Seek Brave Man to Ring Haunted Bell.
At midnight Christmas Eve the ringing tones of “Big Sam,” the haunted bell, as it is called at Richmond, Va., will be heard for the first time from the tower of the new armory. Chief W. H. Thompson, of the fire-and-police-signal system, makes this announcement, but he does so with a hesitancy that frequently brings this question:
“Are you sure?”
“As reasonably sure as any one may be about anything in connection with the haunted bell,” said Chief Thompson, still with an air of mystery and as if evading a direct reply. “That bell has been silent almost from the time it was brought to this city twenty-three years ago, and they say it is haunted.”
“So I’ve heard,” ventured the scribe, “but what about it?”
“It has had a baleful influence upon everything connected with it. All who had a hand in bringing it here are dead.”
“Good gracious! What more?”
“It is the biggest bell in the city. It weighs four thousand pounds. It was presented to the Grace Street Presbyterian Church by David Sinton in 1891. We called it ‘Big Sam,’ and the first time he spoke he shook the tower so hard all feared it would come down. The vibrations were so great that it was decided not to ring it again, and, being useless, an effort was made to sell it. The city bought it for the Blues armory in November, 1909, but the acoustics there made it impossible to operate the striker, and finally it was transferred to the new First Regiment Armory and installed in the tower.”
“Well, how about this midnight business on Christmas Eve? I would like to know,” said the scribe, “because it may be that I won’t be here.”
“I was directed to make the necessary connections so that it will strike the hours, both day and night, and auto[Pg 60]matically strike all alarms of fire, military, and special calls. It should be ready to strike the midnight hour Christmas Eve.”
“Will you have the honor of starting the apparatus that strikes the first call?” Chief Thompson was asked.
“No,” he replied quietly. “I told you that every one connected with the haunted bell is dead. I shall sublet the contract of making the connections. Now, possibly you, being a newspaper man and one used to dangers, will——”
“No, sir; I positively will not! Good night!”