The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-06-29


ofSptrfts-More than One Side OF
the story-The Nonsensical Theory
of sptritualists Coupled with the
Headless Spirit OF . Murdered Man
W. the heory OF RattonaIists-The
Pher omenon Exploded - Human
Agency the Cause-That Strange
Gentleman T.. ON Baltimore.
Regarding the spirituallstic affair, So
cal ed, which now agita;es the public
mind in Belmont county, there are nu-
merous stories ahoat, many Of which are
As absurd and ridiculous as false. In
order that the matter might be
thoroughly ventilated, and the facts in
the case given to the public, that the
weak and fsllacIous theory that spirits
were in any way connected with the
manifestations made in the premises
might be exposed, u reporter OF this pa
per, yesterday, visited the scene OF Won
der. The house where the demonstra-
lions are said to have taken place is
frame house, and is built on spot where
| two houses were built and burned down
some years ago.
M'coMAs' THEORY.
In conversation with Mr.. McComas,
he gave it as his opinion that the dem
onstrstions were caused by carbonic acid
gas, formed by quantity of sour cider,
several barrels of which bursted in the
cellar of the house previous to the first
manifestations, and which soaked down
through the earth on to bed Of porous
sandstone, underlying which is fifteen
inch vein of iron ore. But this theory
of MIR. McComss' Is entirely devoid of
all reason, as the gas could not possibly
generate in sufficient quantities in the
building or underneath 1t, even were
such gas formed and possessed theproper
Qualities, as to cause anything like the
manifestations reported. 70 this theory
Mr.. McComas adheres with great
determination, and it is impossible to
make any other impression on him or
convince him of the absurdIty IF his
views.
THE sPIRITUALIsTS,
which are quite numerous on the other
.ide of the RIVER, also have a theory to
which they hang with logged deter
mination, and to broach any other solu'
ton of the question to them than the one
which they present, is sure to bring on
the offenders head the wrath OF the
allscious and nonsensicsl believer in
ghosts possessed of that physical power
with which the living are endowed.
While at the McComss house yesterday,
A follower of this doctrine volunteered
the information TO us that many years ago
a murder had been committed in that
vicinity, the victim having his head
severed from his body. Since that time
they claim that the spirit oil the murder.
ed man has been unable to rest, and that
on differeLt occasions his hesdless form
has been seen to wander about ut night
in the immediate vicinity OF the house.
Firmly believing that the murdered man
| has risen from his grave, and drawing on
their imaginations for impossible and
ridiculous sc.s of dead men, the spiritual
lists think that his spirit has entered the
house and taken possession OF 1t, turning
things topsy turvy at will Or course
they have an answer peculiar in itself for
all questions propounded, and no possible
argument can impress it on their minds
| but that headless spirit moves and has
its being in the house, and that 1t is be.
| yond human skill to fathom the
"mystery.' But in addition to these
theories, there ls q
| COMMON SENSE
view OF the matter, which cannot fail to
| impress itself on the mind of the intelll
| gent reader, and put to route all such
nonsensical theories, and completely ex.
plode the "mystery," placing the mani
iestations where they properly belong, at
the door Of human agency. On inquiry
about the place, it was ascertained that at
about the time lho manifestations first
commenced, u strange gentleman from
Baltimore arrived in the vicinity, and
that he is the only person now
Saying ut the house, all others
| fearing the consequence. This
gentleman states that on several occasions
manifestations have taken place which
can be accounted for by human agency,
but IS unwilling TO admit that all that
has transpired can be attributed to the
same source. For instance key was
thrown from the door out on the porch,
and at first It was thought to have been
done by some invisible power, but after
! q while
A.LITTLE BOY,
who was in the house at the time, sc-
knowleaged that he threw the key him.
self. Again, diligent inquiry fails TO find
any person who has been an eye witness
to any OF these mysterious mesnderings
and actions of the inhabitants of spirit
land, but all the parties who have thus
far been quoted rs evidence,
only saw the articles after they had been
displaced and did not see them displaced.
Mr.. McComas, himself says that the
only demonstration that he witnessed
was the falling of the stove of tea kettle
and can of peaches, which
can be easily accounted for. The stove
from which the articles are said TO have
taken such surreptitlous jump, is situ-
ated in the corner of the room, between
door and u Windows distance from
either OF not over three teet-trom
which
MAN WITH A SMALL PIECE OF WIRE
might easily reach them and
pull them oil the stove to the
floor, and yet not be observed
bv parties in the room. The pantry
door mentiope ed in connection with this
affair, is located near window, and
articles in the pantry can easily be
reached from the outside of the building.
In fact in almost every instance the diff
fereut articles which have been moved
have been located near windows, and of
the articles which are situated away
from the windows, their moving about
is accounted for by the fact that we yes
terdsy discovered where
STRINGS HAD BEEN FASTENED TO THEM,
the strings being of the same color as the
carpet in the room. An examination
of the piano and piano stool dis
olo.aI ha that thu STRINGS