Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1907-08-22
BATTLE POLICE.
Captain Schneider Says Spooks
Mystery Is a PuzzIing One.
CAN'T CATCH Them.

These Invisible Being Chase People
From Their Houses-The Members
of One Family Flee Clad - i'm
Their Night olo,hes-r, hosts
Bombards Houses With d ticks and
Stones.
Spooks' aren't afraid of police
men. AT least. those hat have been
haunting Brown street, i'm George
town, ID. c., are not. Despite tho
vigilance of Capt. Schneider and his
oHcers, of the Seventh precinct. thew
continue night after night their weird
and ghost-like tricks. The police arc
unable to stop the showers of gravel
and stones, which appear to be the
laVorite means of manifestation of
tnese materialistic ghosts nor are
they able to discover whence thev
come.
With renewed vigor these invisible
oeing visited their wrath on the helm
less and terroriZed denizens of Brown
street Thursday night, and the visi
tation was one that will never be for
gotten. The colored people, who are
the principle victims OF the spookish
naievolence, were thrown into a nam
is. me police are utterly mysterfied
and the musty records of George
towns ancient times do not shom a
situation quite so strange.
The ghosts temporarily suspended
commandment of the outside of the
dwellings Thursday night and sought
to play pranks in several of the hous-
es, where the occupants were hidden
some of them in closets. The family
of Spike" Hampton fled into the
streets to get out of the way of a
ghost, which, they claim, was stalk
ing from one room to another.
The Hampton family say that hid
eous sounds were heard in the house
shortly after dark. While HAMPTON
was half asleep, he declared. n fgure,
clothed in white stood at the foot of
his bed. He screamed, and the object
disappeared. The whole family few
seconds later noticed a weired spec
ter as it fitted about the rooms. and
the hurriedly escaped in their night
clothes.
Policeman Young, who has led The
ghost hunt and who was stationed
with several other policemen near by,
braved the horrors OF the situation
and invaded the house. But no ghost
was found. While Young was in the
house, however, the beings made
their presence manifest by turning
loose a fusillade of bricks and stones.
They ratified against the side of the
house, and brick, going through
window, fell at Youngs feet. The
policeman captured it for ANALYSIS.
1t was sure-enough brick and had
all the appearances of one made from
this earths clay.
Aunt Jane" Rolding, as ex-slave,
who lives at 321S Brown street. de-
clared no ghost could make her run,
and sat all evening on the front of
her porch, defying the onslaughts
made all around her. The other oc-
cupants of her house made their es-
cape and sought the protection of the
police, who are as much baffled as
ever.
The ghost mystery is as puzzling as
ever asd the police are completely
outwitted. The best sleuths In the
precinct have tried to fathom 1t. and
have squads of policemen who have
been nightly detailed in the block.
were last night augmented by scores
of fearless citizens, who claim that
they are not superstitious. They wit
messed with their eyes and ears
innings IndI lney udu hOt HciSIoioio
given credence.
The colored folks adhere religious
ly to the belief that the spirit of old
Mike" Catos, a daring and notorious
figure in that part of Georgetown 20
years ago, has returned to haunt
some of his neighbors, whom he hat
ed and distrusted.
Another thing that strengthens the
ghost theory in the minds OF the resi-
dents of Brown street is the estab-
lished fact that the houses on the
thoroughfare were all built OF brick
dug out of vaults is an old grave
yard, which is within stones throw
of the haunted place.
al have been on the police force
twenty-five years" said Capt. Schnel-
der to Post reporter, and | have
never struck puzzle like this. MY
men have worked like trojans to
solve the mystery. and have failed
Every night since these strange he
ings started their trouble, about
week ago, from ten to twelve of1cers
have been detailed on the roofs OF
houses. in trees, in chimneys, ana
every other conceivable place ana
have found absolutely nothing that
will explain these manifestations. III
IL isn't ghosts don't know what IL Is
At first we thought the pranks were
those of a clever midnight cuiprlt'
hut this supposition no longer hoios
ground. We haven't given the case
up. and expect to fathom 1T before we