The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-05-13
THE LATEST GHOST STORY
L Marvellous Tale that They Tell in
Havana, IT. 7,

A large audience assembled yesterday
afternoon, says The New York Sun, in
the Harvard Rooms to hear about the
wonderful witch of Havana, q pretty
village Is miles from Elnira, n. Y. DIR.
j. B. Newbrough, of 12S West Thirty
fourth street, who lately made visit
there, told the following ghost stories:
Mrs. Peter Compton, the wife of an
invalid husband, and mother of seven
children, is decended from the old farm
ers of Havana, well known and not
rich, yet respectable stock. woman
ried carpenter and builder, and on his
permanent failure in health fourteen
years ago, and their subsequent desti-
tuition of other resources, she supported
him and their numerous children by
washing the clothes and scrubbing the
houses of her neighbors.
Two years ago Mrs. Compton was
developed into fuu-blown spirit med
ium of the most woodworking kind.
Her own body changes into strange,
other and sometimes beautiful bodies,
according to whatever spirit takes pos
session Of her. She may be fastened in
a cabinet III any manner, the cords are
lcosened-not cut or untied-the nails
are taken out, and new being walks
forth, man, woman, or child, ancient
sage or modern savage, and the new
person walks about, talks, can be felt of,
shaken hands with, patted on the shout
der, and meanwhile there is not on this
earth to be found the body of Mrs.
Peter Compton. The cabinet is empty
no Mrs. Compton, or her clothes
DR.. Newbrough procured some shoe
makers thread, and the man who was
waxing the ends for him said they
would be of no use, for she was possess
ed of the devil. Dr. Newbrough used
them, however. He also procured nails
without heads and so fine that pinchers
could not get hold of them, and with
them closely nailed her gown all around
the bottom to the floor.
Out of the cabinet walked strange
and fine lady, of different stature, COM
plection and manners from the plain, the
homely washerwoman, who few min
utes before was nailed to the floor in an
alpaca gown. DR.. Newbrough rushed to
the cabinet. 1t was empty; his nails
were nowhere visible, and his waxed
enGs had also evaporated. The new
lady's dress was brown, summary tex-
ture, that looked as though it might
have been made Oh material loom
DR.. Newbrough said to the ghost:
Kind lady, I have pair of sharp scis-
sors III my pocket; will you obliee me
by allowing me to clip a souvenir from
your robe?" The beautiful being smiled
on him graciously, but answered: Moth
ing to wear. My medium has but the
one gown. IF You cut a piece out there
viii be a hole in it, and she will be en-
tirely destitute" "But, persisted the
doctor, 81 will see that she has money to
buy another gown" ssAh, my dear sir"
sadly answered the beautiful spirit,
''perhaps you would, but do not know
it; for Mr.. Olcutt was here, DR.. Storer,
OF Boston, was here, and they both, and
oil hot Il
something to relieve the poverty of our
medium, but they have not, and [ can
not let you cut piece out and make a
hole in her only gown
After the beautiful lady stepped away,
and after a 6-foot tall ghost had come
and gone, and no more ghosts would be
evoksd, DR.. Newbrough again inspected
the cabinet. There sat the homely and
motherly Mrs. Compton, with the waxed
ends all rigidly fast, and her alpaca
dress nailed to the floor again, the fine
little nails being with almost perfect ex-
actness driven into the holes they had
previously occupied.
Mrs. Compton has lately been assisted
by the overseer of the poor Of the county,
for these changes to which her body
has been subject during two years have
ruined her health, and in addition to
being unable to work, the reputation of
being possessed by spirits has deprived
her of her former employers. The peo
pie Of the town say nothing against her,
except that she is a sorceress. The lit |
tie children had mended their clothes |
with yarn and Irvine, or with whatever
they could get A mortgage on their
house, added to other obligations, har-
assed them with debts amounting to
nearly $500, and the prospect of the
county poor-house for a permanent
home
DR.. Newbrough said that he raised