The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-03-21
Is the House Hauntsd9

Is the House Hauntsd9
A few days ago THE ARGUS noticed the
yery common rumor about town In relation
r. strange noises at the residence of the late i
Jacob Norris, at the witching hour of night 1
when spirits walk abroad. And now the
| Union gets indignant and says the rumor
has 10 other foundation than desire to
iniure the owner of the property, etc.. etc.
We did not stop to think who the owner
might be, or to think of him at all. We
| gave the common rumor of the street, with
out any expression of opinion about 1t, or
caring anything about it. Mr.. Norris was
spiritualist and he had promised to return
and confer with his friends, and anything
in relation to his invisible movements is of
interest to those who expect visit from
him. That's the ohly object we had in
noticing the matter at all.
There is no necessity for the stilted in
dignation of the Union, and when that
: paper says, During the last FIVE months
Officer VIM. Ohrt has been the tenant,
, with his family, and he informs US that
the dwelling is comfortable, and that the
above statements of The ARGUS are
. utterly false and untruthful," it becomes
! necessary for US to say that Mr.. Ohrt is
< very positively contradicted by his son-in-
law, Jack Bleuer, who, first on Saturday
" evening, and again this morning, stated
that Ohrt had often watched around the
: house at night, while on his beat, to dis
J. cover where the noises came from, and who
ID made them.
l. During his conversation on the subject
- Bleuer told, in substance, the following
W story in regard to what often occurs in the
old house, viz:
at "One night Lena lone Of Ohrt' s
- daughters) came up to my house, before l
was married, and asked me to go down
and stay all night, as they were all
10 frightened at those mysterious noises.
went down with her. taking my fiddle
ero with me- / had not been in the house
but few minutes before | heard some
body walking heavily over the floor, W
"a stairs, and using a cane. | took lamp
went up stairs and examined the room.-
The noise always appeared behind be
ex hind me, and no matter how quick
ice turned it would always be back Of me.
r examined the room and windows carefully
sed but could discover nothing | then start
nth ed down stairs, shutting the door benin
me. | had no sooner shut the door tina
g. it was thrown violently open by some III
seen power, and [ was unable to close
| remained there looking in the room Il
about half an hour, and then the wome
=, informed me that the noise was dow
=, cellar. I went down cellar, but could di
WV cover nothing. then nailed the cell;
door down with piece of scantling. Ha
0N'' an hour afterwards the cellar door VI
- :. wide open. | saw dark shadow on Il
-, porch, like the figure of man, but
.:.~ going near and attempting to seize it til
~ shadow disappeared.
-" People may laugh and say this is
imagination, but if they will visit the Z
% 10 house some night they will soon be sat
ants. fed that am telling the truth.
Bleuer told this story in manner tt
but satisfied everybody present that there v
pass something mysterious at the old hou
)och- Besides this, large number of people v
rcuit have visited the place have heard the sa
shell, noises and it has become the general s
gally iect of conversation among people in
nport vicinity Of the old house.
= are A reporter for this paper ca
sent; at the house this morning M
this Ohrt and Lena, her daughter, s
!. tnat they had sent for Bleuer, anu
acknowledged that they had heard tt
tne strange noises in the house. Both tall
1esu- however, as though they had been p
emed ed" as to what they should say They
was they we're frightened, and did not lik
c ap- live in the house, and intended moving
fe was on the first of April.
lie had Now rb.t hos the Union cot to so
e'"nu the subject?
asst, of TUT Apcrs said stranee stories
under Ia o-o,,a +o,r, .bo,. no;sas
lhsel whereupon the Union accused THE Az
Dfioe' Of stating an uutruth, &C.. &c. The
Ise ne GUS stated no untruth 1t said. str
quite stories are told about the vacant hou
the late Jacob Norris. 1t is said tina
r. spirit walks around the rooms nights.
Q Rest that his step and the noise of his can'
bit into be plainly heard on the floors" I
West stories were reported around town e
J" rug day. THE ARGUS did not say they
n DIV true or false it only gave the rumor ;
peated around town. The ARGUS ha
and does not now express any opinion
young the origin of the noises heard or sal
ks ago, have been heard.
epstein The ARGUS said, mo one will live
him house. The last tenant was fright
Bank away by these mysterious walks at nj
account This is exactly as We were Informed
at the on sending a reporter to the house to
= court, we fiud that Mr. Ohrt still lives there
under his family admit the mysterious noise
eserved say they are going away on accou'
1orris's them.
der had ),