The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-23
HOUSE YET HAUNTED.
skeleton Discovered Under the Floor of a
DiIapidated Crib.

Correspondence of the Chicago Chroni-
Gle. Bardstown, Ky.
Rockcastle county, not far from here,
on lonely hill stands cabin IN 10
acre clearing. Deserted, dilapidated,
desolate. the place reminds one of
central figure in a weird, uneanny tale,
where robbers and bandits are wont to
congregate The windows in the old
house are broken, the doors are off their
hinges and weeds and briers grow TO
the threshold The building is reputed
TO be the Oldest in that section of the |
country having been erected early in |
the present century by one Ross. and |
occupied by him and his descendants |
for many years.
some wears previous to the civil war |
the house was occupied by a family of |
the name of Holder. These people bore |
a bad reputation, and 1t was conceded
by all that there was no crime too /
mean for them TO commit. In addition
to being robbers, 1t was limited that
they were counterfeiters as well. One
day in the summer of 1853 stranger
mounted on a splendid horse stopped at
q little station known as Brodhead, and
made inquiries as to the route TO cum
berland Gap. According to bystand-
er, the stranger said he was James
Travers, from Ohio. and stated that he
was on his way to the mountains. where,
he alleged. he and his brother were
joint owners of mining interest. he
seemed to have plenty of money. A
few months afterward Travers' brother
appeared in Rockcastle and made in
quiries concerning James Travers,
whom he had traced that far. Careful
investigation disclosed the fact that the
missing man had taken the wrong
route to the mountains and had
stopped at the house of the Holders.
| Here all trace of him was lost.
Mr.. Travers was convinced that his
| brother had met with foul play, and
that the Holders knew more about the
missing man than they would tell. lie
| left for Cincinnati to enlist the services
of detective. When he returned the
/ Holders had disappeared. No informal
ton could be had regarding them. The
/ old house remained unoecuped num-
Der of years, and then Tom Ross,
! grandson of the original owner of the
/ place moved his family into the house.
| Previous 10 this, however, strange tales
had been circulated regarding the lone
| ly farm. 1t was haunted, the people of
the neighborhood said. Strange sights
| had been seen and strange sounds had
been heard in and around the old house.
| Despite all this Ross took up his
abode there, and defied the 'ha'nts."
as he termed them. but, after a time,
he openly acknowledged that the place
was haunted. In addition TO hearing
unearthly noises through the night,
at noon each day a strange voice, seem
ing to come from the direction of the
gate opening on the road would shout
''HalIo." three times. On going TO in
yestigate, no one could be found
One of Ross neghbors, hearing of
this, went over to satisfy himself. He
related afterward that the tales of the
ghost We're based on solid founda-
| ton. He distinctly heard the voice at
noontime shout "Hallor' and, in addi-
ton to this, when Ross poured forth a
! volley of oaths at the mysterious visit
or and challenged IL to come forward
7 and show itself large and ferocious
watchdog belonging to Ross. and which
: was standing midway between tbs
house and gate. suddenly dropped his
tail and retreated TO the house, snap
! ping, snarling and barking as II pur
sued by some terrible object inten
upon doing the creature harm. Or
reaching the dwelling the dog took ref
= uge under the bed, from whence no per
Z suasion could induce it to come 70
some hours
e Ross shortly after this moved to an
, other section. and then tenants for tn
old house followed in quick succession
Each occupied the premises for a shor
time, all getting away as soon as prac
: ticabe and all with singular unanimit.
d telling the same story of the noonda,
e visitor and the blood-curdlng cry.
: The ghost, according to one tenant
7 John Dietzman-did not restrict itsel
S to shouting "Halloi1 at the gate, bu
extended its operations into the house
John told that the ghost would com
numbering down the stairs from a lit
tie room above. making noise simila
= to an empty flour barrel rolling dow
+ the steps. The uncanny visitor at a
times invisible, would proceed to tn
fireplace, stir up the embeis and caus
a roaring fire to blaze up the chime,
8sa1R
and all the time John and his good VIII
is would lie in bed, not daring to NOV
N The German soon moved away.
The house then remained vacant
!, long time. One night during this tim
n a party of young men returning froi
dance determined to spend the II
mainder of the night IN the haunte
se house On ascending the hill abot
&c half a mile from the old place the
u. discovered that the old building was {
y. fire. Flames Were pouring from IL
~ | all directions, and 1t was evident tn;
IN it would soon be destroyed. The your
men FASTENED, eager to witness the CT
ct | of the structure. To reach the bull,
ar | ing they had TO pass through strip
Ill woods. which momentarily obstructs
the burning building from view. The
~ establishment can be imagined VIII,
- they emerged from the woods, qui
- near the old cabin, TO find IT standir
- dark, gloomy and intact. The youi
- men did not stop to make any invest
=, cation, but hurried from the spot
-, OF course. IL was generally suppos
~ that the spirit that was playing su
"a pranks on the ola Ross place was tn
- of James Travers, and this suppos
"a ton was confirmed not hong since in
remarkable manner. A party of eli
zens of Rockcastle county determin
~ TO thoroughly search the premises
"a s.,,,a -, III tho Ypvstary
IN The nccrs OF the house were lax
10 up and every foot Of ground turned
,p- ~ a coneidsrabie danth But nothf
in 10. a;snot,eyad An did onthouse whi
> stood in ore eorne. of the neglect
re yard, which years before had served
Ia a corn-crib. was next visited and
"a rough floor Of that taken up. Here I
! d searcbers, after digging a while, I