The Penn's Grove record., 1904-03-04
NEW JERSEY STATE NEWS
Curse at Cross Roads.


Thai a curse uttered on a cross road
at high noon facing the east, while the
sun is hidden. will have its effect. is
believed by the country folk at Morris
town, now that the body of John Ken
nedy has been found in the north
branch OF the Raritan River. He dis
appeared most mysteriously last Christ
mas, and there was great anxiety as to
MS rate, for his regular habits and ex-
cellent character made il improbable
mat ne could have abandoned an en-
ployer to whom he was attached by
every consideration of kindness and
ran treatment. Kennedy was a watch
man for Walter p. Bliss, who is build
ing a mansion e Mendham. About
the middle of December he went into
the house and found a tramp sitting in
front OF an open CRATE fire and making
himself as much at home as if he
owned the place. Kennedy was in
censed at his impudence and ordered
him out. He refused to go. Then he
was forcibly elected. Retreating TO
the road he called to the Waterman to
listen to him. He went to the nearest
cross road and, lifting up his right
hand, cried out: Il place on you the
strangers curse and the curse of place
You and all who follow you are cursed
and will be cursed for the sin of refus-
ing shelter to a brother man." The
mans manner and the solemnity of his
utterance made a deep impression on
Kennedy. He talked to his ~neighbors
about it, and while many professed to
ridicule ii, there were those who said
1t was a bad thin for the Waterman.
One old woman. ' no lived near Mend
ham, said she had heard the ~''strang-
er's curse put or the Gale -famil..,
about fifty years ago, and that all the
COWS in a fine herd went dry and two
of the children died of a strange dis
ease. Kennedy though lie might be
made the victim of a trick and was es-
pecially cautious. He was to have had
dinner with a friend on Christmas Day,
but did not show himself. His employ
er made inquiry, but he could not be.
found, and after waiting a week with
out a Waterman Mr.. Bliss employed
John Kerr, who proved to be a model
employe. Kerr kept the place ten days
and disappeared as suddenly and mys-
teriously as Kennedy. Inquiry was
made in the ne~ighborhood and letters
were written to places where it was
thought he might have gone. but not
the slightest trace of him could be dis
covered, and his whereabouts to-day
are unknown. There was some trepi-
dation when Thomas Scott agreed to
take the place made vacant by the
strange disappearance of Kennedy
and Kerr, and the prediction was made
that he would be whisked of, as his
predecessors had been, but in that the
prophets erred. Scott did not disap-
pear-he died, and just one week after
he entered the room from which the
tramp had been elected. After that it
was impossible to obtain a man to take
the place. Henry Seaver tried it, but
was in the house only three days when
he was stricken with a peculiar illness
and was forced to give up the job. A
man passing over the bridge recently
saw a pair of human legs sticking out
of an ice cake floating down the river.
He ran to the shore, called for help,
pulled the ice cake ashore and split it
open. Completely encased in an icy
shrOud they found the body of John
Kennedy, who had been visited with
the strangers Curse"