The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-11
WHO WOUND THE wATCHEsf
Mysterious Industry Reported From
a Missouri JeweIry store.

missouri JeWeIry store,
From the st. Louis Globe-Democrat.
Kirksville, Mo.-Lawrence Hart of Hart
& Son, the oldest jewelry firm in Kinks
vile, recently had an experience which
puzzled him not a little. and for which
there can be found no explanation. He
has never been believer in ghosts. vet
this strange circumstance has shaken his
faith in the ability of science to account
for all manifestations attributed by Spir-
itualists to unseen hands.
several years ago a big fire in Kinks
Vllle destroyed the Masonic temple. and
the jewelry store of Hart & Son. which
adJolned the temple, was completely
crushed by he falling walls of the larger
building. Mr.. William Hart and his son.
Nolney, who were at that time endeavor-
ing to carry out some of the more valuable
Jewelry, were caught in the falling debris.
ana Nolney was instantly killed, while
MS father was terribly mangled Law
renee Hart, the son who relates the
strange experience, was at that time
holding cases on the Lincoln (Neb)
Journal, and returned home to take charge
OF the Jewelry business after the acct
dent. After the fire the jewelr-y store was
rebuilt, and the business is being contin-
ued at the same place. Several strange
things occurred from time to time ar
ter the rebuilding of the store, but moth
ing was said regarding them, Mr. Hart
thinking he would unearth some expla-
nation. This last experience. however.
was too much for him, and he declares
there can be no explanation upon any
ouher hypothesis than that of spirit re-
turn. Here is the account in his own
language, as he recently related il 10
party of intimate friends:
Father was not yet able to get down
to the store, except as he was wheeled in
an invalid chair and, as our residence is
nearly mile from the store, he did not
arrive until quite late, sometimes until
after noon. AS usual in jeWelry stores
there were upon this particular morning
several watches which had been left to
be regulated after having been repaired
opened up and busted out as usual.
then took the watches from the varIt
MY hrst duty in the morning was always
tow Ind and set these watches, which i'm
mediately prepared to do by carving
them to the front of the store and setting
them down opposite the regulator. The
first watch picked up seemed to be wound
and, on examining it, l found that il was
not only wound, but was running with
the regulator to a dot. I thought this a
little strange, and picked up another.
Judge of my surprise when l found
the second one to be wound up tight and
set One by one l found every watch and
found that all had been wound up and
set that morning. To say that / was
puzzled does not express it. was dumb
founded, and the longer 1 pondered over
the strange occurrence the more unfath-
omabie it seemed. 1 hurriedly examined
the back doors, but they were securely
fastened, Just as l had left them the night
before. searched every nook and corner
of the store, but there was no sign of
any human being having been there before
me. That the watches had been set and
wound recently was certain. They were
all wound tightly. Then they were all
running exactly with the regulator, and
there was not a watch in the lot that
would not have varied perceptibly in ten
hours, while some of them would
have been away off. The only keys to
the store were carried by father and my
self. and while it is altogether improbable
that any one could have entered the store
It would have been utterly impossible
to have opened the safe in which the
watches were kept, for the time lock was
on and running until after arrived After
father arrived 1 related the matter to
him and he was positive that he had
not been out of his room during the night,
nor had the key left his possession. He
was puzzled, equally with myself.
Il can account for the strange occur
renee only upon the theory of spiritualism
Some unseen power and intelligence must
have attended to the winding and setting
of those watches while they remained in
the vault before arrived at the store that
morning. Before the death of my younger
brother Volney. he had always opened
the store. and attended to the watches"
The entire family, with the exception Of
Lawrence, are spiritualists, and for a
good many years have been leading in
vestigators of the phenomena in Kinks
vile. They are old citizens of the place,
have been established in business here
for over quarter of a century, and are
especially esteemed for their integrity.