Newspaper Clipping of the Day

Via Newspapers.com

This tale of Mystery Blood--with some extra supernatural trimmings--appeared in the “San Francisco Call,” Dec 20, 1891:

The people of the little hamlet of Milton's Cross Roads are frantic over a mysterious and ghostly occurrence of nightly frequency. This is the print of a foot outlined in blood, which has been found recently in every house in the village. Sometimes this mysterious sign is discovered on the porch, sometimes in the kitchen, again in the parlor, and even in the bed-room.

No sound nor other phenomenon accompanies it, and whoever or whatever it is that leaves the mark comes and goes unseen. Every attempt, however cunningly planned, has utterly failed to solve the puzzle, until it appears that the unknown visitor has cognizance of each move in that direction. It never seeks the house in which it is expected, but while watched for at one end of the town will appear at the other.  From this fact many of the citizens are persuaded that the thing is the work of some waggishly disposed member of their number, though his mode of operation has not been fathomed thus far. 

The more ignorant of the community attribute the singular occurrence to the agency of some supernatural being, claiming that none other could operate so secretly and mysteriously. The footprint has frequently been found in the morning in the room occupied by several persons, not one of whom was disturbed by any unusual noise or sight. The foot appears to be that of a man, and approaches the gigantic in size.

It is the left foot, and a larger stain of blood at the head seems to indicate that the wound from which it flows is there. That it is blood and that of a human is sworn to by chemists in Tucson and Tombstone to whom the dried scrapings of several floors have been sent. So great is the agitation and anger of the people that night watches have been organized, and the man, woman or child found abroad after dark must make his or her errand known, but in spite of this vigilance the bloody foot leaves its tracks somewhere every night.

I couldn’t find anything more about the story.