The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1871-05-03
Dlabolism in Wayne County, Ohio
"A Family Bewitchsd.
From the Wooster (ohiOj Republican.

From the wooster (Ohio1 Republican.
If the Rev. Cotton Mather, of witchcraft
memory, we're living in these degenerate
days, he would have bis hands full of bust
ness In this city, at the house of Mr.. DAVID
Hoffman, near the eoraer OF Pittsburg b .
avenue aud j. Stibbs lane. The family is
SAID to De haunted by malignant spirits, VIII o
are uncomtortaby rampant in their evil do
lugi' dlaoohcai Ia their transactions, aud
mysterious ia their ways.
The family consists OF five Persons-Mr.
hoffman, who is about 80 years OF age; his
wife about so; two daughters, respectively
aged about 20 and II years, son, proba-
bly, Is years old They formerly lived in
Holmes county, Mr.. Hoffman being employ
ed as miller in Sharp's mill, two miles south
Of Miilersburg, where the family were re
gsrded as respectable, intelligent and chris
tian people.
He stated that he was doing well ct the
mill, had good salary and good home,
and in every way in comfortable oircem.
stances, until disorder, in mysterious way,
visited his family. II first commenced, he
said, q year ego last June, by his missing
two dollars from his pocketbook, after which
he privAtel, bid his money; but that too,
disappeared in the most unscoountabIe man
uer Articles of food and clothing, in daily
increasing quantities, went the same way
Crockery ware fell from shelves and broke
to pieces; stones and gravel, eggs and other
things, we're thrown about in the house,
apparently without human agency, the bad
ness seemingly having headquarters IN the
cellar. The family from being annoyed,
At length became frightened; and imagining
that change of abode might bring relief
from the spirits, removed to Wooster last
summer, Mr.. Hoffman remaining at the
mill. where he was unmolested by any evil
visitation. Bot his family, who lived in Mr..
Shocks house, West Liberty street, was not
so fortunate The clothing of the mother
and eldest daughter was taken; some re-
turned, from whence N one could tell, ell
cot to pieces Is if with shears, aud some
found seoreted in out of the way places;
for instance, AL their underclothipg was
found stuffed into the month of the cellar
drain, q silk dress hid under a wood pile in
the cellar, and shirts, 30, buried in sand
Many written notes were thrown, apparently
from the cellar, bearing eli kinds of mes
ssges. One was, that il Mrs. Hoffman
would come down to the foot of the cellar
stairs on her knees, on a certain specified
day and hour, she would there hnd box
this the family had been afraid to enter the
cellar, and as she could only 90 down back,
ward on her knees, Mrs. Hoffman. afraid of
bodily injury, was dissuaded by neigbbors
from making the hazardous attempt. But
she went TO Holmes county and brought her
husband 10 Wooster, hoping that he could
get the lore, and by his presence sbate the
"spirits" or 1t, ss she calls the evil agents
nf har HrpaIdR ApORhar roJ
stating no one could get the money but her
self 1t hiss not been secured up 10 the
present time.
Some OF the prominent spirituSlsts OF
Wooster, learning of these tran So cti ous held
circle meeting, but received no signs from
that other bourne"
The troubles ragged on Mr.. Hoffman, Al
sacrifice, was compelled TO give up his
situation ut the mill and join his family In
Wooster. A few weeks ago they moved to
where they now reside, followed By it
By request of the family, q clergyman ci
Wooster visited the and offered prayer
Shortly after he left, q scrap OF paper
dropped strangely to the floor upon which
was written, that, as they The family had
''praVed TO God, the spirits wouldn't bother
them for a while. All was quiet for few
days. Then more clothes were taken
which, after an absence of one or two day:
would be found in the house or yard, cut tc
pieces. About ten days ago, while another
reverend gentleman WAS there, piece o.
new calico, sufficient for three dresses, dis
appeared. A neighbor lady found it mex
day, unout under a pile OF wood, and also
blanket shawl, under . box of potatoes, il
the cellar.
Frequently at night there are pounding
on the walls, stones, from pebbles to thos,
as large as q mans fist, thrown in the rooms
aud general rumpus created, as If imp
were holding high revelry. On one occasion
Mr.. Hoffman called upon 1t to cease, with
out avail whereupon he INDUCED in it'll,
tall swearing, when all became serene.
young man called there Last Friday evening
aaid that if the spirits could cut up his hat 0
handkerchief, they were welcome. A smal
stone dropped Oh his head, which, whei
picked up, he found to be red hot an
upon taking out his handkerchief dlsooy
cred il cut to shredA. As another instanc
very peculiar, a young gentleman, and col
frmed skeptio in spirituAlism, with othe
persons visited the house on last SabbAl
afternoon. and on his return to his brother
residence, to .2s Am&zsment of all, at lea
twenty holes were found in his handkel
chief, which had not been out of his poke
at the haunted house. Mr. Hoffman al
swered one of the spirit notes, placed b
reply quietly in the cellar but Just as he q,
up stairs into the room, his own note droI
ped on the floor BY his side-all his fami
present.
Until last Friday, nothing of Mr.. Hof
mans clothing. had been touched. Tn
night his TWO pairs of boots-All he had.
were taken, and also the table knives, b
the boots were mysterlously returned ne
day, accompanied BY an exceedingly vulg
note. On last Saturday, all his clothin
excepting an old working suit. was take
aud words written on the side of the hou
to the effect that they would not be I
turned
Mr.. and Mrs, Hoffman and the eide
daughter have no clothing but that on the
backs while in the house are piles of CT
up garments of all descriptions, of go
quality--a dozen dresses, silk, dslaine, CT
.ico, etc., cloth sacuuss, four cha wis, unde
clothing, and any quantity OF smaller ar
oles. II is a shame-this wanton 1estru
ton OF property. From a man comfortat
10 life, Mr.. Hoffman is getting into reduc
circu instances. He said he had Loaf Rbo
. thousand dollars during the past year.
The matter is oonfounding There al
however, several plausible theories for t
cause of the seemingly marvellous trans'
tions. Careful watch has been kept, yet
clue to the perpetrators of the outraRes b
been discovered. Hundreds of men q
women have visited the premises. II
said that the spirituAlists propose to no
meetings at the house, and get up a Giro
to see if anything can be developed
will keep our readers posted on the subje