Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1884-01-18
A HAUNTED HOUSE.
Mysterious Demonstrations In a Concord
IN. H. Tenement : Watching for
the Ghost.
A Newspaper Reporter Passes Night
in the Building-His Experience
-Spirit-Rapping.

CONCORD, n. H., January l5.-Fof al
most year the people here have been
wrought up over haunted house. The
mystery has heretofore defied all efforts at
solution. The ill-fated dwelling is dou-
bic tenement two-story house, on Spring
street, owned by Uncle Cyrus Caswell,
who occupies one-half of it, his family
comprising a wife and one son. The
south tenement is occupied by Baxter
Blake, wife, one daughter, two sons and
an infant grandchild. The tenements are
entirely separated by partitions, except in
the attic story, where difficult passage
ffeHfone to the other might be made
Otherwise the families have nothing in
common in the house. For several weeks
the existence of this mystery was only
known to the occupants, who kept the
secret well for awhile, but their pale faces
and sleepy countenances soon led
their relatives and near friends to
believe that all was not well
with them. At last the trouble leaked
out. 1t has been a source of the utmost
anxiety to Mr.. Caswell, who had spared
no expense to discover the cause of the
strange annoyances One night the house
was put in charge of the State Board of
Health. At another time two astute and
efficient Boston detectives exhausted their
ingenuity and imagination in trying to de-
fine the wonderful disturbances that have
now become the framework for the most
exaggerated rumors and reports. School
children are afraid to pass the house
Full-grown men have been known to cross
the street to avoid the place. Capt. f. j.
Rand, OF the Concord police force, investf-
gated the premises, but to no avail.
MYSTERIOUS DEMoNsTR ,TIoNs.
The mysterious demonstrations, which
can be distinctly heard in both places,
consist of rapping, ringing of the door
bells, rafting of latches, meanings, whis-
tling and variety of noises, some of them
loud, some soft, some short, some pro-
longed, but prevailing at all hours of the
night and in all weather.
Rumor has it that many years ago a
half-witted girl, the cause of whose death
was unknown, was found in the cellar OF
this house. However this may be, it is a
fact that several very respectable people
have come to natural deaths there, but as
far as we have been able to learn there
was no disturbing element in their lives,
and no reason why any of them should re-
visit the home of their flesh to make un-
comfortable those who lived there by
any such unearthly and senseless demon
strations. None OF the occupants OF the
house believe in Spiritualism, but as Mr.
Blake remarked last evening: "If there is
such thing, then it is certainly Spiritual
istic demonstration, for" said he, 81 have
been unable to account ior these things in
any way, shape or manner" and he as
well as Mr.. Caswell offer large sums of
money to anyone who will come forward
with even plausible explanation of the
strange condition OF his little home. Mr..
Blake and Mr.. Caswell are both mechanics
o,,H horf-trnrlin,r and yrhn t,-a,11I
have no object in deceiving their friends.
WATCHING FOR THE GHOST.
On Saturday night last Mr.. Finlay But
terfield, of the Concord railroad, and
Councilman Ring, of the city government,
both of whom had been very incredulous
as to the matter, went to bed in Mr..
Blake's part Of the house. in .order-to get
some demonstrations, if possible. At .
O'Clock Sunday morning they were awall-
ened by loud rapping, which seemed at
first TO be on the wall on one side of the
little room they occupied on the ground
floor. This rapping was suddenly changed
to the opposite wall, and in another in
slant appeared to be below the floor 1t
was very marked upon the half-open door
in the room, which resounded as though
struck by the heavy fist of a strong man.
They jumped out of bed and ran into the
entry-way, only few feet distant, where
the moonlight made everything visible,
but nobody was in sight. They searched,
but in vain. Afterward they heard shrill
and deep meanings, which continued un-
til morning.
At the instance of Mr. Butterfeld,
whose curiosity was greatly excited, a
newspaper correspondent visited the house
yesterday, examined all the apartments
carefully, and made arrangements to spend
the night there, Mr.. Blake very kindly in
viting him so to do. The reporter called
on a well-known attorney of this city and
Mr.. George H. Adams to accompany him,
and the three gentlemen passed the night
at the house, arriving about 10 o'clock. A
pleasant hour was spent in conversation
with the family, when it was arranged
that Mr.. Adams should occupy the
lounge in the front room, while the re
porter and the attorney should occupy the
small bedroom just back of it, before al
luded to.
4 DARK LANTERN
was lighted and the slide closed. Then
the large kerosene lamp which had been
left burning was extinguished and the
room was perfectly dark, although the
lantern was placed where it could be
brought into requisition at moment 8
warning. Mr.. Blake had given explicit
directions as to how the doors should be
left, and also suggested that no demonstra-
tions would probably be made unless all
remained in bed. After all was quiet the
visitors stealthily arose and took positions
in different parts of the house. The men,
bers of the family all slept upstairs and
occasionally a movement was heard as
though somebody was restless in bed, but
nothing else was heard until the tall, old.
fashioned clock in the front room an
nounced the hour of o'clock, when there
was heard a ustling upstairs and three
loud and distinct raps were given, appar-
emily on the floor of the second story. In
a few minutes the rapping occurred again,
and at almost the same moment Mr. Blake
came down the front stairs partly dressed.
He expressed great surprise to find the
visitors up and dressed, and asked them
if they had heard the rappings. He gave
some attention to the stove, then returned
upstairs, and Immediately three shrill
whistles were heard, accompanied by a
moaning similar to the description he had