Show House Hunters Covet Covel Mansion Built Buill tto to appease Ghosts SAN JOSE CALIF Covetous glances from myriad hunters house during the current housing short short- shortage shortage shortage age are being attracted by a man man- mansion mansion mansion sion here which originally was built to appease ghosts Started 37 years before her death by Mrs Sarah Winchester wife of the inventor of the Winchester rifle of Civil war fame the sprawling crazy quilt structure soon be be- became beame berame came rame an architectural horror Constant construction and reno reno- forced many of the hun hun- hundreds hundreds hundreds of windows in the house to open on solid walls Some of the doors on upper floors open direct direct- directly ly on the outside with no stair stair- stairways stairways stairways ways provided though more than 40 stairways each with 13 steps are through the interior Many of them like the windows and doors have no util util- utility utility utility ity value except for ghosts lurking in the maze of secret passages hidden panels pas pa s and trap doors Following the death of her hus hus- husband husband husband band Mrs Winchester became conscious stricken by the lethal role of the rifle in war and peace and built additions to the house to pacify and entertain the ghosts of gun victims She continued building additions for many years each providing a new monstrosity Every night for 37 years servants servants servants ants prepared and served lavish banquet spreads as Mrs Winches Winches- Winchester ter ter chatted with her guests |