THE EVENING TELEGRAPH — JULY 11, 1870
VAMPIRES ♢ Gibbering Ghosts in Germany—A Flesh-creeping Narrative of Vampirism—Truth Stanger than Fiction
A correspondent of the New York World, writing from Hodmir, Hungary, June 1, tells an almost incredible story, a portion of which we here reproduce. Coming from any less responsible source, the tale would be unworthy of notice, but appearing in a respectable journal, we give it, leaving readers to form their own conclusions. The Worldwriter says:—
The story I have to tell is so terrible in its character that I can scarcely hope it will find credence among my own people. I venture, however, to send it to you for publication, and am willing to let the matter be referred to the local authorities for verification:—
In the little Hungarian village where, for the past two months, I have been living, there has lately reappeared the old horrible superstition of vampirism. Already it has spread to several of the neighboring towns, so that within a circle whose radius is fifteen miles, and whose centre is Hodmir, hardly anything is thought or spoken of but vampires.
Recently at about 2 o’clock in the morning I awoke in a cold sweat, screaming, and struggling with some horrible thing cold as death, that lay upon my breast, pinioning my arms to my sides and trying to fasten its clammy mouth upon my throat. I yelled and fought, and presently I heard
