Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-12-06

u day one thing it is rather poor in
is haunted castles W
The old world has a virtual mo- VIZ
nopoly in that article x
Virtual but not quite complete.
For. down in the hill country OF
northern Georgia, there does stand one -
ruined castle Bansey Gardens by
name, which can match the best that
Europe boasts heirloom for heirloom ~
and ghost for ghost.
You'd suppose that such A treasure p
would be jealousy guarded And,
indeed, this one was for more than
century.
But a few weeks ago Barnslcy
Gardens suffered the unspeakabc
humiliation Of being placed on the auc-
ton block. ghosts and all.
Piece by piece it's fabulous furnish
ings, It's gold clocks rare marbles,
tapestries. bronzes, paintings, were
knocked down TO the highest bidders,
Grated and shipped off to the ordinary,
unhaunted abodes OF strangers.
There don't seem 10 have been any
takers for the ghosts, so-as ghosts
arc not prone 10 change habits at the
drop Of an auctioneers hammer-they
are probably stu carrying on with
business at the old stand
If this supposition is correct they are the
only Barnscys left in Barnslcy Gardens "a
SOLDERING reflection when you consider that the
founder OF the family built 'he castle in 1850
and that II remained steadily .u The hands Of
his descendants until 1912
Moreover from tho passionate way In
which these descendants hold and tended b.
you'd think thcy We're trying % give the Ac
10 tho theory. now pretty generally accepted
that you can't take IL with you.
This attitude was characteristic of tho
founder himself Godfrey Barrsey cotton
millionaire and evidently nc managed 10
hand II down 20 his heirs
Through successive wars and pauics the
Barnsleys remained firmly feuda.
But while they could endure everything
Tho last century had 20 offer including the
War Between the states" and the rigorous
TRIALS OF the days ~ Reconstruction. while they
even struggled through World War I fairly
well cataC lysmic events since then have been
too much for them.
The great depression 81 tho th.rtics found
three members a. the family. in the direct
line still holding The fort. They were Mrs
Aidle BaIi2.uc Savior old Godfreys grand
daughter and her two Sons. Harry and Pres
ton.
A murder an Imprisonment and a death
from natural causes-wcre the blows that
finally shook loose their grip.
Today only one Of them, Preston, survives,
and he might as well be dead. for he rs serving
"a life sentence I'M prison for tho killing Of his
hI4tLer sLX1u- YEARS
Addic her life blasted bv this tragedy
fingered on "a lonely old woman, seeking the
elusive companouship Of the ghosts of her
forcbcars and Of her murdered son.
She used 10 tell nfrcqucnt flcshly visitors
that She often watched tho shade Of her grand
mother, strolling along lockwood terrace in
the garden.
Sometimes too she thought she heard old
Godfrey push back the chair from his desk in
the library And she seldom visited the Ghost
Wing" where the personal belongings of the
Victorian dead were stored without surpris-
ing a shadowy company in the midst OF pack
ing for a Journey that was never taken.
But these fleeing glimpses and impress
sions were not enough for Addic She longed
for closer association with the castles flesh
less tenants.
Last Spring death granted her wish.
Since she died intostatc and since her son,
Preston. was of course, scarcely To- "a position
60 inherit, tho long reign of The Bauslcys
over what ON information and belief, is the
only haunted castle in the United states was
at last ended
The cant take d. with you' school Of
thought had scored notable triumph.
m