Received of Ann Gibson sixteen dollars for one month’s rent in advance from June 1. To 30 1870 rent to begin on 1. June and end on the 30.
Rented May 27 1870
J. Herriges.
THE DISCOVERY.
On Monday, June 14th, Mr. Gibson’s little sister was sent up-stairs to get ready for school, and on going to the window she was frightened by seeing a man looking through the crevices of an upper window in Herriges house, which window was in the second story. This window was closely barred with pieces of plank from top to bottom.
The man was mumbling and singing and making strange and singular noises. The little girl came running down stairs in the utmost terror exclaiming:
“Oh, mother! mother! there is a man up in that room! I saw him poke his nose through the boards just like a dog!”
Being busy, Mrs. Gibson did not go up at this moment to verify the child’s statement, but when she did find time she went up. By that time the man had withdrawn his nose from the window, but shortly afterwards she caught a glimpse of something that she thought was the hand of a human being, covered with filth, resting against the space between the bars.
At this moment Mrs. Gibson saw Mrs. Herriges, John’s mother, in the yard, and called to the prisoner, saying:
“What are you there for? Why don’t you pull off the boards and get out?”