Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1901-02-22
The Haunted Well \

"The best hoax that ever was perpe-
trated," said an old pioneer or Hsrkimer
county, was In the town or Warren,
where I was born and brought up. IL
was worked so long ago that 1 viii not
try to set a date for 1t. r. r. Treadway
aud Elias Warner. farmhands OF Foster
Mobiles, were the originators OF what be-
came known as the haunted or talking
well. They made q good sell out Of
whole cloth, and the people everywhsrs
were taken in by It,
tine Mobiles farm was some distancs
from their own homes. They carried
their dinners while at work In the field
and one day sat down TO eat at an old
well which had pump logs leading from
II to the trough. They observed that the
water did not run from the logs. and they
tried the experiment OF talking into the
logs at the trough Their words were con-
veyed from the trough so perfectly that
they. appeared to come from the well L.
self Then they decided tosplay Joke On
their comrades
'Srhey had excellent foundation for a
good ghost story. In the pi eceding win
ter John Wick. who had gone with his
Ici;.hbors to Albany with wheat disap-
.'c.rcd. Tho Y had disposed % their loads
and had covered aboJ.t rifle or their
homcwaId journey when Wick discover
cd he had forgotten some OF his pur-
chases and returned for them, saying that
he would soon overtake his friends. he
was never seen again His team was
found under a shed, butsno trace OF him
wasfever discovered.
''As the Wic.l incidenttmade q deep i'm
preston on the minds OF all IN their
neighborhood 1t was decided TO use tho
spirit OF John Wick In the hoax. War
ner was 20 telltthe boys that he had heard
the spirit that day at the well.
THAT night there was q meeting OF ths
members rof the band for practice, and
Warner, who was one OF the musicians,
told the others the story agreed upon,
that when he tried to draw water from
the well as the bucket struck the water
the spirit OF John Wick cried out:
"'Take the stone off my hesdr
"The musicians after practice accom-
panied Warner to the well Many ap-
proacfsed to the side OF the well, but The
more timid remxined at a safe distance
Isaac Lake, one OF the boidest, stood With
his hands on the curb and leaned his head
over to catch the first sound from the
spirit.
Warner tied red handkerchief
around his head, and Treadway lay In the
trough 20 do the talking when the signal
was given. Warner lowered the pail into
the water, and as It struck the water the
words came in sepulchral tones from the
well:
Take, that stone off my headI
THE band OF musicians fed An on
lr-fr &I.~
well. when the commotion startled him
He was in the act OF rising when Lake
reached him, and Lake. In his anxiety to
put a safe distance between the haunted
well and himself, sprang completely over
the'ox lengthwise without stopping.
Being feet OF foot, he arrived home
sooner than any OF the others except De-
vid Starlcweather, who was on horseback.
David, on his arrival hurriedly turned
his horse. saddled and bridled. into q
wheatfield- he was so badly frightened
that he did not know what he was doing.
THE news spread through the neigh
borhood: rapidly, and the next night there
was crowd around the well TO hear the
spirit talk. There were old and young
people OF both sexes. Treadway sesumed
| his place in the trough. and Warnex was
the medium to communicate to the spirit
"He wore a red sash about his soins
and a handkerchief OF the same color
around his head. With q pole as his
wand he. troubled the waters In the wen.
and the resp use came forth. Take the
stone off my head"
"Soon the neighborhood no longer con-
fined the story to the haunted well. Peo-
pie from miles around congregated each
night at the side OF the well. and finally
| the deacons OF several churches assem-
1 Nn1 IN, g,l.t TrA
| Warren Wick rs the leader
They knelt around the well. and Dea-
| con Wick addressed the throne of grace
in such n stentorian voice that he ould
| lie heard for half n mile. At the end Of
| the prayer they arose. and Warner trou-
| blcd The water with his wand. 'Txlxe the
stone OFF my head" came forth, as usual
Il 'cacon Nick then demanded in a loud
voice. In the name OF God and the arch
angel. who are your
The spirit OF John Wick was thu
solemn reply.
"'IIow came you there? aszedtths dea
con.
i was murdered and put hereS
at was resolved to dig into the wei
the next night. and the folks were OF
hand with shovels and picks and bars 4
carry their resolution into effect and re
move the stone from the head of the m 1r
dered man. The boys then thought tha
they had carried the joke far enough ana
told the truth about the affair, greatly t.
the indignation and chagrin OF their cred
ulous dupes.
1 MANY OF the people there were super
stitious and believers In witchcraft II
the midst Of the excitement, as q Mr.
Skinner was taking a load OF people Z
view the wonder, his horses were be
witched' while they were descending
steep hin. and In spite OF coaxing an,
whipping they would not stir until ate
the performance at the well was oves.r-
st. Louis Star.
Too HURRIED.