The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-22
CHICAGO's HAUNTED HOUSE.
\ Couple of Policemen Capture the
TERRIFYING Ghost.

Terrifying Ghost.
From the Chicago Chronicle.
In exploring an alleged haunted house
yesterday morning two detectives from
the Desplaines street station came across
about 500 worth of stolen property, and in
cidentally the materialized spirit believed
to be responsible for the theft and seques-
tration of the property. Edward O'Donnen
Is the name of the "spook' found in the
house and he is held at the Desplaines
street station pending an examination on
a charge of grand larceny.
The house reputed TO be haunted is one
of the little, narrow, dingy streets run
ming off from DespTaines street, near Mad
ison. 1t is a story and half structure,
with a basement, tumble-down and dark
and dirty a its surroundings. For nearly
a year the wretched old frame structure has
been deserted but its reputation as a
haunted house has been recent Several
months ago the body of a man was found
in the old structure, and since that time
strange noises have been heard in the
house from time to time.
Appariiions have been seen fitting about
by the neghbors and sometimes al night
flashes of light would show and then dis
appear quickly Squalid children caesed to
| play about The old frame and scurried back
| and forth when they had TO pass it, Most
| of the tenants of the neighboring houses
would have moved away if they could,
! but the majority of them couldn't
| Detectives Weisse and Mahoney, whom
| Inspector Shea character as two of the
| best providers and investigators on his
| staff of plain clothes men, heard of the
| haunted house and determined to investi-
| gate. They had little trouble in crowding
! through rear door ajar and held in place
| by the settling Of the framework. Weisse
| crowded in first, because he Is the smaller
| of the two, Mahoney says, but because
Mahoney is afraid of "spooks," Weisse
says, although Mahoney has faced bullets
and yet bears the red marks of wounds
received in the political riot at Brickay-
ers' hall in November.
Nothing but debris was found in the
first floor rooms, or in the rooms above
Each officer shifted his weapon from his
hip pocket as he CROPPED his way down the
| rickety stairway to the darker and reekins
cellar.
Strange noises were heard as the officers
| stood in the cellar at the bottom of the
stairs. They were not frightened, but
lighted matches just to see where they
were. The scratching of the lucifers sent
dozens of big rodents scurrying to their
hiding places Going over the whole base
ment with the aid of matches, the officers
found in remote corner a big box. In
this were number of sheets and towels
and some minor articles of clothing anC
beneath the articles were a large number
of carpenters and builders tools. All TOLD
the property amounted to about 500 il
value.
Then the officers waited in the dark un.
til they heard some one coming into the
basement. The newcomer found the boN
with the aid of matches and was in the
act Of reaching into il when the officer.
seized him. He was terribly frightened
and only breathed freely again when drag
ged up to the light and loaded into
patrol wagon with the box of plumber.