Year: 1859

ask me. 10 questions. Listen yru 10 me


and mark well my words


q do not live in the sense you mean


yet / do exist in the ethereal spheres, bu


am forbid to diyulge the secrets | know,


have seen, and part of which | am. My


murderer now satisfied that l no longer


breathed ceased his terrible assault with


the bludgeon, and with an axe severed my


head from the body; the former he buried


under the hearth, in this room, while nay


body was thrown into the well, which was
filled up the same night, and all apperte


nanees surrounding the well were removed


that the place of burial might forever re-


main in oblivion


Thinking that l might detect the ugly


faced rascal in his lies, | told him l could


not see how his skull could be on his sboul


ders and buried under the hearth at the


same time seemed contrary to my philoso-


ply. As l spoke the skull from his shoul-


ders disappeared with the quickness oi


thought, and in less than a moment saw


the figure of the skeleton before be a head


less trunk. A mysterious change had oc-


cured, and a cold chill passed over me,


which left me as it were, for the moment


half unnerved. 1t was but moment, for


quickly reco. eri' G selfpossession, assum-


ed an attitude prepared for any emergency


that mil ght present itself. The ghost stood


before me frightful headless object. All
ct once l heard loud voice, without


knowing whence it came, commanding me


take up the bricks of the hearth and dis
entomb the skull of the murdered Syme.'


proceeded to execute the order with
out.a moments delay, and after digging up
few brick, in a minute or two came TO the
skull of human being. While examin-
ing it, the thing passed rather mysteriously
from my hands, and in a moment it was
back upon the shoulders of the spectre
The manner in which it left me seemed so
unaccouniably strange that | was utterly
astonished, and am even now, unable TO
explain how the thing got from my hands.


A moment after the skull fixed itself up
on the shoulders of the ghost, it com
menced speaking, taking up the thread of
discourse where il had left off, and pro-
ceeded to say that, before going to bed,
placed my keys and pocket book under my
head my murderer having disposed of my
body, took my pocket book and with the
keys of my trunks proceeded to examine
my effects. In my pocket book were nine
ty dollars, on the bank of st. Clair Mich
igan; in the pockets of my pantalocns were
some small change. My horse and ped
ding wagon were taken TO Indiana, and
there disposed of by my assassin. With
the proceeds derived from the sale thereof,
he returned to the neighborhood of the
scene Of murder, and there resided, until
arrested and convicted for the detestable
crime which sent him to the Ohio prison.


As soon as be bad washed the external
evidence of guilt from his hands and blood
stained weapon, he proceeded to count the
money. Cleves Notwithstanding he resi-
ded in the neighborhood of the murder,
was never arrested for the crime. But his
wickedneSs was not to pass unpunished, be-
ing arrested for incest, he was subsequently
conviced and confined for a number of
years in the Ohio prison. But for my ter
rible murder he remained UNPUBLISHED. No
one aided him in tie foul transaction, and
my death rests on him alone


At this part of his story thought prop
er to inquire what his object was in appear
ing to me. He answered that, although
it was not his object or intention to reply
to me, or to any question might put to
him, yet, the information he would impart
to me embraced all that was necessary for
me to know. My purpose il appearing
to you this time, is that can communicate
trough you to the world an account of my
vile and bloody death, that mankind may
know my fate and abhor my murderer
You are hereby commanded to write to
my granddaughter, Gilmore Syms, of Co.
lunlbus, Georgia, and acquaint him with
the particulars of all that have communi-
Gated to you; mention that it is my desire
that my remains be taken up and receive
the proper rites of burial. | am the spirit
of the murdered Syms, whose soul for
years was seen about these premises; l have
wandered up and down upon the earth un-
til relief came by communicating to you
subjects incommanicable to man. Through
you the world will learn the nature of my
foul and bloody death. / have nearly
done-the hour is approaching when l
must presently leave you. Many persons
have seen, but dared not speak to me, and
| had not power of my own will to speak
until first spoken to by living man; your
courage has relieved my soul and now af
fords me peace


positively refused to comply with his
request unless he answered me one question
He told me to name it. | went on to say
that there was a great mystery concerning
the disappearance of the daughter of Col.
Aaron. Burr, Mrs. Aston, wife of the Gov.
of South Carolina, and wished him to ex-
plain it, as | knew he could do so. The
spectre answered: In peace her gentle
spirit rests; as was dealt with by the
hand of man, so she received her death
most foul and bloody. She perished at
sea, being murdered by pirates, while on
her way to join her husband in Charleston,
South Carolina


As be ceased speaking, the specter ex-
tended towards me its bony hand, which
and as grasped its fieshless grip
a cold chill suddenly passed over me, that
caused my blood to freeze as il were in my
healthy veins. Thus hand in hand, in
locked though loathed embrace, front to
front and face to face, walked with the
fantom some yards from the door to the
open air was about TO speak toit, when
4 Al