Year: 1877

ReviaitS thO Pale Giimpses Of


His Prison Cell.


The San Jose Mercury contains
the narrative of a reporters expe-
rience in a cell which is said TO be
haunted by the ghost of Vasquez,
the bandit, who was hanged for
murder within the walls of the
county prison. Criminals who have
been placed there since his taking
off have begged to be removed from
the scene of its fearful visitations.
Strange and chilling stories are told
of what they have seen and heard.
The Mercury says:


About twenty minutes after we
had taken our places in the cell
and had made considerable noise in
moving around we heard Madden
call to his roommate, saying /:
Bernal, there is some fellow in the
Vasquez CELL" Then followed a
conversation between Madden and
us, In which particulars were given
of our assumed crime, departure
from San Francisco, particulars of
capture, and when this information
was received the young man sub
sided into silence. None of the
other prisoners appeared to be
awake, and all was as silent as the
tomb. We lit a candle and sat
down upon the prison bunk await
ing developments, and in our un-
easiness for the appearance of
ghosts arose and walked to the
wicket and the grating, and peered
out into the corridor and passage.
Everything was silent, not a
sound to break the stiffness. I'M
der the impression that light was
unfavorable to the ghostly visit it
was blown out, and we were left
peering into the darkness of the
dungeon, whispering to each other.
To one unused to darkness a feel
ing of utter loneliness takes posses
zion Of him, and even the human
voice, SO comforting under almost
kindred circumstances, sounds
strangely unnatural in its sup
pressed whisperings. Soon we real
lied this, and our whisperings
ceased, and we, in conformity with
everything around us, reapsed into
a gloomy silence, continuing until
about half.past IL, when we were
startled by a quick, crashing sound,
such as is produced by throwing a
glass bottle against a wall This
proceeded apparently from the west
corner of the prison, and was i'm
mediately followed by two similar
crashes in the south corner, and a
fourth and louder similar crash
against the east side of the wall,
while Immediately following the
last was heard at our cell door
low, mouotonous muttering sound,
as of some dull instrument striking
against the door about a foot from
the bottom. What wild fancies
fitted through our minds We do
not now remember, but we felt the
plot deepening and the ghostly
visitant growing more familiar. We
called to the prisoners to tell us
what was the cause of the noise,
when Madden, the only one who
appeared to be awake, answered,
That's Vasquez's ghost; you are
in the haunted cell" and while he
poured out the tale of his expert
ences with the shade the knocking
slowly grew louder, but retaining
the same monotony until it made
the cell vibrate with the noise Of !
the blows. We went to the wicket
and looked out, up and down the
corridor, but could see nothing.


We could not look to the foot of |
the door, as the wicket was too
small, but ran out a hand and
reached down as far as was posi-
BILE without detecting anything or
causing the noise to cease. 1t be-
gan, however, gradually to decrease
in power or volume, falling slowly |
and measured until it died away.
Again all was silent, remaining 50
for some time, and all at once brok-