Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 301, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 December 1915 — Spook Excites Navy Men at New London Station [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Spook Excites Navy Men at New London Station

NEW LONDON, CONN. —At the local naval station, recently made a base for submarines, the gallant band of navy men have been pestered lately with an apparition, and a newspaper man came to investigate the weird tales.

Many of the dark whispers had said: “See Shea at the barracks; he knows.** So to the barracks, an old, threestoried structure, long disused, but now being fitted up for the crews of the submarines, went the correspondent, escorted by the officer of the day. Out Of the anteroom Shea appeared, a robust and muscular young petty officer. “Have you heard of a ghost around these barracks?’’ the corre-

spondent asked. “I*ve seen it,” said Shea; “seen it three nights. And, what’s more, I saw it three or four times and in three or four places every one of these Bights!” “Yes, sir,” Shea went on, "I’ve walked up against The Thing three times Afraid of it? Not much!” It was Friday night—evil time that—that he felt something was wrong somewhere in the barracks, deserted by all save himself, according to Shea. For an hour or two he lay awake, listening intently, but could hear no sound. Then he decided to get up and make a round of the building. So he got up and started down a corridor. Near the foot of a stairway he saw a gray form standing. "What are you doing here?” he demanded. There was no reply. Shea atarted for the gray shape, but just before reaching it, it vanished. The bewildered Shea turned around and there it was just behind him. He was startled by the swift and noiseless change in position, but not think jag of ghost*, only of a marauder, he started to grapple with the shape, when ft vanished again. . The baffled watchman wheeled around to see The Thing at his right side, and as be reached a powerful arm to clutch it, it was gone