The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-15
PRICE THREE CENTS.
SCARED BY A TELEPHONE
CALLS FROM 4 CEME1ERY and A NEU.
ARK MAN EEIRTN0 SPIRITS
Mysterious Ringing Of the Caii. Beii, AithouxS
the Doors aud Windows OF the Other Oncs
were securely Locked 90 a Watch Set.

the Doors aud Windows OF the Other Once
were Securely Locked -- a watch Set
Mr.. John j. Ghcgan, the night operator In
the Newark office OF the Western Union Tele.
graph Company. Is agent for Prof. Pholps's and
Prof Il lison's telephones. and he has put ND a
largo number Of both kinds OF the Instruments
in Newark. About three months ago he put W
Phelps telephone for Mr.. J. J. O'Connor. the
Catholic bookseller and publisher for the Do
cesc of Newark. Mr.. O'Connor is the agent for
the Cemetery of'th Holy Sepulchre in Eass
Orange. two miles from Mr.. O'Connors store
and residence. ut 1903 Washington street He
frequently has occasion TO send orders and
other communications TO Mr. Rowe. the super
intcndcnt In the cemetery; so he determined "a
nave telephone 10 connect his store and the
OF tncsscngcrs. At tho cemetery il n smalI
building used as IN Office by the superintend-
phone. which he connected with another telo-
phone in MIR. OConnor's house. No other tell
cph9ne connects Newark with the Ccmetory Of
MIR. OConnor was delighted with his tcle-
phonc. was = novelty. and itworkcd likes
amusement in conversing through the instru-
mcnt with persons in the cemetery. The tele-
phone was thus kept In pretty constant use for
several days. by means u il orders could bs
sent at minutes notice to the cemetery for the
Ghcgan TINT he would not do without tole-
phone for any money.
At about o'clock ono morning, three weeks
after the telephone was first used Mr.. md Mira.
OCgnnor We're awakened hyn furious ringing
81 the call bell attached to the telephone in their
room. Mr.. OConnor was surprised. because
he knew that tho office in the cemetery was
locked every evening gt o'clock when Super.
tntnndent Rowe and nl his Assistants 20 homd
for the night. Mr. O'Connor Thought however,
TINT some ruiilans might have been caught de-
iaring the monuments and tomlet0nes. which
had been done before. and that the police were
wanted, 80 he answered tho call and asked
through the speakin tube what was wanted.
sts 81.
TG wns ropSsc mc b no S SSm
came through the tube. Mr. O'Connor finally
concluded that either the wire was being tam
pernd with or thnt some person hnd gained
access to tho cemetery oflirc, md given an
him So he told Mr Ghcgan the next morn morn.
ing of his nights experience
MIR Ghecan said Tint the call bell co,ld not be
rung unless some person turned the crank at-
tach"d to the telephone in the cemetery Office,
neither could the bell be .rung by tamperina
with the wire because the bell is not rung by
battery. hut by magnetic alarm. Mr.. Ghegan
questioned the men in the cemetery, but neither
Superintendent Rowe nor any Of his assistants
had boon in tho cemetery nftcr o'clock on the
previous evening. The little Office was exam.
incd. and the windows and door showed no evi-
dcnce 81 having been opened. nor were there
my Indications that any one had been inside
No one could account for the mysterious alarm,
So So, Mr. Hhegan advised MIR. oConnor to await
Several nights later Mr.. O'Connor and his
wife were again awakened 10y a furious ringing
OF the call bell OF the telephone. Mr.. O'Connof
could get no answer 70 his questions through
IN" speaking tube. lie ulSc0nncrte1 tnc wire.
but the bell kept on ringing. His wife was SO
thoroughly alarmed that she demanded that
the instrument should DO removed from the
house.
MIR. Ghcgnn and Superintendent Rowe then
| had the door and window Of the cemetery ofiicd
so secured that no person could enter and tnm-
| per with tho telephone without leaving traces
behind them. On that very night the call bell
again rang in Mr.. OConnor's house. The
workmen in the cemetery then said that cvh
| spirit was the cause OF the trouble. Mr.. O'Con-
nor wrote a letter to Mr.. Ghegan. In which he
| said:
yon are in communion with departed spirits We Inc
rlnrr 10 see that they Will not disturb
sart hours
Thereafter q watch was kept on the cemetery
onlce al night but Mr.. O'Connor still complained
TINT the call hcll WIS rung at ught M intprvalB,
Superintendent Rowe. MIR. O'Connor and Mr..
GhHgnn still cannot account for M" mysterious
| sisnuls. some II the fcm'l ncighb 'rs OF tho
OIonnors ARE sure IL Is the work OF spirits.
Mr. Ghcgnn said 10 reporter for The SUE
| last evening; | am not supcrstitous. but l
| confess that this thing puzzles me. A spiritu.
ast friend tells mo he IL certain spirit has
sent the signals u Mr.. OConnor. know many
persons who hive telephones in thcH
others yet | meyer have received compluinu
from them. Mr.. O'Connor's telephone has nd
connection. except in the cemetery. | have in.
vcstignt'd the thing for weeks, and | cannd
even suggest an explanation Of the mystery. fot
mystery il certainly is. II the instrument were
! run 10y n battery the mystery could bo exs
| plainod. hut In this cnse | cannot understand II
! az ALL | hope we will soon lind out the secret
| for the sake of the nervous women"