The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-02

time there was a call for more hands,
so he purchased a large, unoccupied
house in a somewhat isolated position,
| the owner of which had died under
suspicious circumstances some years
! before, and the house had been occupied
by family after family in rapid rota-
ton. They said the house was haunted.
For long time it had remained unoc-
| cupied, and the owner was willing to
part with it for a song.
1T had belonged to an old man, Ja-
cob Garland by name who lived there
with his wife and one old colored wp-
man named Luneshy.' Luneshy's real
name was found to be Lucretia Maria
Pendleton. The old couple lived a most
retired life, and Jacob Garland was un-
derstood to have accumulated quite a
property.
"The house was a somewhat preten-
tious one, set back from the road and
surrounded by good deal of land. Be
sides the house there was a small barn,
which, however, was empty. Directly
back of the house, perhaps an eighth
of mile, was a graveyard.
THE old man was miserly, but no
one knew what he did with his money.
as there was no bank nearby, and he
seldom left home, and then only for a
short time.
He appeared to have no relations,
at least none who visited him.
One day a stranger appeared in town
and inquired for Garlands house. He
rode a good looking horse and led an
other, upon which was strapped his
pack. 1t was evident that he had trav-
eled from a distance. He was tall and
well made, with black hair and beard
and dark eyes.
+I,a
he rode up to the door, it was opened
by Luenshy, whose black face took on
a look of surprise when the stranger
spoke. She ushered him in, however,
and the door closed on them. After
some delay 1t was again opened and
Garland and the stranger appeared, and
proceeded to the barn. The horses were
stalled, and Garland and his guest
walked back toward the house.
"Once they stopped, and the old man,
with bent brows, seemed to be saying
something unpleasant, but reply from
the other seemd to stop him suddenly
and they moved on. The door closed
on them, and that was the last that
was seen of Jacob Garland.
"The next morning Bronxville re-
celved a shock, and a severe one. At
about seven in the morning the door
of Jacob Garland's house was suddenly
protruding. hurried to the sheriff's
house. She found that official engaged
In the simple but useful occupation of
chopping wood In the backyard, but
her news brought his work to a sud
den end, and hastily donning his coat
TO emphasize his official status. as IL
was not a garment he usually wore, he
accompanied Luenshy on her return to
the Garland home. From her excited
words he gathered the following facts:
The stranger who had arrived the day
before was a distant relative Of Jacob
Garland's, she understood. but belonged
20 o branch OF the family with which
he had quarreled. He had supped with
Garland and his wife, and then the
two men had repaired 10 a room used
by the old man as den, where fe
shut himself up al times, and was not
disturbed except for meals.
That evening the door closed on the
two. and the smell Of tobacco made a.
self apparent later. Garland did not
smoke. W u WAS evident that the reis-
tiye was making himself ~ comfort
able as circumstance would permit
Mrs Garland and Luennhy retired
uf their usual hour, and ~ that ume
v0loes we're Hnll t0 Boz beard in ine
room and apparently in aulleahlf con-
cruaiign. Tbs nc1i morning L1fnshS