Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1875-02-11
NUMRER iS.
THE SPIRITS.
Singular Phenomena in a Rural
Household.


ena as confirmation of their doc
trines, Notwithstanding the recent
Katie King exposures. The circan-
stances as related are well authenti-
Gated, and, although most people of
intelligence win reject them as fab.
trications or ha'lucinations, yet they
are of interest. Whoever has at
tempted to follow the spirit of man
beyond life, so as to give it location
and fix its condition, has found him
self involved in intricacics far be-
vond his power to solve. Thus it is
that every person listens to any story
that may possibly throw lignt on the
subject. weighs the evidence, and
comes to his own conclusion. 1t is
proper to state our reporter, TO whom
the following story was related, be-
lieves that all the phenomena men
toned can be accounted for in ra-
tional and natural way, yet it is Civ
en- for what it is worth, with the pre-
fatory remark that the persons from
whom the information is derived
are of the highest responsibility.
The phenomena referred to have
been witnessed in a house occupied
by James Oaks, on the State road,
about a mile north of Salem, hetween
that village and Phillipsburg. The
premises are owned by Mr.. Warren
Cook. The house is a two-story
brick, new and neat in appearance,
and is the last place that one would
look for goblins. In fact, it is not re
gartled rs haunted house, but the
phenomena, as stated are regarded
by many of the neighbors rs spirit
manifestations, and it is said that
dauz hter of Mr.. Oaks, aged nine
years, is medium through whom the
spirits desire to communicate, al
though she is as yet unconscious OF
her power.
One of the first manifestations was
about as follows: The little daugh-
ter referred to was presented a year
or so ago with two finger-rings by an
uncle, who has since died. One day
recently they disappeared from her
fingers, and when questioned rs to
what had become of them, she said
that man had come and taken them
Off her hand. The story was, of
course. disbelieved, and search was
| instituted for the missing articles, but
without success. Late in the day
Mrs. Oaks directed her daughter to
remove some dishes from the pantry
to the table. While approaching the
place whore the dishes were, SIZE was
arrested on her way, when she-tHrned
to her mother and said: That man
has brought my rings back And,
sure enough, they were placed one
after another on. her fingers. Mrs.
Oaks could not see any person, but
the daughter insisted that she could
see man plainly. This was not all
that the accommodating spirit did.
IL removed the dishes from the table,
as the girl had been directed to do,
and then disappeared.
At other times the same figure will
appear, invisible to all but the little
girl, and close the window shutters,
or open them if they are already
closed, sometimes closing and open
ing them violently, and at others very
gently. The spirit or whatever it
may be, seems to have taken IL special
fancy to caring for the wardrObes of
different members of the family, and
it will lay out clothes sometimes in
order, and again promiscuously on
the floor. Shoes have been removed
from the feet of the children in the
presence of the entire family without
any but one being able to discover
the agency. The shoes being re-
placed and bound in still harder
knots, would again be removed by
the same agency. Dishes, shoes, and
articles of wearingapparel are thrown
about the room, and tables and chairs
removed.
Spiritualists who have investigated
the matter insist that the little girl IS
medium, and that the manifesto
tions are from spirit who desires
TO make communications through her.
Many Of the neighbors reject the
whole story. while others acquainted
with Mr.. Oaks family, and knowing
that they have no motive for fabri-
eating such a story are puzzled, and
don't know what to make of it.
A son of Mr.. Oaks, nineteen years
of age, who believed that there was
some human agency at the bottom oil
the singular proceedings, collected
all his clothes and putting them IN
his trunk, locked it up, and felt sure
that they would not be disturbed.
But next morning his surprise was
great when he found every article re-
moved from the trunk, and lying ON
the floor.
The manifestations are said to take
place either in day or nightti and
at intervals of week or more.
Our information is derived from
reliable gentleman, who visited the
family and heard the facts from them
as they are related.