"I went into my room. I lay down on the lounge for a moment, then by an impulse I cannot account for, I walked to the door. The head of the stairway was somewhat dimly lighted, as you see it now, but not so dimly but what I could at once see what appeared to be the figure of Russell. It was so real, so lifelike, that I at once stepped forward and stretched out my hand, and was about to speak some words of welcome.

"The figure seemed to have a roll of music in one hand and the other over its face, but it was Russell's image. I am quite sure of that. As I advanced to the head of the stairway the figure seemed to turn, as if about to descend, and faded into the air.

"I remember trying to speak to the figure, but the tongue clung to the roof of my mouth. Then I fell against the wall and gasped out. 'Ah! My God!' just like that. My sister and niece, with the other folks, came up. My niece said, 'Uncle Harry, what's the matter?' I went on to explain what it was, but was so scared I could hardly speak. My niece said, 'Don't you know Russell is dead?' Well, that flabbergasted me; it only made matters worse, and I nearly fainted. Then they told me that the Rev. Mr. Davis had sent Mr. Sprague to tell me of the sad news. I was terribly startled by the affair, and feel shaky even now, but I am not given to superstitious fears, and I suppose it can be explained. Mr. Sprague had been waiting nearly half-an-hour before I saw him and obtained corroboration of the news of Russell's death. It is very strange; very strange, indeed. I saw that man Russell after he must have been dead three hours at least, as plainly as I see you in that chair".

Mr. Reeves confirms this account in a letter to Dr. Hodgson as follows:-

San Francisco, September 15th, 1890.

Dear Sir, - With reference to your favour of the 5th inst., just received, the full particulars were given in city papers; some things not just exactly as stated, especially the word "flabbergasted," which is foreign to me.

Apart from what you read, there is nothing more to be given.

H. E. Reeves.

Dr. Hodgson received the following independent and corroborative account from Mr. Sprague:-

Grand Forks, Dak., November 29th, 1890.

. . . You probably know all about Mr. Russell's death and connection with St. Luke's Church, so I shall only give you the facts as they came to my knowledge.

On Friday noon, August 22nd, a young lady friend of the Russells came to my brother-in-law's (Mr. Davis') house and asked to see Mr. Davis. As Mr. Davis was out, his wife (my sister) saw this young lady. I was not present at the interview, but my sister told me shortly afterwards the facts of Mr. Russell's death, etc, and said that this young lady had come to ask Mr. Davis if the church choir would be willing to sing at Mr. Russell's funeral, as Mr. R.'s family were of limited means and could not afford to pay the choir.

As I was going to Mr. Reeves' house that afternoon my sister asked me to tell Mr. Reeves about Russell's death and ask him about the singing. I called at 1221 California Street about three o'clock that afternoon, and had been in the parlour some twenty minutes talking with Miss Kavanagh (Mr. Reeves' niece), when we heard Mr. Reeves' exclamation on the stairs, and I followed Miss Kavanagh to see what the trouble was. We found Mr. R. sitting on the stairs in his shirt sleeves and evidently very much frightened. Miss K. brought him a glass of wine, also a glass of water, but I think he did not touch either. After a couple of minutes Mr. R. went up to his room, and Miss Kavanagh asked me to go up and see if he was all right, as she was afraid to go. I went up and found Mr. Reeves sitting down on a chair near the window with his legs crossed. He had no coat or vest, collar or necktie on, and the perspiration seemed to roll off him. He seemed greatly agitated, but in a few minutes he told me his story, and I left him.

In about five minutes he came downstairs and began to talk about it, and continually said, "It is the strangest thing; I can't understand it." Goldwin S. Sprague.