Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-08-27
yEXATIOUS SPOOKS.
showers Of Corn Cobs. Clubs. stones.
and Other Missiles Flying Mysteri-
Ousiy Through the Air.


Belle Center, D., Dispatch to Cincinnati Enquirer.
About three miles northwest Of town
there is farm, known as the Zahller
place, one of the oldest in the state.
and owned by the heirs, one Of whom
occupies it. On last Friday afternoon
the folks went blackbeTying and two
of the children went to picnic near
by. About o'clock the children re-
turned, and they say us they came I'M
to the yard man of small stature,
bow-legged, and very ragged came out
Of the kitchen, walked past them,
opened the garden gate and went in.
lie then jumped over the picket fence
into the barn-yard and disappeared III
the barn The children becoming
frightened at his strange actions went
to i ncighbor's house, about half Il
mile distant and returned home in the
evening. When their parents returned
they related their story. Mr.. Iahller
tracked them an through the garden and
barn-yard by noticing three large-head-
ed nails in the impression of his boot
heel At the barn all traces were lost
Now comes the mystery: Mrs. Iahl-
Ter went to the barn-yard to milk; corn
cobs commenced falling near her like
some one was throwing ut her Mr..
Iahller was standing near by but didn't
notice them. She asked him if he saw
that. He answered no Just then Il
large one hit near him, but he could
not see where it came from During
Saturday the children were hit with
Il, q IA,
stones every time they attempted to
90 into the barn-yard. Two Of the
family-onc il boy of Z, and the other
II young lady of lS--scemcd to attract
the most. When they came near, the
missiles were sure to fly. The boy, cs-
pccially, was hurt about the face with
small stones.
One of the neighbors, coming To Wit
ness the shower, was hit in the back by
Il wooden pin that had been used To
fastcn II large gate. \ tracc-chain that
had been plowcd up was hung on
corner of the corn-crib, near the barn,
also went sailing in the air in search of
something to light ON. Hundreds of
people have been to see this sight since
Saturday, and a4l came away satisfied
that they saw chips, small stones, corn
cobs, etc, falling near them, but unable
to explain where they came from. One
man says he saw corn-cobs start from
the ground and soar over lis head and
light on the ground without the least
noise Another one says he was stand
my near n chicken-house, the door of
which was open, when some half-dozcn
cobs came flying out. The house was
searched, but nothing found. Some
say the lying pieces are not noticed un-
til they either strike them or fall on the
ground near by. Thcstrangcst thing is
that they light rs easy rs II feather, no
matter how large the article is. One
man brought home II piece of an old
walnut rail about foot long and two
by four inches thick; that, he says, lie
tried To aggrayatr the spirits, and said
III loud voice Don't throw amy
mere corn-cobs; throw club this
time just then this piece lit on his
shoulder as easy rs 4 feather and rolled
10 the gound The whole ncighbor-
hood i excited and watch the barn
from morning until night, trying not to
believe it, but ut the same time CON
WINGED that they saw something, they
know not what