The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1890-07-26
all my strength to move it, but it
would not Weld.


would not yield.
II had quite tired myself in {
frantic effort to open it, and was
standing trying to consider wha
was best to do, when the door sud
denly opened of itself, followed by
a rush of air of such a chilly ma
ture that it nearly froze the blooc
in my veins. All of the pictures
on the wall began to rattle while
the strong breeze swept through the
open door.
HELD BY INVISIBLE HANDS.
"I now tried to close the door
but found I could not move it, it be-
ing held as if by invisible hands
l started down stairs to see where
the strong breeze came from; then
I heard the door slam. [ retraced
my steps, only to find the bedroom
door closed and all communication
with it shut out.
"My poor frightened wife began
to call loudly for me, declaring that
some cold hand was pressing the
life out of her. Being thoroughly
alarmed for the safety of my wife
l went down stairs to the kitchen
and procured an ak, determined to
cut my way in. The first blow l
struck raised cry like the wall of
a dying woman. l was frantic with
rage and fright, and rained heavy
blows thick and fast, but at every
blow the ak seemed to be caught by
an invisible hand, and completely
arrested ere the blade touched the
light pine door. / was mystified at
this and Mortified at the shrieks of
my wife.
HIS WIFE COLD AND RIGID.
"To my amazement the door sud-
denly opened and I walked into my
bed room. l found my wife cold and
motionless, her limbs rigid. Ispoke
her name, but got no response. |
began a vigorous rubbing of her
hands and face, hoping to bring her
out of the swoon.
"At this time noise like a heavy
peal of thunder shook the house to
its very foundation, and caused the
bedstead to careen to the further
side of the room. The noise awoke
my wife from her death-like swoon,
and she sat up trembling as with
ague.
"Again the clanking of chains
and reports of pistols fired in rapid
succession was heard. Then cane
an awful, fiendish laugh right in the
room, when the light was lit by in
visible hands. Following this came
the heavy tramping of many foot
steps on the stairs, then all was still.
Looking at the tirne-piece, l saw it
was past 4 o'clock. Morning would
soon come"
DO NOT BELIEVE IN GHOSTS.
"Did you sleep there the next
night?"
"No. For several nights we went
to sleep at my mothers house Forty
second and Chestnut Streets"
"Why did you go back to that
no use at all?"
Partly because we do not believe
in ghosts, and we both had a desire
to find out, if possible, from whence
came those strange noises"
"The second night was a great
deal worse than the first, and |
would not stay in that house an
other night if you were to give me
all the wealth of the Vanderbilts.
people have gone there since
left and have been frightened away,
finding it impossible to sleep while
such peculiar noises are being made.
One family stayed only four days,
and another left inside of two weeks.
My wife and I moved out of that
house on the 18th of last July, after
having possession of it five weeks.
Save the two nights of horror, dur
ing which we remained in the house,
the balance of the five weeks we
occupied the house during the day
and slept at my mothers while we
looked for another residence"
II.