The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1914-07-02
Oldershaw
Castle
By JOHN TURNLEE

While examining an old manuscript
of my great-grandfather bearing the
date of 1T73 l came across the follow
ing record of an incident that occurred
to him while travelling on the island of
Jamaica. 1t was written in my pro-
genitor's hand and in the old fashioned
spelling and with numerous capitals
1t ran thus:
: was riding along on horseback to-
ward st. Pedro. Not far from me was
a ridge on which was built very curl
Gus looking house. There was tow
er among the other parts, from which
l judged one might view the whole
country roundabout. While l was
wondering who might live in such
strange looking place ! saw mounted
negro galloping toward me. When he
came up to me he reined in his horse
and said to me:
my marster. Mr.. Oldershaw, invites
yo' to dine with him at his castle on
the ridge, to stay the night and as
much longer as yo' will"
l had experienced so much hospital
ity thus far in Jamaica that l was not
as much surprised at this strange in
vitation as l would have been under
other circumstances. l thought that l
would accept 1t and go into st. Pedro
in the morning. rode on, bidding the
negro ride beside me and asking him
questions about Mr. Oldershaw and his
castle. l was informed that he was an
Englishman who had come out to ia
maica a few years before. had bought
a tract of land and built upon it what
he called Oldershaw castle. He was
the only white person in it, the rest
being his negro slaves.
l found Mr.. Oldershaw at the en-
trance of his abode ready to greet me.
He bore the stamp of an English gen
tleman. with much more of friendliness
in his manner than the average Eng
lishman would have shown a stranger.
He told me that he lived lonely life
and from the tower of his castle
watched with a telescope for travellers
and ON seeing one invariably sent a
slave with an invitation.
Never would a suspicion of the man
have entered my head had l not known
that Jamaica at that time was the
dumping ground for the "black sheep"
of English families. So it at once oc-
Cured to me that Mr.. Oldershaw, be-
ing an English gentleman, might have
been sent to Jamaica by his family to
get him out of the way.
We dined sumptuously, partaking of
the luscious fruits of the country and
drinking the choicest of wines. My
host pressed the bottle upon me, but
noticed did not drink much himself.
We were served by the negro who had
borne my invitation. He never spoke.
obeying his masters slightest look, go
ing and coming noiselessly. Indeed,
there was something in this stiffness
pervading the place that gave me
desire to get out of it. Then, too,
there was something about my hosts
hospitable manner which gave me the
idea that it was not genuine.
My host and | smoked some delicious
cigars after dinner that he told me he
had just received from Havana. When
bedtime came | was shown to room
beautifully fitted up with every con-
venience and was left to myself. But
something | could not account for
warned me that | was in danger.
travelled. like every one else in that
country, armed. 1 had not the face to
take my arms to my room, but / had
cane with sword in it. and this
caught up as | went upstairs.
BY this time was in terror. l tried
to pOohpooh my fright and called my
self fool for conjuring up imaginary
dangers. But l could not get myself
into that bed. Instead l lay down on
lounge. An hour passed and l got
no sleep. Another followed with the
same result. In that hot climate bed
room doors are not closed. / thought
/ heard noise on the stairway with
out. l had noticed curtains on all the
windows, and, slipping to one Of them
and catching up my sword cane as
passed. put myself behind a curtain.
Some one stole into the room. l heard
footsteps near the bed, then a sound
like a sword plunging through mat
tress.
man drew a lantern from under
his cloak and held the light over the
bed. He was Oldershaw. | knew by
this time that he had intended to muir
der me. and my only chance was to
kill him before he recovered from his
surprise at finding the bed empty.
Drawing my sword, left my hiding
place and made unge, running the
blade clear through his left side. He
sank down with groan and was still
But one idea absorbed me-to get out
of the place with my life. l descended
the staircase hurriedly, but softly, my
dripping blade in my hand Opening a
door at the foot of the stairs, l stood
at the entrance of lighted room in
which were half dozen blacks ap-
parently waiting for something. They
looked at me in astonishment.
"Clear the way" | yelled and. sword
In hand, strode past them. they COVER
ing from me, and gained an exit not