The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-09-12

| CdCclul 0chTCA vi Xix OdAhSsc"
thrown the stones, but no one was IN sight.
| They began to fish again. when a second
| shower of stones fell into the pool where
| they had cast their lines. Becoming alarmed
| they rushed hastily to the house. There
| their mother upbraided them for throwing
| stones into the house. When they had told
| their experience the mother and children
became alarmed. A search was made
around the house, but it seemed evident
that the missiles were thrown by an invisi-
BILE hand, as there is a clear view OF about
300 yards or more around the house, with
nothing but a stone fence behind which any
one could be concealed. There was no trace
of any one having been behind the fence.
Still occasionally q stOne came tumbling
into the house, the chairs moved from one
end OF the house to the other and the quilts
and mattresses or the beds were rolled up
moved off the beds and across the floor.
The family in great alarm and excite
ment awaited the coming of Mr.. Fisher,
who arrived home in the afternoon. He
at once loaded his gum, unclaimed his
watchdog and said he would go around
the fences and see if he could find out who
had disturbed the peace and quiet OF his
home during his absence. While loading
his faithful rife, and while standing near
the door, a stone of about five pounds
weight fell at his feet. He looked around
and could see nothing. The children again
became frightened as stones began to fly
into the yard, some falling from the rOOf.
Mr.. Fisher had by this time loaded his gun
and tied the chair. of his watchdog to the
outside of the door. He then directed his
children to sit down, locked and bolted
the front door and sat with his gun in his
hand. Soon a howl was heard from the
dog on the outside. The door instantly
flew open, and a shower OF stones, sticks
and missiles of all kinds fell beside him on
the floor. The unseen tormentor then
ceased for a while. The stones were picked
The alarm soon spread through the neigh
borhood and James Mears and John
WEIGH came to the house to see if anything
could be done to assist the family. Still
the stones came in, one falling at the feet
of Mr.. Welch from the ceiling. As there
was a trap in the ceiling about two feet
square over their heads, Mr.. Fisher climbed
up into the attic and searched every nook
and corner, but without finding anything.
The night came and with it ceased the
stone-throwing, but it was repeated the
next day.
1t was then agreed that the house was
haunted and that it would have to be
abandoned. The next day Mr.. Fisher,
with the assistance OF Mr.. Mears and some
of the neighbors, built a good-sized cabin,
to which he moved his family and furniture.
But the ghost, or whatever it was, was not
yet satisfied 1t followed the family to
their new home and played there all the
pranks which it had formerly INDUCED in
at the family mansion. Stones came into
the house; the doors sometimes remained
closed despite every effort, and all OF a sud
den were burst open as if by the power OF
an invisible spirit. They were compelled to
vacate that house also and camped out in
the Orchard on the south side OF the creek.
Nothing was known in Millville of these
strange things until about a week ago, when
Mr.. and Mrs. Fisher made a short visit to
the house of a friend in this place.
Their story SO piqued public curiosity
that several investigators went out to the
ranch to satisfy themselves OF the reality OF
the phenomena. One OF these was l.. w.
Kidd, editor of the Eastside Times. He re-
manned at the house one whole morning,
when he struck out for Millville with stone
in his pocket which had been thrown into
the Fisher mansion sixteen times by the in
visible spirit. He also carried to town a
piece of wood which was thrown into the
Fisher mansion by the ''spook." and when
he first picked it up n end OF it was wet,
as if recently taken out of the water. Last
Wednesday about ten citizens of Millville,
with three teams, started for the Fisher
ranch. Some of them were young men who
had never seen a "spook," n did not
believe that any such thing ever existed.
They arrived at Fishers near shutdown.
The night was quiet, but the following day
was a field day for the spook. Soon after
breakfast a rocking chair was moved across
the room and placed against the ceiling, and
remained fastened there for some time, un-
til at last pulled down by two of the men.
The little girl while standing on the floor
plain sight of all. One of the boys ran and
fetched it back again and put it on her
head. 1t was no sooner on than it was
carried out of the window. One OF the boys
then put his hat on the little girls head.
and in less than a second it vas carried out
in the field nearly 100 yards distant.
Stones fell into the building. When cast
out they were at once thrown back into
the house. At one time a stone which came
through the stove struck the little girl
on the ankle. She screamed and complain
ed of being bruised, but was found not to be
severely hurt. The stone was weighed by
Joseph Connolly and found to weigh eight
pounds and one ounce. A short time after
ward this girl was struck ON the shoulder
by a butcher knife. 1t stood erect on her
shoulder in the presence OF the whole crowd.
| Soon after her father saw her beside the
house with a board about twelve feet long
| balanced like a see-saw across her head. 1t
was suddenly laid across her head and
| shoulders without doing any apparent in
Jury except to brighten her. Her cries
brought her father, Mr.. King and others to
her assistance, who at once removed it
from her head.
Other wonderful tales too numerous to
mention are told by Mr.. Fisher, his wife
and near neighbors, who have been at the
Fisher ranch for several days. Shortly al
ter the investigating party arrived in town
yesterday, Mr.. Fisher and his family ap-
peared in Melville, where Mrs. Fisher and
the children will remain for the present.
Mr.. Fisher and his Oldest boy went out
again to the ranch about shutdown to see
to his cattle. There is no question that
there is something very mysterious in Fish.
er's farm. What Fan be the cause OF the
phenomena, no one in our village claims
wisdom enough to explain. But enough il
now known to demonstrate that this is the
"boss spook" of this State, and, perhaps,
beyond the realms of fiction, the best au'
thenticated. &c.