This 'trait ' of Mr. Castleman leads to the first alleged murder on Blackstone Lake and the rumour of the Ghost of Amos.
Earl Jennings and his older brother Gordon were particularly suspicious of Castleman as they had befriended Amos and with the facts not ringing true they felt strongly that there had been no accident. But there was no body. The locals and tourists collected $15 in order to have the lake dredged around the island area between Myrtle, Chicadee and the One Tree Island or Cranberry Island as the Staintons called it. On being confronted for money Mr. Castleman said “Negros are not worth 15¢ let alone $15 ' '. Despite this racist remark, he promised to pay any expense in the search for Earnest 's body as well as any funeral expenses but, of course, he never did. One more thing to raise the ire of locals and cottagers.
Perhaps tellingly, Charles left after Amos 's disappearance in mid-September, seemingly in no rush, despite the fact that his wife of one year, Harriet was giving birth to his daughter on September 15. This newborn , Elizabeth, would be the only child Charles would ever have. Could it be that he was so