Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-12
WOMAN In BLACK"
TERRTFIES FOLKS
OUT RADNOR WAY
Residents Of THAN Tell of
Spir itual Manifestation
That Makes Night Strolls
Perilous Undertakings.

"A tall woman dressed in black. wear
ing broad hat that shades her face and
mans. overcoat Of a light hue" has had
the Inhabitants Of THAN, between Villa
nova and Radnor, all stirred up for the
last 10 days
The mysterious presence descended upon
peaceful THAN a week ago last Tuesday.
Jim wiison, who works on the r. l..
Montgomery estate, on the top OF the
hIll at THAN. was coming home at a late
hour and on the Spring Mil road with
tho lights of THAN in sight, when the
woman. as described by all who have
seen her. appeared, walked up beside him
and peered into his face. Jim said trem-
bIIngiy.
''what do you want OF me7"
The woman did not sneak. Jim says he
took one long breath and raced for home.
The next night he told the tale in Post
master William II. Cornog's store, where
Radnor road and the old Lancaster pike
cross. Not oil of them take the tale of
Wilson as a Joke but the postmaster and
his assistant. Trypn Steel, affectionately
known as Shorty from Villanova to st.
Davld's, rather doubt II.
However that may be. Edward Mullen,
tween THAN and st. David's, had his
experience. and he does not imbibe at all.
Last Saturday night he was coming along
that same Spring MIL road. when he
heard light. hurried footsteps behind him.
He looked back once. and coupled on his
high gear, He had seen a woman In q
blnck dress running. After few minutes
the footsteps ceased. Should Ed look
back, or should he keep right on? He
waited and then looked back. The road
was empty. There was not a sign of the
woman Then Mullen decided that he had
seen a spiritual manifestation and left
the neighborhood.
Enter Samuel Miller, who lives on top
of the hill at THAN. and Jess Whiteman,
who lives at the foot of the hill Last
Monday night they went to Villanova
to cali on some friends, and after mid
night they started home. Just before
they came TO the haunted place Sam said
to Jess:
.''wouidn't you like to see that woman
right thia minute7''
Jess had concluded preliminary shud-
der, but had not had time to reply when
right out OF nowhere, in the road before
them. appeared the woman. Sam Miller
says he had voice enough left to say to
the mystery.
Good evening. Name"
There was no reply. The two friends
differ as to what followed. Jess White
man frankly says he ran. Mr.. Miller says
positively that he did not run. But you
got TO the postoffics as soon as I did"
less retorts
Last Saturday on the Radnor road,
where the houses are wide apart and one
notices all who pass. there was seen a
strangely veiled woman dressed In black.
She did not have the mans overcoat.
Mrs. Todd. who lives on Radnor road in
sight of st. Davld's allowed her maid to
give some food to the woman. A woman
IN black was seen last Friday at Villa
nova and received help at several house
holds. but she seemed to be poor rather
than mysterious.
Monday a passerby at Cornog's store
chanced 10 remark that a woman inmate
Of the hospital at Norristown had escaped
n few days before. She was harmless, he
had heard.
The head gardener on the Hoffman es-
tate investigated Mulien's story and found
that a woman living on Spring Mill road,
at just the time that Mullen saw his
sapparition. had started from home to
catch train and was running. When
she got to the top OF the hill she saw
the train pulling into the station and
turned back. She remembered noting
the hurried steps of a man ahead OF her
There has been no accounting thus far
for the experience of the other three
men.