The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-01-15
SPOOKS APPEAR IN WEST TAM
KATO.
The Anderson Family Moves Out of
the Old Klughertz House, on West
Front Street-Heard nOaning and
Wailing by Night-Spectrai Visi-
tors that ReVel in the Hours OF
Darkness = The House Has Had
Numerous Occupants.


How long it has been haunted is not
definitely known, but the family that
moved out yesterday has had all OF
the experience with the spOoks that
it wants to. Mr.. Anderson, a West
Mankato barber, moved his family in
to the house about month ago and
has had no peace since, except during
the hours of day light, when evil
spirits are supposed to be at rest. The
matter became so serious that Mrs.
Anderson is said to have declared
that she would not spend another
night in the house for the value of
property, and yesterday the family
moved into house a block further
west.
The haunted house is located on
West Front street, nearly opposite
VIM. IrviDg's residence. 1t is a
small, yellow painted, frame house,
and is not surrounded with that
gloom and atmosphere of decay which
is essential to the perfect happiness of
specters, according to the story
books. 1t is known as the Klughertz
house, and was built some years ago.
The first owner is said to have died,
but whether he bid farewell to the
world in this particular house we
have not learned. nor does it appear
to a certainty that any spirit has
been divorced from the clay in this
house. Yet there is story afioat in
West Mankato to the effect that once
upon a time babe died in the house
without the health officer being no
titled and that the remains were laid
at rest under the house, there being
no cellar. This story is generally dis
credited, and residents of that por-
tion of the city deny that there is any
truth in it. Some restless spirit may
have mistaken this house for the one
where it really belongs-at least, this
might account for it's hanging around
without any known cause or purpose.
Many families have occupied the
house since it was first inhabited.
The Anderson family has noticed
the presence of the supernatural by
meanings and wailings during the
stiffness of the night, such las do not
proceed from the vocal cords of any
living human being or animal. The
noises have not been heard in the day
time and have not occurred every
night, but when the sound does come
it is unmistakable. The death rat
tie of an old, wheezy pump or sink
pipe is nothing compared with the
hair raising and nerve decorating cries
that proceed from particular part of
the house. Search has failed always to
reveal it's source, and the spirit of air
persists in assuming no, visible form.
A real, live ghost, that would show it,
self occasionally, would be better
than one that mutters and rattles
away and leaves it's involuntary audi
ence to guess where it is. There
would be some satisfaction in seeing
a sheeted apparition under the cir
cumstances, but this ghost did not
crafty the Anderson family in that
way. 1t simply made life unpleasant
for the members by it's vocal efforts,
and banished sleep from the house
hold.
One feature of the matter is worthy
of passing notice, and that is the fact
that the noises always proceed |
from particular corner of the house,
and that when the wind is in GER
tain direction the unearthly being
becomes more demonstrative. This |
may have no bearing on the case, but
when considering the idosyncrasies
of ghosts it is well enough not to pass
little details by.
j. If anybody desires to investigate
the matter further, the house is for
rent at reasonable figure.