Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-04
HAUNTED HOUSE IN SCOTLAND.
An Inyestigation-A Regular Sound
fng-BOard.

The London Times Of the sth instant
has q long article, entitled ION the iran
of a Ghost" from correspondent VINO
recently visited Ballechin, In Perthshire,
with the view Of investigating the mani
festations" that were said 10 be taking
place there. For two or three months
past SAYS the writer vague rumors nave
been aflOat in London concerning
haunted house somewhere in Scotland De-
longing TO the Marquis of Butte. 1t was
described as "the most haunted mouse N
Scotland" and as being the apoe o;s,, 4 L
and sounds OF the most portentous anu
inexplicable character. -
While many people, some Of them holo-
ing high positions in the scientlnc Woliu,
were ready 10 give general assurance OF
the awe-inspiring nature of these pne-
nomena it was unfortunately Impossible
to obtain precise information from any
one The most definite impression one
could form was that appalling nfiseS were
10 be heard, alike by day ana by night.
in various parts of this mansion. out
more particularly in four rooms. Appa-
ritions were also spoken. OF, though less
confidently, yet IL seemed to be generally
agreed that the orthodox gliding figure
melting into thin air had been seen by
at least one Mortified observer.
| Inquiries addressed to distinguished
| members of the Society of Psychical Re-
! search-or the S. Il. r., as 1t is affection
| ately called by it's votarles-ehcited the
! information that Lord Butte had taken the
/ house in question for three months. and
| had placed it at the disposal of the So
\ ciety for the purpose Of a thorough in
/ VostigatiOn For reasons which are dlf-
/ ferently stated in London and in Perth,
where the agent for the proprietor is 10
| be found. Lord Butte did not take the
| house in his own name, but in that OF
! Colonel Taylor. The material fact, how
| ever. is that he did take it with the OBJ
| ject just named Installed stan OF ser
| nd ..faff conduct
! Investigation to n lady well known III
| connection with the S. i. X, ana also
1 for work of different and much more
| valuable kind. Lord Bute'S original luea
| vas a GOOD one but IL was never proper
| w carried out. Observing that the > +.
| n. had made many Investigations In a
perfunctory and absurd manner by SEND
| ing somebody 10 a haunted house TOT u
| colple of nights and then writing an
! utterly worthless report, he desired III
! this case a continuous investigation ex-
! tending over a considerable period: he
ought tneretor,eg 10 de ae p for the
| whole term, and thus secured real con-
| tinuity. AS things are, The only con-
! tinuity is TO be found in the presence
! itself not entirely continuous-of the lazy
Ballechin-the sch" is gutteral. and car
I ries the accents a house pleasantly
situated In Strathtay, few miles above
/ Dunkeld. The house was built IN the Sc
wing was added at much later date
and is the only part Of the structure tha'
is free from manifestations Uhuer'
meath the wing are the present kitchens
10 the Isolation of which wholly undue
! Importance is attached as precluding the
! idea that noises wilfully or accidentally
made by the servants can account ior tne
nhenomena in the bedrooms. In the centre
~ The house is the main staircase in z
square well lighted by cupola anc
having a gallery which runs right rount
IN. and gives access to the upper part OF
the main building. AT one corner OF TINS
gallery is a service staircase, at the tol
! Of which Is the most haunted Deurooiil
Adjoining this are the two next IN oruei
| 81 phenomenal Importance, while at the
opposite corner of the gallery, where an,
other staircase leads to the servants
sleeping rooms above, is the fourth OF The
baunted rooms The house has thici
walls both interior and exterior, but their
thickness is exaggerated by wood casing
which everywhere gives a hollow sounc
ON nercusSion. The rafters seem to be as
ninsy as the walls are substantial. Tor tn
floors yibrate on the smallest proVocatlon
and i'm any of the bedrooms II Is quite
easy TO hold q conversation with another
man in the attics. II follows that TN
house is one huge sounding-board, trans
hitting and, possibly, intensfying, Ger
tain kinds of noise.
/ tossed with another man for posses
! sion of No. 3, the most haunted OF IN
| rooms and won. He contented hinsei
Win No /. which is the second best fror
an Investigators point OF View' On Oh