Phoenix weekly herald. [volume] (Phoenix, Maricopa County, Ariz. Territory) 1896-1899, 1898-09-29
GHOST, DEVIL OR MAGIC.
Natural or Supernatural some Queer
Demonstrations have been Witnessed

Natural or Supernatural some Queer |
Demonstrations have been Witnessed
\ goodly number of the Mexican PEG
pie of this city are conSidera bly,
wrought up over the seemingly strange
occurrences to which a Mexican family
of this city have been subjected of late
The demonstrations which have be-
come a matter of common report are
for the lack of a better name referred
to as the latest ghost story, but wheth-
er it be really a peculiar demonstration
or the rank taking of evil minded per-
sons the matter has at least to the
principal victim passed the funny stage
and become a serious subject.
About a quarter of mile east of
Phoenix Park stands a neat little
brick house formerly occupied by Mr.
Br'dger, the Chicken man." Some
time ago Sacramento Verdugo, his wife
and family of children of all ages NOV
ed into the house. About three weeks
ago it was noticed that at times the
wife, Angela, would be hit. usually on
the head but sometimes on other parts
of the body. by stones varying in size
from walnut to a missile weighing
pound and a half. The projectiles
were seemingly impelled by some I'M
seen hands, She told her friends about
it but no credence was given her story
until these visitatfons became so num-
erous that the woman gradually de-
velOped very nervous condition and
at the present time she is so Frustrated
as to be unable to hold a cup to her
lips without assistance. She is so Ov-
ercome with fear that she cannot walk
without assistance and her condition
is pitiable
Sane people naturally ascribe the
cause of these demonstrations to some
practical joker or to some person who
is really trying to scare the woman to
death but so far all investigations
have failed to discover their Identity
and the poor woman not finding any
other accounting for the mystery nat
urally lays it to some evil spirit though
she profeses to have no faith in such
things and has heroically submitted to
experiments till she is we'll nigh in
sane.
Hundreds of MeXicans and scores of
Americans have visited her but while
all have theories none can change re-
suits. Believing that some malicious
person wanted them to vacate the
premises they moved into town on
Wednesday and installed themselves
at the corner of Seventh and Jefferson
street but the mysterious rock throw
er followed. A party visited the fam
lily last night and witnessed the arriv
al of a rock which she SAYS hit her on
the jaw but as it was rather dark the
witnesses were hardly satisfied. The
missile weighed 10 ounces and had ii
travelled any great distance must have
done her injury. Then too the rock
When first picked up was warm as
though it had been in some ones peck !
ct III fact even warmer than would
be expected from that source. Other
rocks that hit her seem to be cold and
the peculiar thing about it is that none
seem to hunt to amount to anything
The woman said last night that she !
would go back TO the ranch this morn |
ing and submit to further investigation /
Accordingly about II o'clock today /
party of fifty people both Americans /
and MeXicanS assembled at the ranch. !
The woman said that she had already |
been hit three times before the arrival |
of Ter guests. After more or less |
talk and PERSIA sion the woman who |
was sitting outside arose escorted on /
one side by her son and on the other
by her daughter, entered the house.
passed on into an inner room Separa ted |
by a brick partition, several of the |
Americans present, including HER
had she entered the room when a rock
weighing four or five ounces fell from
her shoulder to the floor with a thud
that all could hear. None of the Amer
leans however saw the rock until 1T
hit her though several of the MeXicanS
aver that they saw it come from the
roof which seemed intact.
In conclusion the presence of the
rocks is not doubted and further if
- oh tod
with the affair it must have been the
work of the son or daughter whose
arms encircled her waist. Those pres
ent who refuse to be anything but skep
tical believe that there is where the
mischief lies. However such a theory
is hardly tenable unless the children
are utterly devoid of tilial feeling for
their mother is almost wild. Further
there seems to be no family trouble
and no apparent reason why they
should desire to brighten the old lady
The family is poor and she could not
possibly leave an estate should she be
haunted ito the grave.
The only action of the family today
that laid them open to criticism was
the fact that after this occurrence 1t
was suggested that the experiment be
those accompanying the
woman first being searched and all q
save a committee be excluded from the
nonse. This they would not listen to
beng highly incensed at the sugges-
lion that they We're parties TO the old {
ady's distress. Thereupon they re-
-uTned to their wagon and while get
ing in TO start home another stone hit {
he unfortunate woman.
There are Il dozen other stories of I
Iueer happenings in the house such q
or instance as the breaking of window .
.lass and the burning of the paper i
rom the walls when a stone would |
.tr;ke it and the burning of a pair of u
,ants that hung on a nail but it would
III book to relate it all.
$
! f.