The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-09-26
Qbe Qimes, New- Bloun1flelo, pa.


it was noticed that a 20 penny nail used
in fastening a window in the kitchen loft
was broken after being slightly bent.--
The winlow in question faces east aud
overlooks the roof over the bake-oven,
from which it can be easily approached.
The window bears marks of having been
forced open with some powerful instru-
ment applied from the outside. All
this while the family we're in the
the house and dozen or more armed
men were watching in the vicinity
On Monday morning following, the
18th, of August, between I and 8 o'clock,
while Mrs. Sheely and neighbor's girl
were in the kitchen at work, they sud
denly heard noise in one of the rooms
up stairs as of some one tearing clothing
The alarm was given Immediately,
and some of the neighbor's women watch
ed that no one escaped from the house uu-
til the men came. Going up stairs the
men found one of Mr.. SIS. shirts and one
of Mrs. SIS. dresses torn to shreds and
lying on the floor
Odrelut SedICu was uduC III every pdIJ
of the house, and all around it, but no
clue to the mystery could be found.
On the following morning, being Tues
day, August 8th, between and 9 o'clock
the strangest part of all these wonderful
occurrences happened. While Mrs. S
was stirring the fire in the cook-stove in
the kitchen, a door leading from the
kitchen into small sleeping room sud
denly, as if by some supernatural power,
unlatched and opened, and again closed
as by the same power.
Mrs. s., frightened stood as if riveted
to the spot, and called for help.
Mr.. S., who happened to be not far off,
rushed into the house, and at the same
moment his. brother, Daniel Sheely, who
had been in room up stairs watching
came to the rescue and, together with
some Of the ueighbors, entered the room
and found three large pieces cut out of
the bed curtain as if with sharp instru-
ment. The pieces cut out were irregular
in shape, and, strange to say, did not
seem more than half as large as the holes
left in the goods. Otherwise everything
was found in order The window was
examined and found securely fastened
and the door leading into the front room
bore no evidence of having been recent
ly opened.
Middletown, the scene of these strange
occurrences, is quiet village seven
miles north of Gettysburg, and the house
in which they take place is a medium
sized two,story brick, with a one and ;
half story kitchen attached. The dwell
ling of Mr.. Hezekiah Hoffman is next
on the north Of it, some Is feet, and i.
separated from it by an alley and on tn,
east side there is building occupied as
a shoemaker's shop.
The family of Mr.. Sheely consists OF
himself and wife, who is modest, quiet
young woman, of about 21 years, and ap
parently in perfectly health. There i.
no use trying to account for these occur
rences on the theory that the family o
any one Immediately connected with i
has been doing this mischief, as any ont
will admit who will take the trouble t
acquaint himself with this case in all it
bearings and surrounding. All in al
this is one Of the strangest cases that ha
engaged the attention of this community
for long time, and is we'll worthy of in
vestigation by those who have taste fO
the marvellous.