The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-07-30
GHOST HAUNTS. THE
COLLEGE LIBRARY
Waterman Declares Invisible Feet Are
Heard in Corridors at Night.

.,PARKERSBURG, W. Va. July 2S.-The
library of the West Virginia university is
haunted; ghostly yisitations and spiritual
manifestations have become SO frequent
residents of the vicinity there is no use
trying to coneeaf the fact any longer
The library is built on the site of an
old cemetery, the bones and dust of form
er occupants having been removed to an
other resting place. There is a tradition
among the old citizens that years ago a
Fren 1 named Jean Mareschal lived
in that vicinity and after dying mysteri-
ously had been buried in the old Gene
terry. 1t is said that he had been Danish
ed from France by Marie Antoinette, and
French Revolution, once owned by the
dead man, has shown marks of much
usage lately. its pages and binding being
found on more than one occasion damp
in the mornings with finger prints stained
with clay upon the leaves as though but
recently handled, and many persons be-
lieve that old Jean Mareschals spirit is
now haunting the library built over his
grave.
Many persons have heard strange
SOUNDS and have seen strange sights dur
ing the midnight hour but have hereto
fore been diff1dent to describe their exper-
fences for fear of public derision but III
Hoffman, the night Waterman, who
weighs $50 pounds has not been afraid
TO tell what he has seen and heard. His
first knowledge that the library was being
visited at unusual hours was gained about
two weeks ago, when about midnight he
heard the noise of footsteps ascending the
stairs. He listened, opened the door and
followed. The footsteps receded toward
the basement and Hoffman hurried after
them and turned on the light, but all
though he made thorough search he
could find nothing neither could he find
place through which anyone could make
his escape.
He heard the noise number of times
the sound of footsteps. rustling as of
paper and such a sound as would be made
by the dropping of a. book, but although
all the. doors Were locked and the win
make the slightest discovery.
One night Hoffman heard the same
sort OF noise in the next room and
tor. He saw a face gazing at him from
behind a pillar and ran toward it. but it
disappeared, seemingly in the direction of
the door and down the steps leading to
the basement; The pursuer closed the
door behind him and followed. Around
the basement fled the nimble feet and
up, the stairs; Again Hoffman saw the
guarding the narrow, passageway he adj
yanced. Near the door the face turned
full upon him, low moan was heard
and all was silent. Nothing could be
found on the stairway
On another night Hoffman was startled
by the sound of voices singing in the
to him to be hundred singers singing
with musical precision the measures OF
an old hymn. The notes and the time
seemed familiar at the time, but after
ward he was unable to give the hymn a
name. The singing stopped when Hoff-
man entered the basement but began
again when he stood still, and on listen
ing intently he distinguished the words
and tones of man praying.
Hoffman'S ineXplicable experience is
backed up by the experience of quite a
number of persons, none of whom can
explain the mystery except on the theory
that old Jean Mareschal is haunting the
library.