The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-02-11


Ms father. who was tVerty yea-s o.
q. lie time. v.rs alone IN 81 house. and
after mf4.icE: Le ae.rl q te~rih;" noise,
I aud talu tu- front trtr was suddenly
/ drown vic. open. II was sleeping on No
nr,, floor. a~i his father. who was oa ths
floor U..tH. called ont ara askel whether
/ ia was IN hf= room or had gone % Ia
yJrr:. and why Re La: MADE such a c-
tari=rce.
NY father hurried down TO Elm and ex.
pressed his surprise = thls strange occur
: renee. A. they could rc' explain e. they
.s.trI the door and went back % bed. 4 IT.
f'e later. however, che same thing hap
J.1-s a-aiu. and ny father and grand
.G:h-r. who were considerably scared ~
This t.a.. ioyuti jherF~-iIe- rnC8 more n
front o. the open door They carefully
IoItad IL again ana went back 70 he'd, he
hardly had tEsv done so vhc. Cor the third
tins tho Ea.- vas thrown opea with & great
noise. They then secured e. with l s-rorg
rar.e. and she remaining hours O. tie nigh.
Ia-ssI quietly.
some time afterwar5 a letter cams with
he news OF tho death ~ lily E.n-(-.herrs
l-.-Es-. who had settled iu America. AID
rio lsjs c"!uciaei vfth -a.- - rl- events
related above. This brJtE'r c'a1 az l
O'Clock IL the afternoon. We learned after
wa-I that he had expressed "a strong de-
sir, 20 see his brother f. A!zare before re-
died. AM thar a few moments before hs
t-ea,ted his last lie opened his eyes and
s5t4. Il have just taken a long Journey
I have been - nv Brothers house IN BTU
ua'f.. CAROLINE RAESCHLY.'
"s.yerre"
Z seems impossible TO Us that any o1s
who reads such stories as these ocnscien-
t'H.slv and impartiai,y can mairtaln that
they are inventions. fairy tales or mara hal
Ilj.ratiors.
A ueca-i0a. pure ana single, Is moi. so-
ceItalIs IN 4 case - this kind. without
doubt We are discussing a subject that -
extraordinary, unknown ard unexplained.
= Iez5'!ou. however. IS not a solution. 1s
seems 90 - more wise and more scientific
p" attempt 70 accOUE. fOr these phenomena
than TO refuse credence 20 them and 20 re-
fraia from examining them
n, oXylaiu them IS moro Hf.1cut. Oar
senses ara Imperfect and deceptive. and
perhaps tley viii never reveal 70 us the
e~.ct truth. J. 3 worthy CT rot.ce. how
evrr. tia. II all the stories the details ara
as, c.rornlsrantia as possible. and there -
u- trace Of doubtful or Anonymous hallu-
gi-1r.ccS. I have a greet horror OF any
'.i-s anonymous. and l have never been
abb, - understand. nOT VIII I ever re able
20 Understand. why = man canrot have The
courage Z his opinion, ana why. X he "a
g. possession q an interesting fact. which
ca, aid even n a slight degree toward tho
IT, rr.-S Of sc.SlCe. h. refratns from CIV
ing il 70 tho world. either through fear
of compromising himself and OF displeas-
ing Influential friends, or through fear Of
being r~.dicuIsd or through, ~selffnterest. or
through some supsrstit!oas prejudice or Cor
any other reason
TSe~s are three courses open 20 - - 20
c1rf O. these strange stories. We may give
entire c-eGeuce 70 them or We may refuse 20
believe g. single word C them. or we may
a-rav- he statements themselves as =
whole and yet refuse 20 believe all the de-
ta."
To claim that there IS no truth IN ths
stories would te utterly absurd. It Goes
any human testimony. 20 cast Gc1Ot on
these tabs There are not many facts.
either Historical or scientific, which are
r1uehcI Tor By such a grear number OF
witnesses.
II suppose that all these persons were
victims ~ haiUC.nctiors and the dupes
OF their inns xinrtion Is an absolutely IN
tenahie hypothesis. especially IL We take
into account the coirC.ianCes OF Deaths.
In our opinion the Incidents narrated -
Us ara true, at least as a whole. ard this
he the opinion OF every person whoss
mind IS not warped by prejudice.
The objection may bs made that tho To-.
cidents were the result OF chance. OF for
Condolences, and this. t.doed. 10
the principal digestion. People may mv
IT'S quite possible that they saw OF heard :
these things and that sone OF Their rs,a.
tives died az the same tine. but It was all
chance"
Now. We Co rot b4littIe the influence Of
chance, Q; fortuitous condolences, and, To-
deed. this chance. which IS the action OF
unknown forces. sometimes brings about
really extraordinary condolences.
Copyright, 100. by IIazpe 6 BrcchsA