Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-13
GHOSTS ACTIVE IN WEST END
RESIDENTS OF SCOTT STREET,
GEORGETOWN, AROUSED.
Repeated Showers of Missiles-Police
Trying to Solve the Mystery-In-
vestigation Ordered

Residents of Scott street. Georgetown.
are thoroughly aroused because of the
lions and threatening attitude of what they
believe to be ghosts spirits of some
kind. who have made their presence known
around the alley by showers of missiles, in
Guiding bricks. tin cans, potatoes and over
ripe fruit. Friends of inhabitants, as well
as the inmates of the various houses along
the street, have spread the report and few
outsiders now venture into the alley. Sew
eral Of the old inhabitants of the alley, i'm
pressed by the appearance of the ghosts
and their actions. are making preparations
to move unless the spirits soon decide to
transfer to another locality.
AID in solving the mystery In connection
with the showers of missiles, in progress in
termittently day and night for about a
week, has been asked at the seventh pre-
cinct police station Although Capt
Schneider has detailed men to the place
they have utterly failed to solve the mys-
terry.
At first, the police did not pay much at
tention TO the reports that GHOSTS were
busy along Scott street. but in answer to
insistrnt demands from the residents Of
the alley, full investigation ordered
Tor last Sunday. The result startled the
police and caused a furore among the peo-
pie ON the street who We're already fright
encd.
Police Reserves on Duty.
The reserves of the seventh precinct
headed by Capt. Schneider and Joined by
Policeman Johnson. who Is on the beat.
were stationed around the supposed gath
er'ns place of the ghosts in the rear of
houses on the south side of Scott street and
were told to watch. 1t was broad daylight
and the biuecoats, each putting on a brave
front. kept their stations. Suddenly a flu
s!!I@de of rocks. bricks. tin cans and other
missiles was noted. Each officer tried to
see whence the objects came, but in vain.
w hlle he looked in one direction he would
hear WhZ and dodge q brick from an
other direction. Then he would look in the
direction from which the second came: but
soon he would be lodging others from 9TH
er. directions Finally the bOmbardment
ceased and the policemen emerged from
the cover they had sought Although
broad daylight. the mysterious shower con-
tiEucd over the heads of the policemen for
several minutes.
With all the reserves on the scene the
police were unable to locate the source of
the missiles. They just seemed to drop out
OF the air, 1t was declared Some of the
residents of the alley maintain that the
missiles came through trees, where there
were apparently no openings, without cut
ting a leaf.
The failure Of the police to solve the
mystery did not tend to calm the feelings
of those residing in the alley. Less and
less did they trust themselves on the street,
and fewer of their friends visited them.
Some lear for their lives. and there is
general feeling of uncertainty.
First Storm Week Ago.
The first storm of missiles was noted one
week ago last Wednesday. AT first they
seemed to be directed at two houses, 1856
and 1853 Scott street. The broken window
panes and damaged curtains inside of those
houses testify to the intensity and contin-
uance of the showers of bricks tin cans
and pOta toes.
In one house several of the ghosts
weapons are ornaments of the mantelpiece
Recently, however, the storms have not
been confined to the two houses in ques-
ton. and that has confirmed the belief
among many of the residents Oh the street
that ghosts abroad. couple Of days
ago an iron instrument of peculiar design
and construction violently entered a rear
room of the house of Mrs. Jane Norwood,
315S Scott street and it was turned over
to the police. They are struggling with the
matter of its identification, but some of
the men rudely suggested it was a common
ice pick.
Policeman Johnson Of the seventh pre-
cinct. whose beat extends through Scott
street, has been much in demand during
the past few nights. While he was stand
ing at the intersection of Scott street and
32d street last night four colored persons
approached him.
'Mistah is dere anything Up dere?" one
of the men asked pointing up Scott street.
mo. l was Just up there myself" the
policeman replied.
Deed, l doan't want to get hurt" the
man remarked.
"HavN any been seen tonight?' one of the
women Of the party asked.
Il haven't seen any," the policeman re-
piled impatiently.
The party proceeded slowly into the
street, but after going a few yards stopped
in front of the first house There they
were told of the nightly manifestations of
wrath on the part OF the ghosts" and the
visitors We're soon seen to leave the street