The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-04-11
A GHOST AND A LAWSUIT.

I land, on one Of the high ways leading
/ into and out Of a good-sized town.
/ there used TO stand on the brow OF a
/ hill house Familiarity spoken of as the
} house with the red wing It was a two
story house with an l. or wing It
/ was without this addition when first
/ erected and was painted yellow Years
later when the paint had faded away,
I the f. was built and painted red.
while the other part OF the house was
left as It was From this circumstance
suit at law over the place. and it
stood empty for seven or eight years
and became little better than ruin
There had never been any gossip as
the lawsuit was finally ended, the
house and grounds put up at auction
and Squire Henderson became the
owner a few days later he had fall
from his horse and was laid u for
months He had intended to make the
land surrounding IL in good shape, but
owing TO the accident had done moth
ing. when along came a wOuld-De
purchaser His name was Saunderson,
and he wanted the place in order to
make experiments with certain ferti-
1fZerS OF his own Invention He was
40 years old unmarried and a hard
headed fellow He looked the place
over offered a price and the property
passed into his hands He made some
OF the rooms habitable. secured the
services OF an old woman for house
keeper and one March day became
resident
month passed away without any
unusual incident Mr. SaunderSon
made repairs 70 the fences. had the
trees trimmed up and arranged TO
repaint the house later on He testi-
fed in a court of law later on that he
plumed himself on having made a
bargain. and that he was perfectly
satisfied with the place until a queer
circumstance happened Mrs. ScoviIl
- ar-frr
old and was known as a sensible
woman and one educated above her
station Her room was on the second
story back and one morning she noti-
fed the master that on the night
previous. at about the hour of mid
night, she was awakened by some
noise she could not make out It was
a moonlight night, and on looking
carrying another man on his back,
and crossing the open ground to dis
appear in a sDfnny or hfcket- There
was an outdoor entrance to the cellar.
and the man and his burden seemed
TO have come from there The man
with the burden did not seem 10 I
walk. but rather to glide She was
certain that the man on mis- back was a
corpse She admitted being too fright {
ened 10 call the master. but jumped in
TO bed and covered I'D her head. and I
was all in q tremble until morning
Mr. SaunderSon laughed at the
woman and gave her story scant at /
tertfon- On the third night she saw
the same sight again. and next morn I
ing she was for leaving her place The
master promised to watch from /
rear window in the red wing. and for 4
three nights he did watch and nothing /
happened. The moon was fulIing all 1
the time, and on the fourth night the
grounds in the rear OF the house were
almost as light as day II was testified 4
1y others that they had read prints 4
4 -rTxr ana RI
ter past twelve, and without the
slightest preliminary warning there is
iued from the outdoor entrance TO the
cellar a man with another man on his
hack Mr. SaunderSon could not see
he face OF the living man. nor could
ne Wen make out his form. but the
ace of the burden was plain to him II
vas that OF q young and well dressed
nan. having black hair and a mustache
II the same color The body was
-igfd as II life had departed some
lOurS before
The man with the burden did not
walk like living man As the house
Keeper commended. he seemed to glide
IN making for the thicker he passed
over a bit or ground which the
spring sun had sOftened uDs and II
i've man he must leave footprints
here When he had disappeared into
o look for traces He testified that
le found the footprints of a rat. a
lare and a bird in the soft soil. but OF
nothing else. You may believe that ne
vas startled and puzzled but being a
lard-headed man he was not ratified
Sext day he got a young farmer 70
ONE and sit up with him for the night
nd observe and corrobOrate him
Hrs Scovfll was also present At
quarter past twelve the same thing
as on the night before
Next day q workman with pick
vent over the cellar bottom and IN
-estigated until sure il did not hold a
rave Then the thicket was searched
cot by foot without uncOvering any
.orror- Next the master housekeeperl
nd three persons OF good standing
Witnessed the carrying away OF the
cad man Then Mr.. SaunderSon went
o the Squire and demanded the re-
urn Of his money on the ground
hat the house was haunted The
quire was Just able to hobble about
ut not to put in a night at the house =
ons Of his acquaintance, however
Ut 10, and behold, nothing whatever
appened- They were there on the
acond and third night but nothing :
anne of il. Mr. Saunderson and his
illnesses insisted that they had seen
that theE had seen. the housekeeperl
efused 10 stay another day. and as the
Qufr., intimated that the purchaser of
he place was trying to work some sort
{ swiudle on him a suit was instituted
gainst him
From the day the suit was begun
IT. Saunderson had two men In the
ouse every night In order TO be fair
nth the Squire he allowed him TO ]
ave the same number The owner {
ad got the idea that the man with the :
urden appeared only at about the full
z the moon. but was not going to miss :
ny chances Not a thing happened .
ntn a month had oassed-a month :
rom the date of the things" first
ppearance- Then il reappeared and .
las seen for four nights n succession
Then five or six people see a thing
lur or five times over and swear to IT, :
hat are you going 10 do about 1t? !
ou can't call them liars and per 5
1rers- can you2 You may not believe
possible that they saw what the said