Year: 1864

The Detroit Free Press tells the following
marvellous story Of gentleman, high in posi-
ton and happy in all his social relation, who
lives in western Michigan village:


For more than twelve months past he has
been the victim of some fend, who pursues
him with deadly hate, and evidently only
seeks favorable opportunity to take his life
Scarce day passes that he does not fnd In or
about his house upon arising in the morning a
letter full Of invective, declaring the intention
Of the writer to murder him so soon as an op-
portunity shall offer. These letters are found
usually at the front door. They are evidently
written by m iliterate person. unless disguised,
and by desperate character, and are full OF
bitter oaths and vulgarity. They are always
written by the same person, and bear the traces
Of mind scarcely human. Satan himself
could not conceive Of anything more deliberate
ly fendish and diabolical than these epistolary
illusions.


What adds not little to the marvelousness
of this affair Is the fact that all efforts to dis
cover the author of the mischief have thus far
proved entirely fruitless. This phantom, "bird
or DEVIL" that is pursuing the man, In addition
to his malignancy, seems to be possessed of oil
the artifcc aud cunning attributed to the evil
one in his methods Of oonoealment. A guard
has been stationed around the house, or rather
concealed about the lawn and in the shrubbery
adjoining the house for weeks at time, and In
variable there would be found the next morning
letter from the same mysterious individual.
dropped on the verandah, showed In at the par
lor window, and In some instances placed In the
interior room of the house. On such occasions
the letter will describe minutely oil the efforts
made at detection, In many instances giving the
names Of the parties, even telling where he was
concealed during the night, laughing with do.
moniac glee at their efforts at discovery, and
declaring that his time for revenge has not yet
come. but that no amount OF vigilance can drive
him from his deliberate and set purpose to take
the life Of his enemy.


On one occasion, the gentleman's wife and
her brother remained during the night under
the floor Of the porch for the purpose Of detect
ing, II possible, the being who was the author
of all this mischief Nothing unusual, how
ever, was noticed; but the next morning at the
front door the inevitable letter was found. the
writer even going 80 far rs to declare he was
under the portico at the time and knew all
about their attempts at discovery! On another
occasion the gentleman was returning from q
neighbours house. accompanied by his wife,
(the gentleman has not gone out for the last
twelve months after dark unless accompanied
BY female members of his family, or By guard
we'll asmcd,> when the next morning another
letter was found declaring It was the intention
at the time to shoot him, but fearing that he
might do some injury to his wife and daughter,
he was induced to desist. No reason Is assigned
for this persistent attempt to take the mans
life. or course 1t is natural to suppose that II
Is the work of some convict Of the Penitentia-
ry, who fancies that he has been wronged by
pthis gentleman in the discharge Of official duty
in years gone by.