually came forward
with the same tale the discovery" no
longer was looked upon as yarn. Now,
1t is said, the people out that way will not
travel along Clayton road after nightfall
for fear of being acoosted by the shade of
Nine. Lie Roy.
Mr.. Fish and Mr. Wengler are not 70
mancers, neither do they indulge in any
thing stronger than seltere lemonade and
lobster salad, and on the day in question
they hadn't lost enough on the paddles
and other fakirs' devices at the fair
grounds to cause uncanny visions to float
across their minds.
The farmer who was the first to stumble
across the phantom has spread the news
around the sparsely populated parts of the
county, and hucksters who have been
using Clayton road at night to haul prod
uce to Clayton and St. Louis now travel
In daylight or take another route after
dark.
The accident of which the unfortunate
balloonist was the victim was one of the
most appalling that ever occurred IN the
vicinity of St. Louis. An immense crowd
had gathered at the fair grounds, attracted
principally by the advertised feature of the
day-the balloon ascension and parachute
leap. Some time before that Mime. LIE
Roy had fallen and sprained her wrist,
which was SO weak that she required q
support to hold on to the trapeze while as.
{ cending. She secured q rope, made looI
and fastened one end of it around her hand
and the other around the bar.
In this way she started up, amid the
plaudits of the throng of spectators. She
had not Como far, however, when she
thought of releasing her hand for the de-
scent. She tried to unfasten the loop, but
her efforts proved futile She pulled and