Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-18
'FRAID O. DEM SPOOKS
THE TROUBLES OF A LOCAL COAL
MERCHANT.
Building Used by Medical College
Prevalence of Night Doctors
Rumored.

When a local coal dealer obtained a con-
tract to deliver and store coal in building
occupied by a medical college several years
ago he did not consider the question OF
his drivers being afraid of GHOSTS" or
might doctors" as the superstitious ones
state it. He found himself in peck or
trouble. however, when the first load was
delivered and he had to take turn at
handling the back diamonds" The dealer
went to the medical college building to see
that there would be no mistake in getting
his men started right. In order for them
to reach the big coal bins they had to pass
the room in which the vat was located.
The coal was dumped from a cart and
the driver was started ahead with the first
basket of it. He had hardly entered the
building before his employer heard COM
motion and screams. Then the driver
rushed from the building and did not stop
long enough to get his team. An explana-
ton of his conduct was asked when he was
seen at the coal yard and he promptly said
he would give up his job before he would
put in coal at such a place.
Such a place. his employer echoed.
What kind of a place do you think that
is?"
Il amt thinKin','' was his ready response.
"Dis is one OBJ de times dat 1 knows OATS
a place whar de night doctors Ibis" he
added.
That's nonsense" said his employer.
II done seed mo- AN I wants to see
again. the colored man interrupted. Il
done looked at de place whar de night doc
tors browns people. and 1 amt even goin'
on dat street again after dark"
Afraid of Night Doctors.
Its singular how so many people are
afraid of night doctors,'" said another
dealer who had heard the story related. Il
had trouble with one of my drivers be-
cause of this belief In them, and not only
did he leave me but he frightened off other
drivers
The merchant explained that he had sew
eral horses and each driver was supposed
to look after his own animal. There was
one colored man in the party who had often
related amusing experiences with the So
called might Doctors and the other men
frequently had fun at his expense. One
afternoon, he stated, he was seated in his
office when a former friend called to see
him, and he was so much under the influ-
ence of liquor that he was put away in the
hayloft
Il had forgotten all about my caller"
the merchant stated, when the drivers
went to the stable to put away and feed
the stock. When the work the ground
floor had been finished one of the men
went to the loft TO throw down the hay
He, of course, was the most superstitious
one in the lot. He had been in the loft
only few seconds before he came down
through the opening and landed upon the
head of one of the horses. Then he left
the stable and did not return there until
the next day
Then he told his troubles, and not even
his pastor could make him believe there
was not a might doctor in that loft. My
intoxicated friend had about recovered from
his indisposition after rolling about In the
hay and gave groan just as the colored
man started to gather up hay for his horse
The man was a good driver but never
after that incident would he enter the
stable loft
In Northwest Section.
The telling of the stories recalled to an
other member of the party how the colored
people In neighborhood In the northwest
section Of the city were frightened several