Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-12-24
STRANGE PHENOMENA.
Country People in Central New York
Greatly Mystified-Remarkabl Occur
renees that are Believed to have Has
tened the Death of a Well-to- do Far
mer-StOnes Failing in Chufch.

renees that are Believed to have Has
tened the Death of a Well-to-do Far
mer-StOnes Failing in Church.
Jordan ". y Special Gesc York Sun, sIst.
For twenty-eight years Richard Stevens
owned large farm about two miles from
this village. He was much respected bv
his neighbOrs, and was a good example of
the thrifty Central New York farmer. He
had family, consisting of his wife. three
daughters and six sons. On Tuesday,
alter an illness Of about one week. he died
OF pneumonia, and his death is believed
10 have been FASTENED by exciting and re-
markable events in his house. which have
astounded the country people and puzzled
many from neighbOring villages who have
witnessed them.
A week ago last Friday, while the house
hold affairs were going on in the usual
way, the family were startled by the clat-
ter OF several stones which fell on the
kitchen floor. The doors and windows
were closed. and there seemed to be no
place where the stones could have entered
the room. On the following night when
the girls had pulled Off their shoes and
We're preparing to 90 to bed, one of the
shoes suddenly ascended to the ceiling
and fell 10 the floor. The young women
were frightened, and, running out of the
room. called their brothers. who searched
the room, but found nothing TO explain
the singular affair. After the girls had
gone to bed the noise of the falling shoe
was repeated, and Mr.. Stevens sons being
again called, sat up all night to detect the
source of the manifestations.
The next night a stone fell, apparently
/ from the ceiling, when the girls were re-
/ tiring. From that time on the fall of
stones in all parts of the house was fire.
l quent. Mr.. Stevens was annoyed, his
nerves were unstrung, and his disease
] nnmnlfpg Tod kr tho
| Stories Of the mysterious occurrences at
I the stevens farm house spread through
/ the country, and people began to come
\ from ali quarters to crafty their curl
osity. One day stones fell all the time, and
az night more than 150 were picked up.
\ gentleman who does not believe in
\ spirItualism, or supernatural manifesto
\ tions, while staying at our village hotel
/ one night expressed doubt about the re-
I altY OF such phenomena. He accepted
an invitation from one of Mr.. Stevens
/ sons, who was present, to accompany him
home and see for himself. He tells of
/ what happened as follows:
/ Nv hen j arrived they took me into the
1 kitchen, where / should think there were
about dozen people. all waiting for the
. falling Of the stones, and all very much
excited.
"Charles Stevens, a son Of Richard Ste
I vens, and myself went into the parlOr, and
one Of Mr.. Stevens daughters, who is
/ about - years old. went with us. We
/ were sitting around the stove, and Mr..
| stevens son was relating some of the in
cidents OF the affair. Miss Stevens was
I near Us. on the other side of the stove. /
. could see her plainly. Suddenly a stone
I fell within two feet of where | was sit
/ ting. The girl jumped, and / jumped.
/ The stone seemed TO fall from the ceiling
| ana came with force, as If it had fallen
from a great height. The doors of the
/ room were closed, and no one was in the
/ room excepting us three. watched both
! Of my companions, and l am sure that
/ neither Of them threw the stone. 1 could
have seen them plainly if they had.
This occurred about p. m. About
1 80 another stone fell, seemingly without
any more cause than the first. No more
stones fell during the evening. and about
/ 10 O'Clock | went to bed. Nothing oc-
| Cured during the night. The next morn
I lne, while / was standing near the stove
I in the kitchen. about breakfast time, two
/ more stones fell.
Il cannot give any explanation of the
/ matter. If the family are playing any
tricks, they certainly 90 through their
/ parts well; but | am very certain that
[ they do not know any more about this af-
fair than | do. The Youngest daughter.
Celia, looks like a medium The dav be-
fore L was there about forty stones fell"
On Sunday two of the Stevens girls
went to the Presbyterian church, and
| while they stood joining in the singing,
three stones fell at their feet. The
| preacher picked them up after the SER
mon. The family are very indignant at
l the Rev. Mr.. Benedict, pastor of the Bap-
! tist church. who, after visiting the house,
reported that the stones were cast by
! Lucille, one of the daughters. He asserted
I that he saw her throw one of them in
forward direction, but the girl denies that
she did so, or that she has had anything
to do with producing the manifestations.
/ The physician who attended Mr.. Stevens
| says he has a theory about the case, but
I declines to say what it is.
None of the family except Mrs. Stevens
] seems to be superstitiOus, although they
/ are all thoroughly alarmed. Mrs. Stevens
related before her husbands death that
some years ago person named Penny,
| living at their house, said he had dream
in which he saw box lying in the door
/ yard. ana said that either he or Mr..
| Stevens would soon die. Penny lived but
a short time, and Mrs. Stevens expressed
/ the belief that his spirit was haunting the
/ house, to warn them Of her husbands
| death.
Belle, one of the Stevens girls, became
/ SO frightened that she left the house, and
/ refused to return till her fathers death
| made it necessary. The stones which
/ were thrown appear to be common peb-
I bles from Il Tield, and vary from the size
of a bird's egg to half the size of ones fist.
1 No stones have fallen since Richard Ste
! vens' death.