The San Francisco call., 1903-01-17
DECLARES GHOSTS
HAUNT THE HOUSE
Mrs. Leroy Placards Her
Place With Weird
Banners.
Owner Of Property Declares
Her Action Is Due Only
to Malice.

Right in the very heart OF San Fran
cisco IS a haunted house. II is lodging
house located at 27s O'FarreIl street and
IS called The Duchess" The landlady,
who. according 10 her statement. has un-
willingly entertained these uncorporeal
sppsriuons as unlimited guests for the
past two months is named Mrs. Frances
Leroy
A student OF the occult might question
The fact that a self-respecting ghost would
choose quarters not altogether attractive
70 make his abode during the limited pc
Rod when graveyards yawn, but Mrs. Le-
roy is positive Of her facts.
To fully apprise the public Of the real
nature Of the house she placed in the
windows Of the second floor yesterday
evening long strips of black cloth in
ecribed with the ominOus word haunt
ed" This announcement was also dupli-
Gated at the doorway on the street
Policeman James Pearl, whose duty is
10 look out for the welfare Of O'Farrell
street from Market 10 Larlin. was start
led last evening 10 see an immense crowd
conKregated in front of THE Duchess -
When he reached the scene he read the
signs and went for help! He found PO-
nceman David Murphy at the corner Of
Powell and O'Farreu streets
Say. Dave" said Officer Pearl, do
ycu know anything about ghosts?"
Personally I don't" said Murphy eau
tiouSly, but my grandmother used TO tell
ne stories about the fairies in Ireland. 3"
We'll, you'll do" said Pearl. I've got
e haunted house down here on my beat
snd seeing that I've never been up
against anything stronger than a gun bar
rel / thought Id get you to come along.
I think you might make a record this
You know about the upper Officer"
Yes, that's all right, jim" answered
Murphy, but my grandmother also used
70 caution me about the way the fairies
treated people who crossed them. You
remember about the Galway curse? Well,
that goes through three generations and
don't want TO put anything on my chill
6ren. Besides, there might be something
doing mp on Post street"
Murphy was finally prevailed upon 10
come, and the two officers dispersed the
crowd in front Of the lodging-house. The
sign at the street door was removed, as
well as other notices posted by the land
LADY 10 the effect that S17O0 worth of fur
riture was for sale at a sacrifice.
Emil Sutro, the owner Of the property
vas apprised Of the sensational acts of
his tenant and came down town TO see
what was doing. He tried to prevail on
the police 10 scale the outer wall Of the
building and tear down the banners i'm
rot do, according TO the police manual.
but finally Sergeant Christianson had a
heart-to-hesrt talk with Mrs Leroy and
she agreed TO take away the inscriptions.
Mrs. Leroy is a blonde Of uncertain age,
With clear-cut features and sharp visage.
She said that Up TO two months ago she
rever believed in ghosts, but the testi-
mony presented TO her by her dodgers
was conclusive. One woman had been
thrown out Of bed three time in one night
snd a man had been pelted with potatoes
by unseen hands. Only the night before
2 ghostiy visitor who appeared in the
eUise Of a man walked up the stairs and
around the Railways without speaking a
word Many other uncanny things Of this
nature she told. Personally. she admit
ted she had not been troubled by ghosts.
Emil Sutro, who with his sister owns
tho pI operty in question. said that Mrs
Leroy was IN arrears for rent for the
Yast four months and he had been in
formed that she had not been conducting
Inc house properly He said that ad-
Nances had been made TO her TO induce
her 10 vacate, but these she disregarded
and yesterday legal notice was served for
her dispossession- He thought these steps
were what actuated her TO declare the
house haunted.