The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-03-28
What Is itf
AN ALARMING AMsrERY IN MICHIGAN
"SUPsRy ATRIAL FiuYs'
What tsit I

FROM the Cleveaad Herald.
friend residing in this city, but who is
on visit TO OwossO, Micigan, informs us
OF very singular and unaccountab!e affair
that IS now transporting in Bush township,
five miles north OF Owosso.
farmer named Sterns, residing in that
town, has an adopted daughter by the name
OF Freeman, who is ten years of age While
this little girl was sweeping the sittingroom,
about a week since, she discovered the car
pet to be n fire, and the inmates having
put out the fire, undertook to learn its orr.
gin. There had been no fire built in the
room that morning; no light had been
carried INTO the room, nor could the fam
lily in any way account for the fire. In
less than an hour flames were seen issuing
from some rags in an other room. The
same day the girl clothes caught fire, and
the next morning damp towel that Mrs
Stearns had used in wiping her face, upon
being hung on nail, commenced burning
This last occurrence took place in the
presence ofsome twelve respectable citizens
of the place. Next u straw stack near Mr.
Stearns house WAS consumed At one
time, when u number of persons were in
the house the falling of some heavy sub
stance was heard in tue chamber. directly
above their heads. Upon gong mp stairs
1t proved 10 he a bag filled with books ana
rags, and suspended by C ri To- a beam
The bag was on fire, and the string was
also burning when the parties entered the
room.
Mr.. 5. and family became 50 much
alarmed by these movements that they
left their home. When tI. furniture was
being moved, a trunk, SAID not 10 have
been opened for more than wear, was
discovered to bc Oh fire, and when opened
the tiam-s burst forth, consuming all its
contents
The family are now living in r house
some three miles distant from their farm
but the mysterious torment, termed by the
doubling "humbng, by the -piritualsts
the manifestation OF the spirits By the
Millerites the "per,od Of fire and brm-
Stone, and by DR.. rappen the works
of the Devil, is bound To stick to them as
a brother.
No sooner had the girl entered her new
home than her clothes, took fire in three
different places And now, one other
family, ne visited, are As badly tormented
as is the family of Mr Stearns.
Ia OwOsSo. as well as in the adjoining
village of Corunna, the excitement is most
intense. People are tlecking from every
direction TO witness this truly wonderful
mystery. Some of the most profound
scholars Of the State, among whom are DR.
Tappan, Chancellor Of the University Of
Michigan, President Fairchild of IIillsdae
Cuiledse, and others. have been 10 see the
sights and all agree that there are hidden
mysteries beyond the depth OF the closest
observers
one man remarked that ''the Judgment
of God was about to be inf oted upon the
heads of His wickde people Another
bloated old Democrat says that The cause
in which our army is engaged is unholy,
and that this Is fire in the rear. soon to
belch forth, and devastate the whole North
We suspect, however, thata good practical
chemist and !. skiilful detective could soon
unraval the mystery