Year: 1861

The San Andreas Independent tells the
following strange story:


Last February a year, a miner named
Stew art was killed at Cave City las is sup
posed) in drunken quarrel, by Dan Rice,
who is now in the State Prison for the crime.
The killing was done with knife, and the
body when found was dreadfully hacked and
cut. 1t happened in small house, situated
some fifty feet from any other dwelling or
tenement. Since that time the house has
been uninhabited except at short intervals,
'WIen a strange miner come to town and stop
p d there until he could get business and a
permanent abode. Some four or five weeks
ago two miners came from Shaw's Flat to
Cave City In search of a claim. lnqniring
for a room to lodge them temporarily, they
were directed to Stewards vacant cabin, to
which they at once repaired, and there fixed
for housekeeping. The first night one of
the twain, being seated by the fire, about
o'clock, whilst his partner (who by the
way was deaf was asleep in bed, heard
steps upon the platform in front Of the door,
and instantly after distinct rapping,
as of some visitor who wished admittance
He invited the person rapping to come in,
but receiving no reply went to the door with
light to invite the stranger in person; but
no stranger was there-nothing but the
wind and vacancy He thought it strange,
but soon forgot the circumstance. In ten
minutes more, lie heard the same noise re-


peated, and again went to the door with the
same result us at first-nothing visible. He
then made tour Of the house, but no one
was about and no rustling or football could
be heard. He went TO bed but all through
the lonely hours of the night, until 3 OF clock
in the morning, lie was kept awake by the
strange footsteps on the porch and the rap


ping at the door. His partner being deaf
was in luck, and slept soundy. For some
ten days he stood it, being a man of no SUI
perstitious mixture and at last, from sheer
loss of sleep, was forced to leave the house
and take another. These facts becoming
known among the miners of Cave City, one
of thei: number, al Italian, who is repre-
sented as being like Governor Pickens and
Lord Nelson 'insensible to tear," volnn-
teered, on bet, to pass nightin the haunted
house, if his Watchdog were allowed to
keep his company. The matter being so
arranged, a week or so ago the Italian and
his dog, which is a fierce animal, went into
the house about o'clock in the evening.
The man had taken off his coat, boots and
hat, and was seated by the fire preparatory
to going to bed, when just about o'clock,
Monsieur Tonson come again" with his ter
rible football and rappings. Our hero invi


ted the mysterious stranger in, but receiving
no answer got up and went to the door with
light. No one was there no sound was
heard. Turning around to shut the door, be
noticed his dog crouching in the corner,
and evincing signs Of fright. He took his
seat by the fire again, but had scarcely
breathed half dozen times until the same
pranks were enacted over again. This time
even the brave man was a little alarmed, and
on going to open the door the dog followed
him crouchingly and cowed. On going to
the door for the third time, he heard noise
as of some one being strangled, which made
his flesh creep and chilled his blood. AS
soon as the door was opened the poor scared
dog darted out and ran off in the greatest
alarm. On taking his seat for the fourth
time, and again hearing the inexplicable nois-
es mixed with an aggravated sound OF stran-
gnlaton, he drew on his boots and coat and
took hasty leave of the place but on open
ing the door, a pane of glass in the window
was shivered into a hundread pieces. Since
then no one has had the hardhood to go
into the house after nightfall, though there
is ali offer of $40 for any one who will do it.


A PERFECT RAT DRIVER Chloride of lime