Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-07-26
Haunting Refrain
COuntys Mansions
Attract WeU-Sheeted.
NOn-ChUin Ghosts

doors" at Arlington is either DIR.
White returning late from a call
on a patient or Col. Baker be-
moaning his fate after his indis-
Greet boast before the battle"
BIames DIR. White
Robert Parkins, son of Aiming
toms owner, admits hearing
strange sounds, especially walk.
ing noises" in the house. If a
ghost is to blame, DR.. White is
the culprit, he thinks. Col. Baker
is more likely wandering the
misty Potomac shore around
Balls Bluff, Mr.. Parkins be-
lieves.
Mr.. Parkins remarks philosoph-
ically, WED miss the noises if we
didn't have them"
Though outranked by Coils.
Brooke and Baker, Maj. George
Peter is certainly the bon vivamt
of the apparitions. He was three
times congressman, three-times
married, a veteran of the War of
1912, and frequent host of Alb
raham Lincoln.
Maj. Peter resided-and some
say still resides-at Montanverde
near Seneca, now owned by
Frank P. Hartman, Jr.
Maj. Peter apparently feels
that if he can't take it with him,
he's not going. According to Mr..
Farquhar the old soldier had
toddy brought to his bedroom
each evening as a nightcap. He
would drain the glass and smash
it in the fireplace.
Glass Still Breaks
Some say they still hear the
major SCATTERING his glass late at
night.
Providing that ghosts and peo-
pie can live in peaceful cocks
lance is Aunt Betsy, the happy
haunt at Mr.. and Mrs. William
John Thomas Clifton estate
south of Ashton. Mrs. Thomas la
bells Aunt Betsy ian amiable old
lady,"
Who Aunt Betsy is, nobody
knows. Mr.. Farquhar's book sug-
gests that she may be a slave,
victim of the whipping post still
standing in the basement at Cliff
ton, Mrs. Thomas recalls no mem.
Der of the family named Betsy.
Mrs. Thomas offers practical
explanations for most of Aunt
Betsy's antics. For instance when
candles are blown out and doors
open, Mrs. Thomas blam s.
drafts
However, Mr.. Thomas has whit.
tied what he calls an aunt BETSY
plug" to jam in the latch of the
aSement door so the door won 81
be opened-by drafts or by Aunt
Betsy.
Aunt Betsy Walks
Once Mrs. Thomas was writing
at her desk when she heard a
noise in the dining room. She
turned quickly and saw some
thing" Mrs. Thomas believes she
saw the corner of her own eve.
glasses.
Once the door at the bottom of
the steps openaed by itself. Then
another door opened. ut was like
Aunt Bet y. walked RICH
through explains non-believer
Mrs. Thomas.
Last week the heavy, eight-foot
tail doors of an old wardrobe
swung mysteriously open.
Aunt Betsy, usually well-be-
haved, has gotten prankish. She
once tripped up Mrs. Thomas
great aunt Patty. OF course,
ghosts will be ghosts.
Frederick's Ghosts
That Montgomery County pos.
sesses a definitely superior type
ghost can be seen by looking at
Welcome Farms, the haunted
house of Washington business
man Leon Loeb just across the
line in Frederick County.
On the floor of bedroom is a
spot which at times grows very
red, according to Mrs. Loeb. The
spot supposedly marks the place
where a 60-yearold woman slit
her throat after her 19-year-old
lover had married her, spent all
her money, then Tilted her
One report has it that Mont.
gomery County's eight ghosts
wear only pastel; contour sheets.