Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1850-05-15
REVELATIONS

of the largest daily circulation on the Amer
lean continent Revelations Of so wonderful
a character, and vouched for on authority, de-
serve surely to be read to say the least. We
are unable to form an opinion, and express
none, in reference to them. We republish them
with the endorsement of the editors of one
Of the most extensively read papers in the world
and will simply add that it will be read with the
deepest interest IN o. Crescent
A Few FACTS FOR THE INcREDuLoUs.-We
have been aware, for some six weeks past, OF
occurrences in the family Of a well known and
highly respected gentleman, residing in the
town of Stratford, Conn, a short distance from
Bridgeport, simple authenticated narrative OF
which has already staggered the incredulity
of some of the boldest disbelievers in supernat-
ural agency, and inspired the timid, Ito a con-
siderable degree, with terror. We have not
felt at liberty, however, to make public men,
ton of them, from a regard to the feelings and
wishes of the family; but that restraint is now
removed, by the appearance Of a garbled state
ment in the columns of a contemporary: and we
shall proceed to detail few facts, which are so
we'll vouched for to us, that we endorse them as
freely as we could do had they passed under
our own eyes, and in our dwelling. There is
in them, to say the least, a mystery, which has
not vet been solved, and which, from the un.
successful endeavors made to discover it, seems
,t,,erplainable by any supposaion Of human agen-
cy.
Six weeks ago last Sunday morning, on their
return from church, the family was alarmed at
finding the outside doors, which they had locked
an hour or two previously, open, and piece of
black Grape tied to the handle of the front
door. Supposing the house had been broken
into for the sake of robbery, they Immediately
searched to see if they missed any thing They
found all the chambers and inner doors, many
of which they had left locked, wide open, but
nothing was missing. The next day, on enter
ing the room occupied by the eldest daughter
they found the window and looking glass COW
cred over by sheets, and on the bed figure
laid out to repsesent a corpse. 49,
This discovery was followed, in the course
of few days, by strange noises about the
house, and by various articles being thrown
about, apparently by invisible hands, most of
which seemed directed at the young lady. She
became very much alarmed, and eventually was
taken i'll, and seized with convulsions, from
which, for some period, it was feared she would
not recover Notwithstanding the close guard
which was kept over her during her sickness,
strings, handkerchiefs, and other articles, were
from time to time found tied tightly around
her neck, and pillows from another bed, in the
same room, placed over and pressed upon her
face. Many such things occurred, which it was
impossible for her to effect, without attracting
the notice of those who were watching by, and
taking care of her. After seme days she recov-
cred, and was sent to aneighboring village. A
day or two after her departure, things began
to be thrown about the house as before. They
consisted chiefly of small articles, such as nails,
screws, pebbles, spools of thread, etc.
During the young lady's sickness, neighbors
were called in, and became eye-witnesses to
many of the strange things which were occur
ring about the house. The articles which were
thrown about began to be of larger dimensions
Ia spoon, knife, fork, book, or poker being
occasionally moved. The disturbance was
neither constant nor regular. At times nothing
at all would happen for hours, and again sue
cession of falling, or throwing incidents would
then occur within few minutes of each 9th
er, and in different parts of the house. The
gentleman's son, a lad Of some twelve or four
teen years Of age, far from being alarmed, found
great amusement in chasing and picking up the
moving articles. ,s
One evening he thus ran into room adjoin-
ing that in which the family was sitting,
whence had proceeded the noise Of something
falling on the floor, and Immediately uttered
piercing scream. His friends going in found him
ON the floor, writhing in aft. He was taken up,
ATTENDED to, and recovered from it the next
day, when he said that the cause of his scream
ing was, that somebody caught him around
the body, just above the hips, and was lifting
him up, as he feared, through the ceiling. Of
the fit he was not conscious. The next eve
ming, and every evening for about ten days
during the day time, the boy was seized with
similar fits, which would last one or more hours
and then pass off.
To enumerate the articles thrown, and the
manner and appearance Of them, and above all
the impressions made upon neighbors and stran-
gers who frequently were witnesses, would
require not only whole columns but whole
We shall havs room for but few,
and in selecting them we shall not refer to
what we have already narrated. They are
vouched for in the most unequivocal manner, bv
gentlemen who are in no way connected with
the family, and who could not for moment be
suspected Of the least collnsion, and are the
request of the family.
On one occasion two gentlemen Of our ac-
quaintance madea thorough examination of the
upper part Of the house, leaying the whole of
the family below stairs. Having Noked
through the different rooms without observing
anything unusual they were retiring down stairs
when a fire-poker, which they had noticed
hanging on a nail in one of the chambers, passed
near their heads and struck into the floor before
them, near the foot Of the stairs They re
turned and once more re-examined the premises.
Nothing, and no person, could be found. The
door Of the chamber, in which the poker had
hung was closed, just as they had left it,
but the poker was not in its place. Moreover
the door was so situated, that it could not well
be opened without attracting their. attention,
until they had passed further down the stairs
than they had done when the poker whizzed
by.