Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-12
RANLER'S SPIRIT MAD.
1t Smashes Men Right and Left Who
Sleep on Certain Bed.
KECKSBURG's HEALTHY GHOST
Is 0ld-Fashioned and Foes Not Want the
House Remodeled.
A DISAPPOINTED FARMERS CURSES

GREENsBURG, PA, Dec. 1.-THE wise
materialists who insist that all so-called
supernatural phenomena are traceable to
purely natural causes can acquire vslua-
BILE farm property at q merely nominal
figure and at the same time solve mys-
terry that is battling scores of hard-headed in
Vestigators by laying out the ghost in farm
house in Kecksburg, near this city.
For some weeks past night watches num-
bering from three to ten men have tackled
the "spook," and several of them have
been taken out of the bedroom, where the
demonstrations are made, in an unconscious
condition. In one instance there were
grave fears that one of the investigators
would not recover from his experience with
some agency that is master of the situation.
And, unlike the average ghost story, the
actors in this one have the cheerful habit of
living in the place where the ghost does
business, and their names are given in con-
nection with their statements.
Scene of the Manifestations.
The scene of these mysterious manifesta-
tions is an old stone farmhouse on one of
the good farms in Mt Pleasant township.
So long as the old building was left intact
the spirits made no trouble for the occu-
pants, but an attempt made this fall to re-
model the building resulted in the demons
trations that are now the talk of the coun-
try-side.
An investigation of the matter by THE
DISPATCH correspondent discovers the
facts that the farm was sold on a mortgage
foreclosure in the panic of 1857, the forced
sale breaking and running David Ranler,
the farm, on which only small balance re-
manned to be paid, representing the savings
of nearly 20 years Ranler was about to
marry when the Sheriff pinched him, and
although he made gallant effort to retrieve
his fortunes, ard his betrothed died
while he was at it, he failed to
get another start, and after living in
poverty around the rivers at Pittsburg, he
drifted into West Virginia and died in utter
destitution. When he was driven off the
farm he raved about the ill fortune that had
befallen him, and swore he would haunt the
man or woman who tried to alter the condi-
tion of things on the farm ii he died before
he got it back. The poor fellow and his
story had been forgotten many years in
that section, when William Newell bought
the place a few years ago. He prospered
on it. and this fall he let contract to re-
build the old house in part.
The Spook Too Much for Them.
Henry Bacon undertook the work of
tearing out the wall OF one end of the
house, boarding with the NewellS while he
was so employed. The first night Bacon
slept in the house in an upper room he was
awakened by the sound of hammerings on
the bed in which he slept A sleepless
night for himself and Newell, and the most
searching Investigation about the inside
and outside of the house, failed to e1-
plain the strange noises, which ceased
at daybreak. That day Bacon went
on with his work, and at night other
members of the Newell family, treating
the whole business as joke, made "lark'
of laying for the ghost He resumed busi-
ness shortly after dark, and when Bacon got
in the bed on which the pounding was be-
ing done, the bedclothing was stripped off
and flung on the floor. That particular
party watched no more, and Bacon went to
bed in another part OF the house and was
undisturbed. Much against the desires of
the Newell family the story got out, and
skeptical friends began to besiege them
with applications to sleep in the 'ghost
chamber"
On Friday night week ago Fremont
Dell, Sherman Freeman and Henry Bacon
held the fort in the haunted house. The
men went to bed together, in the midst Of
a yociferous racket about the bedroom, but
the bedding was torn off the bed, and they
dressed hurriedly. Then two of them re-
mained up in the lighted room, while Free
man got in the bed, and his companions
wrapped him in the bedclothing in such
way, as they expressed it, that the devil
couldn't get him out of 1t.
But, swathed as he was, he was flung to
the floor with shock that made the win
dows rattle, and his comrades picked him
up senseless. Then they left the ghost to
pound the bedstead as much as he liked,
and it was a long time before Freeman
could be awakened.
Work of an Invisible Power.
Since then Marion Wilson, Lyman Cant,
H. r. johnson and Dr.. Wilson, of Kecks-
burg. have tried to sleep in the room in
question. The men fixed Cant in the bed
SO that the invisible power tore the bed
clothing into shreds. This demonstration OF
force frightened the party terribly, par
ticulariy Cant, who tainted under rough
usage All the last week these spook-
seeking parties have been visiting the
Newell place, and all of them have found
what they went after. Aside from the noisy
hammerings all over the frame of the bed,
and the tearing of the bedclothing and the
violent ejectment of anyone who attempted
to sleep in that particular bed, or room,
there are no disturbances.
Mr.. Newell is an intelligent, success
full Westmoreland county farmer, as far
from any belief in the many ''isms" that
attempt to explain such Things as can be
imagined. He simply says the facts are
as stated, and the proof is offered,
within reasonable limits, to all who |
doubt these declarations. 1t is alleged, |
by a local official, that Ranler was living in |
West Virginia until the past fall, and that |
the news of his death, received by relatives, |
show that he died on the day that the con- |
tractor began the work of tearing down the
old stone house. Up to last night fully 90 of |
the curious and skeptical people of Kecks-
burg and vicinity have made personal in |
of these disturbances at the |
Newell place, and the solution is yet to be |
found. Mr. Frank Crise, a township official, |
md other reputable and tyustw orthy people |