Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-02-20
HOLY WATER SPRINKLED ABOUT
THE ROOMS OF A HOUSE SAID
TO BE HAUNTED.
OTHER MEASURES FAILED.
Salvation Army, Spirftualist and
Trance Medium Unable to Bring
Relief to the Eckert Family
Priests Advice Was Followed and
the Ghost lied.

1Oh i INV 1AOAAbO4o III "A
Catholic church of the Holy Family,
in Canarsie, and that through cir
cumstances at once astounding and
mysterious, if the stories that are of
common report in the neighborhood
of her home are true, says the Her
aid.
1t is no less than the killing Of evil
spirits by holy water after members
OF the Salvation Army, a ~spiritualist
and a trance medium had tried and
failed. Manifestations of these spir-
it's were such, it is said, as 20 have
nearly driven the Eckert family in
sane with fear, with their rappings on
the doors, %poundings on the floors
and sounds of smashing glass;.
Cornelius Eckert, his wife, Alice,
and their children have lived in the
two-story frame house at avenue L
and Ninety-fourth street, Canarsie,
for some time, but their lives have
been anything but pleasant since they
moved into the building, on account
Of the mysterious rappings and other
uncanny happenings.
At first the members Of the family
did not notice the persisteney of the
mysterious agency which was at
work. The manifestations were con-
fined to the night time and for the
most part took place after the family
had retired. Then the ghostly bedev-
ilment would begin, and even the beds
would shake and shudder until the
five little ones would run screaming
into their parents room, only to find
Mr.. and Mrs. Eckert as greatly
frightened as they were.
Night after night the whole family
would troop through the dismal house,
only to find the windows secure, the
doors locked and the furniture as 1t
was when they had retired to bed but
not to sleep. The condition of the
Eckert house soon became the talk of
the neighborhood, for the little ones
would never remain at home. when
father. and mother were out, and each
neighbor who sheltered them while
Mrs. Eckert went shopping heard the
stories of the haunted house and the
ghostly sounds.
At last the mystery became too great
for Mrs. Eckert to bear. She determ-
ined that something must be done IL
they were to continue to live there or
she would go mad with fear. Some
one advised that the members. of the
Salvation Army be told of the mystery.
and asked to- break the spell that cov-
cred them as with a pail.
Members of the Army called and
tried to soothe Mrs. Eckert with their
songs and prayers. The noises, how
ever, did not stop, but even became
more insistent and fierce. Mrs. Eckert
then called in a s~piritualist, but the
latter failed lamentably, as did a
trance medium. 1t was the visit Of
this medium that almost capped the
climax. Immediately upon entering
the haunted house she went into a
trance. Upon awakening she said
she had seen a woma dressed in white
and from her description Mrs. Eckert
concluded it was her mother, who had
died when she was a child. To Mrs.
Eckert this. appearance of her mother
was as fearful as the mysterious rap
pings.
Mrs. Eckert went Immediately with
this story to her neighbor, Mrs. Smith,
who, being a good Catholic, recon-
mended that Mrs. Eckert apply to her
spiritual adviser for relief. Mrs. Eckert
was a Protestant, but in company
with Mrs. Smith went to see the Rev.
Thomas F. Koran. of the Church of
the Holy Family.
Mrs. Smith explained to him, 1t Is
said, the deep trouble the Eckert fam
lily was in, and he gave her some holy
water, telling the women to go to the
afflicted house and sprinkle it about
the, rooms. This was on Thursday
night last, and neither Mrs. Eckert nor
Mrs. Smith will ever forget the occa-
sion. Entering the house in fear ard
trembling, they paused, and then, mus
tering up courage, dashed the holy
water about the darkened room. A
wonderful thing happened, according
TO the story told by Mrs. Eckert.
Wherever the water touched flames
~rose-colored and brilliant, burst from
the walls and floors, so that, standing
as they had been in the dark, they
saw the color Of the wall paper. For
the first time in months the family
rested that night without disturbance.
The evil spirits had been driven away.
The success Of the trial of the holy
water was told to Father Koran on
Friday night by Mrs. Smith and Mrs.
Eckert, and preparations were at once
begun for the complete exercising Of
the ghosts. With Father Koran and
the two women to the house went