Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1896-06-20

IllpMzWt1 - tending over Pc
~ lR4E II riod OF more than
IN III III three months, the
" l.ErA investigators who
III " attempted to solve
the mystery OF a
5S haunted house in
&ke county. South Dakota, have been
4mpelled TO abandon their task and
acknowledge their defeat. Respectable.
lderly. matter-of-fact men. with posi-
k{xe distaste for anything on the NOR
&(4 or sensational order. have gone as
11epiy as they dared into the matter
md retired discounted. with their ma
<erialistic ideas completely disorgan-
uQd. Madison. the county seat Of LAKE.
&Qunty, 10 college town. and its in
&obitants are imbued with that intel
IGelnality that characterizes all ednca-
&lonnl centers. Yet a large proportion
a. IL people have the sincerest belief
r&esibie that spiritualistic manifesto
<Ions are a common. everyday occur
f4nee in a certain farmhouse near the
3 {cxn.
be house is three miles from the
foxn and is located on ordinary prairie
l6pd II Is about iSx2s feet in size,
VIII an upstairs chamber divided into
t~0 rooms. The lower floor also has
tF0 rooms The rooms on the first finor
&fe piastered. while those upstairs have
b6en lathed. but the plastering has new
u been put on. The house was built
three years ago. The owner never lived
IN the land. but has leased II from year
( n year 10 responsible renters None
~ these has ever remained on the place
eu} length OF time.
Tho last Mas an intelligent young
Norwegian farmer named Carl Olsen.
Who. with his family. moved into the
4 6Gnss Dec. II. Olsen now reeollccts
fAet the previous tenant had not en-.
&ixely removed his goods from the house
Whsn he himself moved his family in.
nd that when night came the former
4<rnpant rejected an Invitation TO sleep
A the house. The next morning. when
M returned for the remainder OF his
kecds. he asked the olssas II they had
p&ssed comfortable night.
Thsy had heard strange noises dur
4 1nf the night. but, thinking these may
A4se arisen from natural causes. made
~ mention OF H. on Christmas eve
Q&Aen and his family retired early and
&trlng the fore part OF the night slept
Z &cnndly. About 10 o'clock Mrs. Olsen
Weakened and heard the sound OF a
< AAts playing a sweetly pathetic air
y 1he sound was not close at hand. but
apparently dulled by an Intervening
vii as though the music was proceed
M from an adjoining room. hut the
Atr could be easily distinguished.
Nj. Olsen also awoke and heard the
uasic. and for three hours the couple
MI and listened TO the interminable
r<raius from the spirit flute. A curious
eiure Of this strange music was the
MI that the notes would proceed 10 a
Nsttain point and then false note
%puld be sounded. The ghosiiy must.
|an would hesitate and make two or
15&ree attempts 10 strike the note prom.
~. and. failing. would 20 back TO the
&<Einning and play the few bars all
&fer again. stumbling at the same point
30 repeating again as before Olsen
Hd bis wife listened TO this until the
4eryes OF the latter collapsed. Then
At arose and III the lamp. whereat the
upsic ceased. This feature OF the Ehns,
sounds has never been repeated sInce
MI time.
After this the demonstrations sub.
- 70 the ordinarily nightly noises. Il
N4tng noted that on Sunday nights the
69nse was invariably quiet. On each
/ Wednesday, night. however, the noise
10 30 loud that Il seemed at times that
kte house must fall around the lIsten.
k&&s ears.
Soon after the Christmas eve hap.
innings the attention OF Mr.. Moger.
intelligent citizen of Lake coun,y.
Ws called to the house. lie
Re decidedly skeptical as to the cause
sM the reports. but finally yielded to
44treaty and spent night in the house.
He was SO startled and Interested by
ne nights experience that he gave up
his time for the next Ave nights TO
W. thorough investigation OF the mys-