Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-10-07
INTERESTING GHOSTS.
ODD OCCURRENCES RELATED
BUT NOT EXPLAINED.
Part of Them Happened In America, the
Rest In Foreign Lands; hut You
Notice That All TRANSFERRED
Some Time Ago.

One of the most remarkable modern
Instances OF supposed ghostly disturb
ance occurred in the home OF Rev. Dr.
Phelps. OF Stafford. Conn. Upon re-
turning from church one day he found
that all the doors OF his house. which
he had carefully locked on his depart
ure. were wide open. and the contents
of the rooms on the first floor in the
| widest confusion. Nothing had been
stolen. In room in the upper story
however eight forms were found
each one with an open Bible held
close to its face. On examination
these were found to be bundles OF
clothes cunningly and very skillfully
arranged to represent living beings
Everything was cleared away and the
room locked. but within five minutes
| the same scene was repeated although
the clothing had been carefully put
ava.
For seven months tho house was
disturbed by itraoriinary pheno-
mena The most unoarthly no SEES
were heard day and night. Furniture
and litchen utensils were mys-
teriously moved Glassware and
window panes were broken by unseen
hands before the startled inmates and
once the eleven year old son of the
doctor was lifted bodily and carried
some distance. The most diligcnt re-
search discovered nothing and not
until he applied to some Spiritualists
In Boston did the disturbances cease.
One OF the best authenticated cases
Of ghostly visitato is connected
with DIR. Kerner so-called Seeress
o. Provost Dr. Kerner for many
years conducted an asylum for the
insane at einsburg. in Southern
Germany. There came to him for
treatment Il Mrs. Hauffe. n lady in
delicate health, OF great nervous
irritability and with mind which
was to say the least not too we'll bal
anced. Wherever this afflicted wo-
ms n went and DE-. Justinus Kerner is
au ihority. she was pursued by va
riety OF strange noises. Chinaware
and glassware. tables and chairs were
mysteriously moved in the presence
of witnesses. A medicine phial rose
slowly into the air. and had 10 be
brought back by one of the bystand-
ers.
On several occasions an easy chair
was lifted up to the ceiling by an I'M
seen power and then returned slowlJ
to the foor. On one occasion the
great skeptic, DIR. Strauss. was one of
her visitors. and during his stay.
Mrs. Hauffe fell asleep on her SOFA
when there Immediately arose. long.
fearful groanings close by the doctor
side and in the vicinity OF his amiable
but remarkable hostess. The strange
suffering woman was the only one
who knew the cause OF these phenom-
ena. She ascribed them all to dark
spirit which appeared to he as n
black column of smoke with u hideous
head whose unseen approach OPP
pressed even the bystanders
DIR. Kerner relates countless mys.
terious phenomena which occurred in
this patients bedroom He beheld
Mrs. Hauffe's shoes pulled off by in
visible hands while she was lying al
most inanimate in a trance on her
bed. She revealed secrets which.
upon writing to utterly unknown per-
sons at great distance. proved to DO
correctly stated.
There lived in Allegheny City at
the breaking out OF the rebellion a
widow by the name OF Nc Dowell. She
ha a son. John by name who live
with his mother in a two. story frame
house on Robinson street The widow
and her son were devotedlj attached
to each other and when he came
home one night AMI told her that he
had enlisted at one OF the recruiting
booths on Federal street she was in.
consolable.
On the afternoon of April g. 1862.
Mrs. Mcdowell sat in an easy chair
at the second-story window OF her
home 1t was the first day she had
felt strong enough To leave her bed
1t was warm and the sun shining
brightly. As she sat alone with her
wan cheek resting against the pillows
she heard a heavy step on the narrow
stairway. She described the succeed
ing events TO the first neighbor
woman who reached her side as fol-
lows: The instant heard the step
/ knew it was John. As he reached
the head OF the stairs turned toward
the door and tried to rise and meet
him. but | was too faint and besides
there was something in his face tn at
drove all the blood from my heart
He was dressed in his uniform and
was carrying a big sword in his hand.
He stopped in the middle OF the room
and ! saw under his cap which was
pushed back. IA broad bandage stained
: with blood around his forehead.
Suddenly he waved his sword and |
) saw an awful look such as l had
/, never seen before come into my
) boys eyes; he waved his sword three
: times and looking backward over his
shoulders as he did so. | saw the
sword fall from his grasp but it made
, no noise on the floor; he reached both
hands to me and the fierce expression
died out OF his eyes as he cried out