Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1890-01-24
SCARED BY sPOOKs.
The Spirits Work in Broad Day.
light.
Coal Thrown BY Unseen Hands.

active ghost o few miles from town
were brought to the city early Tues
day morning. Knowing that Joe
Mulhattan was in town the Kentuckian
at first paid no attention to the re-
ports, but they continued to come and
were finally SO well authenticated that
the city was thrown into a state Of
feverish excitement mixed with incred-
ulity. Later in the day w. r. Elliott
and II. l.. Moseley, two reliable and
truthful young men, arrived in town
and gave straightforward and I'M
vanished account of the whole occur
renee. During Monday night and in
the early hours Of the morning Tues
day the occupants of the house Of
Rev. W. l.. q. Quaite, Cumberland
Presbyterian preacher living two-and
a-half miles east Of the city, were So
riously disturbed and greatly fright
ened by series OF inexplicable mani
festations. Lumps of coal suddenly
began to fall from the walls and cell
ings and appeared to be thrown with
great violence by unseen hands. Some
OF the Jumps were hot and smoking,
while others were cold. One OF these
pieces struck Mrs. Quaite a severe
blow on the head, making an injury
so painful that DR.. Stone was sent for.
The occupants of the house were Rev.
Mr.. Quaite, Mrs. Quaite, who was for
merly Mrs. Hall, her daughter Miss
Belle Hall, and guest, Miss Lena
Kennedy, of Bellsviow. The only
other person ON the premises besides
these was colored house girl. The
ladies' were all thrown into a very ex-
,ited frame OF mind and Mrs. Quaite
was sent to the house OF nearby |
neighbor. The manifestations con-
iinued at frequent intervals for sever
Al hours. AS Mr.. Elliott and Mr..
Moseley, who lived further east, were
passing by ON their way TO town they
saw q great commotion about the
house and stopped to investigate.
They went in and while listening 10 a
recital Of the recent happenings sever
Il pieces Of coal fell about them as
hey were standing in the room. They
made every effort to discover the
,ause, but failed. The coal appeared
% fall from the ceiling or from the
wall where there was neither door nor
One piece dropped within a
iew inches OF Mr.. Moseley and others
ell on the bed. Mr.. Moseley picked
Up the coal and after examining it
,ut il ON tho fire. 1t burned like any
'ther coal. The young men both
rankly confessed that they could not
understand it. Their story caused
tampede for the scene and scores il
lot hundreds of people went out to
FIR. Quaite's to investigate. Some Of
hem brought back pieces of the coal,
mt the spirits failed TO perform for
heir benefit.
On Tuesday night large number
I the neighbors sat up to watch for
lrther manifestations, but the i
host failed to take out any more I
pal from the supernatural mine.
his story is given as it was told by ,
vo sober, sensible young men. No ,
ne is asked to believe it, but explana-
atoms are in order. OF course there
no various opinions expressed. Some
moving persons have even ventured
, assign motives for creating the ex-
Nobody has been found
no believes there is ghost abroad,
Though there are two or three grave
ards within a stones throw Of the
ouse. Somebody is evidently doing
, but who that somebody is has not
cen discovered. 1t is alleged that
one of the occupants of the house
amed above could have thrown the
,al, as all were in the room togeth-
The house is on what is known as
10 old Buckner place and the farm is
sned by Mrs. Quaite and her daugh-
r Miss Hall. Mrs. Hall was mar :,
cd to Mr.. Quaite some three or four
,ars ago. The latter, as stated above,
a minister and is perhaps sixty odd
,ars Of age. He is the last person h
10 would suspect Of trying to play 4
,anks to brighten his family. The
ost generally Expressed opinion is
at the colored girl is in some way c
INJECTED with the manifestations" d
1t the absence Of a motive, the lack p
sufficient intelligence to plan and f
ecute such a deception and the we'll
'own superstitious ideas OF her race
o arguments against this theory. il
1t is recalled by the older residents Il
at a ghost excited the same neigh D
'rhood some years ago, which was Ii
tally found to be the work of a man I
med Hickman, who soon after sold Il
it and left the country. d
Word reached the city yesterday
at the manifestations were repeated
'ednesday night, but the story no
niger creates excitement, even a spir-
that can't vary its program soon be- :,
mes q chestnut. !,
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