Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 March 1882 — SOME CURIOUS STORIES [ARTICLE]

SOME CURIOUS STORIES

Tunneling for Free Air—He Saw a Ghost—A Foot-Pad Fooled—Other Odd Incidents. John Sansome was left on a Sansome street, Philadelphia, doorstep when a small boy, ana it is supposed that the little outcast got his name from what was then a pleasant thoroughfare. He left Philadelphia years ago, and now, while he is known as a “tip-top” person among his associates on the Pacific coast, ■ the San Francisco police have him down as “a bad one.” In 1874 Sansome was sentenced to a term of fifteen years in the penitentiary at Folson, his crime having been burglary. Nine months ago lie obtained a bit of wire, a chftsel and a block of wood from the work-yard iu which he was employed. These tools were for the purpose of exploring what sounded like a hollow space under the floor of a cell into which lie had moved. He took enough cement out to run his wire down and by prospecting there-with found that there was a considerable opening. He was much encouraged and worked half the night. It was impossible to strike a blow ordinarily, lest the sound Bhould be heard. Sansome kept his mallet in hand, however,and at every slamming of a door madß a stroke that told. One granite block was cut out and a piece of hard wood, whitewashed, was substituted. Examination of the hollow space showed an abandoned sewer. But the sewer was walled with fstone and cement. Sansome began on the wall and worked at it at night for several months. for three and a half feet he managed, by stripping, to crawl through into the sewer. After passing along the sewer some fifty feet he met an obstruction in the shape of stone and cement ten feet thick. This he removed slowly,, piece by piece, carrying it back uncler his cell like a squirrel. Reaehing the ground he tunneled for eight feet and came up through a asphalt floor into a closet. The iron bars across the windows were filed in two and one night, after eight months of constant effort, he escaped. He had lost twen-ty-five pounds during the time. On the following day he was recaptured and given another cell.' A few nights ago Henry Waters, a youth, whose home is near Youngstown, Ohio, was aroused from his sleep by something in the room. He sat bolt upright in bed. The moon shone through a window, and as young Waters looked toward the light he saw a tall figure in ghostly attire slowly approaching. He spoke, but the ghost made no reply. Then he grasped his revolver, and thus armed and thus emboldened said: “If you’re a man I kill you; if you are a ghost this won’t hurt you.” He pulled the trigger aud the report came, but as with quick motion the ghost lifted an arm Waters heard the bullet rebound against the headboard of the bed. This sent a cold chill through the youth, but lie discharged his revolved again and again, and then, wild with fear, hurled it at the intruder. At th,at moment the ghost threw off his disguise, seyeral other parties to tti<? joke came laughing in and lights were struck. The merry-ma-kers had drawn the bullets from the pistol, leaving enough powder to make a report, and at each discharge the play-gbost had thrown a bullet against the headboard. All this the practical jokers expected Waters to enjoy, as he was a jovial fellow, but they found him first dazed, then incoherent, then raving—as his parents fear a maniac.