The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-03-04
Haunted Suite
Jessie dwellings, Account
of Some Rooms.


Misty are many Of the stories of
haunted rooms and houses, lacking loca-
Lion, name and attendant facts. But Miss
Jessie LewelIing of Wichita, now of the
Chicago Inter-Ocean, recently had printed
IN that paper the story of a haunted
suite of rooms, on which full and COM
plete record rests with accompanying
details not usually found in ghost stories.
Miss dwellings account is as follows:
Practical persons who refuse to associ-
ate the occult with the many phenomenal
events daily recorded in the newspapers
are offered a problem in the series Of
disastrous incidents connected with a GER
tain suite of rooms in a hotel on Michigan
avenue, near Thirteenth street. During
the Worlds Fair the building was elabo-
rately fitted up as a hotel, and since then
certain set if rooms in the house has
become known for the malignant influence
1t exercises upon anybody who occupies
the suite
The "AOodoo suite" No. 426, as it is
commonly called, is the thirteenth en-
trance from the elevator, third floor, on
the east side of the building. 1t con-
sists Of three rooms and bath There
are thirteen panes of glass in the win
dows, thirteen electric-light bulbs illu-
mime the apartment, and during the
Dalmy days Of the hotel the rooms rented
for $50 a month, or four times thirteen.
1t is said that no one ever occupied the
rooms over night who escaped the most
inexplicable, unavoidable bad luck. Manv
after leaving have become successful
ana some are prominent Chicagoans
today, but TO be a tenant Of No. 42e has
always meant some sort Of disaster dur
ing the exact time of such residence.
A Young actress and an intimate of
Catherine Clements was the first to
occupy the fated apartment Her COM
Pany failed, and disbanded in Chicago.
after stay Of several weeks. Thus
the girl found herself Unexpectedly with
out means, and with very little Of value
IN her large trunks. On being asked to
leave the building. after her circum-
stances were discovered, she refused until
something more definite should have been
settled in regard to salary due her. The
most relentless persecution on the part
Of the woman in charge of the building
was the result. Even use Of the tele
phone was refused her. and she was
warned that the doors of her apartment
would be locked against her when she
NentUred out on any pretext whatever.
While she was in this predicament food
was sent up TO her by outside friends. in
a basket attached to a rope she nightly
lowered from her window. Finally the
door was broken in, and the girl dragged
out and roughly showed into a patrol
wagon, which was waiting before the
house. Her trunks remained and she
has never been able to recover them. al
though prosperity has since smiled on
her
About this time the building was con-
verted into a hotel Under the new
regime John Lockwood was the first to
occupy the "hoodoo suite" He was a
custom-house broker. with offices in the /
Marquette building. His parents resided /
IN Boston. Immediately after locating in /
his new quarters word reached Lockwood |
of his mothers illnesss. As it was i'm |
possible for him to leave his business. he
telegraphed for her speedy removal to /
chicago Mr.. Lockwood. ST., ACCOMPANIED /
his wife Everything possible was done (
Tor the woman, but, to the INVESTIGATION /
OF the doctor, the patient seemed TO labor
under strange depression which stimu
lants could not lift. In a few DAYS she
died in room 1926. The husbands grief
Frustrated him. Heart trouble. Of which
he had previously been a victim. set in
and in few days he, too, died in No.
426.
About this time Baron and Baroness
Won Scheiia moved into the rooms. trail |
ing a ten days sensation in their wake.
although it was during the crowded days
Of the Worlds Fair. and sensations were !
numerous. Entertainment after entertain
ment was rendered to welI-known CITY
officials. and even smart society partook
Of the hospitality of the supposedly
wealthy nCbleman. A prominent Chicago /
woman Of wealth once spent an informal /
evening with the Won Schelias. Her toilet |
was elaborate, and she was fairly aglow |
With diamonds of great value. She wished |
TO impress the noble pair that there were |
others who could display heavy Jewels
and talk ancient lineage.
You would better place your diamonds /
in the chamois bag about your neck
advised the Baroness as her guest arose /
TO depart; "hold-ups about her are be-
canning alarmingly frequent" The woman
went TO her carriage accompanied by
the ever-gailant Baron, after acting on
her hostess advise, much to her subse- |
ouent regret The carriage actually was
held up and her jewels disappeared in the /
darkness, the Baron with them. Another /
friend OF the Won ScheIias was relieved
OF his worldly goods on his departure I
from the hospitable apartment. He was
a police judge, and he, too, INDUCED In /
personalities about the Baron and his
accomplished wife. The Won Schelias
suddenly disappeared from the city with /
out attending to such minor details as I
hotel bills
Despite the rumors Of misfortune to all /
occupants OF the attractive suite. four /
young bachelors finally appropriated it, /
Sen Mcpherson, a ticket broker. with an 1
office al 200 Clark street was one of the /
four. A surplus of 5000 stood TO his /
credit, and his business was a thriving /
one 1t was early winter when the four (.
men rented the suite Before spring Nc /
Pherson encountered BUSINESS reverses. /
one after the other and he finally lost
every cent Of his money. The room Is a Z
'hoodoo.' " he finally acknowledged. ana I.
am going to set OUT Acting on MS /
word he left for the South as a book 1
maker and his friends assert that he re-
trieved his fortunes.
No, Of the four bachelors, who had (
always been considered an example Of /
integrity. was arrested after living in I
room 426 one month, for embezzlement /
and was finally sent to the penitendary
No. had trouble with his sweetheart and +
was saved from suicide by an employee /