The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-18
ALL Good Ghost STORIES
Gases from the Bulletin Of the
Psychical Research Society.
VISITORS FROM THE UNSEEN
Same Ghost Seen By Several People, and
All Afraid to Confess Is-Strangs
Csss OF an Infant-Boru
Mind Reader.

bors. Reports Of visitations from the
other world are brought to Its notice
as freely as ever. and though the So
ciety safely refrains from vouching for
their truth 1t does not withhold from
them SO much sanction as print may
give.
One Of the most remarkable of the re-
cent cases reported to the society Is
that of q lady living at Manor Park.
Essex. The evidence presented Is as
follows: One night while in her twen-
tieth year she was terrified to see tall
human skeleton enter her bedroom.
dragging at the end OF a piece of old
rope coffin, which 1t brought very
close to her. Over its right arm was
hung q pail. which 1t threw over her.
while pointing Into the coffin. as though
entreating her to examine its contents.
This pail, when put over her caused u
feeling Of suffocation. which left her in
a very weak condition, after which she
invariably fell into heavy sleep. She
testifies to the society that previous to
this vision she did not believe In SUPER
natural occurrences, had always been
Of lively disposition, enjoyed excel
lent spirits. never was in better health
of mind and body, had never seen real
skeleton nor the representation of one.
nor had she any dread OF death. This
hoiiipiG NtSitS W
her boudoir every night for two years.
1t always appeared about 1880 while
she was preparing for bed. Her room
was lighted on every occasion. The cof
I'm appeared to be one that had been
used. and. although entreated each
night by her terrible visitor to look into
1t, she never found the courage to do so.
At the end of the space of two years
the skeleton ceased It's visits, until one
autumn night. five years later, when Its
victim was confined in q hospital suffer-
ing from shattered constitution. due
doubtless to its former long period of
visitation. When seen in the hospital It
was gazing in through window OPP
posite her bed. She did not mention the
occurrence to anyone, but presently
heard an exclamation from Il fellow
patient-a woman occupying the bed
next to hers. Without pretending that
she had also seen anything, she asked
this neighbor what was the matter. The
latter replied THAT thing all bones!"
A doctor soon entered and glancing in
the direction Of the two women's eyes
became frightened and left the room,
although not told by either woman what
they had seen. About an hour later a
nurse came into the ward laughing be-
Ing amused at the doctor, who she said
had been scared at something and had
asked her to accompany him into the
aissecting room, where subject was
lying dead, for he was afraid to go
alone. He told her that he had had
dreadful scare In the ward about an
hour before, but would not tell what 1t
was, being, in all probability, afraid of
ridicule. The society has evidence
from the principal persons concerned.
Here apparently were three witnesses,
each seeing the same phantom at once,
without either telling another what was
seen.
HIS UNCLEs SHADE.
Another case, Of which corroborative
evidence is given, Is that of a young
man of New College, oxford. Just
before Christmas he went to Liverpool
with his brother and sister, It was q
bright, clear day and the streets were
thronged with shopperS. While on one
OF the principal thoroughfares he saw
his old uncle, whom he knew but slight
Iy. but whom he distinctly recognized
The uncle In question was an old, lame
man, and, strange to say. following him
came two other shapes. each hobbling
by In the same manner, all three ap-
pearing alike. The young man did not
eppear at all alarmed at this strange
sight. but turned to his sister and told
her that he had just seen his uncle's
ghost and that he felt sure the old man
was dead. Both brother and sister RI
diculed him for the remark and none
or the young people thought more Of
the episode while in Liverpool. On ar
irving home. however. their mothers
first words were the announcement Of
the same uncle's death, on the same
day. The young man testifies that he
had previous knowledge of his uncle's
illness, nor had he been thinking Of him
before seeing the triple vision. Both
his mother and sister have corroborat-
ed his testimony and he Is identified
by the society's agent, who investigat-
ed the anair. as q man Of perfect
good faith"
Still another ghost story which has
been deemed deserving Of the attention
OF these mystic philosophers, comes
from London. One day in the summer
young lady. accompanied by a friend
whom she was visiting, went to several
OF the suburbs to visit number of old
churches. While in one church, her
friend, another young woman, related
the case OF an old doctor, O very dear
friend Of the family, who was buried
IN the church yard, and who had left
g. certain sum Of money for the pur-
chase OF q window to be erected in the
church. as his memorial. The person
inheriting his fortune had neglected to
carry out his wish and appropriated the
sum for himself. According TO the
young lady's testimony, on hearing this
story she became angry and remarked
that had she been the old doctor she
would rise out Of her grave. Imme-
diately after saying this she turned
around only to see an old gentleman. in
ancient dress, standing behind her.
Thinking that he likewise was exam
ming the church, she took no further
notice until her friend on perceiving the
same figure exclaimed that they must
come away, as that was the old man of
Upon hearing this the young lady
thought her friend must have been suf-
fering from q spell Of some sort. The
former was not a believer in appari-
tions, so continued to gaze at the old
man, who appeared to vanish into space
before her eyes. She afterward observed
that no one could have possibly en-
tered the church without passing her
ana her friend, both Of whom stood in
the only narrow aisle leading up from
the entrance. The old man had stood
IN the portion Of the church furthest
from the door. at which end there was
no opening. The church was undoubt-
edly empty when they entered 1t. She
carried vivid memory Of the old mans
face and dress. and when she reached
the house Of her friend she at once
identified his photograph, which the
family had In their possession. The so
ciety has detailed evidence Of the en-
tire occurrence. -,
THOUGHT READING.
The society's attention has lately been
called to cases Of thought reading Nv
young children whose ages would dis.
pose Of theories pointing to premedit-
ated trickery One OF the most inter-
who when only promised to rival the
feats Of the most successful mind read
ers on record. So noteworthy is his
case that numerous foreign doctors and