Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-06-20
THEY SAW A GHOST
Three South Side People Have
Thrilling Experience.
yOuCH FOR vERAClTY OF STORY
While Returning From North Side
They Saw Woman in Nightdress
Walking Along the Street-Young
Folks Were Frightened and Ran.

lFrom Tuesdays Dailv.I
A ghost story with the adjuncts that
make cold chills chase one another
with gleeful rapidity up and down a
persons back has just been unearthed
in South Ottumwa. This ghost, or
whatever it might be was seen by
three young people, and they tell the
story with all the confidence in the
world of it's authenticity. The appar-
ition was seen by the three people
about IL o'clock Saturday evening.
The young ladies were returning home
from this side of the river accompan-
led by a young gentleman, when the
spirit made its appearance. The par
ty consisted of Miss Mabel Burkhalter,
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. G.. l.. Burk-
halter of Madison avenue, Miss Mabel
Jacobson, daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. J.
A. jacobson, of Glenwood avenue, and
Roy Walker, living on Finley avenue.
They Were Staggered.
AS the young people were swinging
along laughing and talking, and hav-
ing a good time generally. they sud-
denly caught sight of white object
walking along the road about a block
from their home. The young people
kept on, thinking nothing of the
strange sight, and believing it to be a
white horse or COW, until when they
had reached a few feet of the apart
ton, they saw it was woman. She
was dressed in a loose white night
gown, and was bareheaded, and bare.
| footed. She was walking rapidly
along, and seemingly was unconscious
of the approach of the young people.
When the party reached the appara-
| ton, and were close enough to recog-
nize what the object was, they were
| paralyzed for moment. The young
ladies recovered themselves first and
ran to their home with all speed pos
sible. Young Walker was not long in
taking the hint from the girls, and in
few strides he was up with them,
and kept close company with them un-
I'll they reached the house. When the
party reached the house they turned
and watched the strange apparition
for moment. 1t had stopped in the
middle Of the road, and after standing
a few moments, it again started on as
! if it was undecided where it wanted to
| go.
Heard Piercing Screams.
The young ladies had barely enter.
ed their homes when suddenly several
piercing screams were let out, from
the direction the apparition had taken
Several of the neighbors living near
heard these screams, and a searching
party was at once organized. They
made diligent search, and all the
vicinity was closely watched. but the
party was unable to discover anything.
Misses Burkhalter and Jacobson
were seen by Courier representative,
and reiterate all of the above story
The young ladies cannot account for
the strange sight, unless it was some
/ woman who was walking in her sleep.
In this manner they account for the
terrible screams which the frightened
creature made, as she probably awak
ened and discovered her condition.
Ghost Is Not Located.
A careful search has been made all
over the South Side by the Courier's
representative for person with som
nambulistic tendencies, but up to the
present none have been discovered
The young folks who saw the appari
ton are very positive that it was a
woman, and say they were'so close to
Eif they could see it's features. The
affair has gotten out on the South Side
of the river and has caused much spec
!ulation. No one as yet has been able