The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-04-04
4 Mansion Is Haunted by an
AhoIltIsnIst's ConsuIt,
THE STORY IS CoRRoBoRATED,
Dsssrlptiaa d vIslsa. Mlsl Compared with
NfiMNy Psrtrali, Was Fsval
10 30 Exact.


walking plscidIy about in an adjoining
room is an experience which does not
fall TO the lot OF many people.
This is especially true when the OBJ
server has no belief In ghosts and no
hrst-hand knowledge of tho dead rela-
tive. According to -ths New York World,
Mrs. Gerrit Smith has had such an sx-
perience.
Mrs. Smith has never been interested
in the subject OF spirItualism in one way
or another. She has no theories TO ad-
vance. The incident took place at the
old Gerrit Smith mansion, in Peterboro.
y. Y, the homestead OF the Gerrit Smith
family for msny generations.
In some respects IL is the most remark
able and certainly one OF the best au-
thentlcstsd instances oil the superna-
tdral on record.
For this reason Mrs. Smith was in
dgesd 10 give the facts to the Harvard
branch OF the socisty for Psychleal Re
search.
Although somewhat averse to talking
OF the matter, Mrs. Smith corroborsted
the story, the circumstances being as
they appear here.
Mrs. Smith is the wife OF DIR. Gerrit
Smith, tho composer, organist OF the
South church, at the corner OF Thirty
eighth street and Madison avenue, New
York, and for long time president OF
the Manuscript club. She is a well poised
woman. known among her friends as a
charming hostess and delightful ta!ker.
The Smith studio Is the centre OF a
nal f.nn haH
upon only In the most frivolous way IN
this circle-or they were until Mrs. Smith
came face to face with one at her sum
mer home In Western New York
The Smith homestead at Psterboro
near Cazenovia, is one OF the old fash
ioned houses on one OF the Oldest family
estates I'm the country. Peterboro IL IA
little town OF 500 Inhabitants, and the
Smith house is the show place OF the
neghborhood.
Those of the wide family connection
who do not live at Peterboro live in the
exclusive little resort of Cazenoyia, the
population OF the latter place being made
up largely of kinsfolk.
FOX SISTERS VISITED THERE
Previous TO the civil war. and along
the i0s and sos, the resident Of the
Smith mansion was Gerrit Smith. a
wealthy man and an abolittoEist OF ma
tionsl reputation Around the house
there were large. we'll kept gsrdens and
these were trnneled extensively TO serve
the purpose OF the famous underground
railway for me escape of fugitive
slaves
Tho Mrs. Gerrit smith of that day was
IN fun accord with her husband She
was. moreover greatly interested tn
spir,tualisn. which, ut that time. was
creating furorc i'm the land, mainly
through the work OF the Fox sisters.
Mrs. smith lad III, Fox sisters often at
the house wlsre they gave spirit mani
fcstat ons of all sorts.
There were spirit rsppings" and many
calHngs forth of the sheeted dead.
Stories OF the abolition days and the !
do.ngs OF tho Fox sisters are retnsm
bcrtd now by the very old people OF
Pcteboro and Cassnovis, but Mrs. Ger
rt Smith OF New York knew OF them
only by hsarsay.
Mrs Gerrt Smith and her husband. |
DR. Smith went up TO the old homestead !
for a visit. The place rs now owned by
Mrs Gerrt Smith, aunt Of DR. Gerrt !
Smith. and by Mrs. Green Smith, her |
daughter
One afternoon i'm August the family |
were about the tea table. II was s
o'clock I'm the afternoon, tine fashion az |
pctcThoro TO dine at noon and TO have
supper in the evening. |
The house Is one of the quaint rest
fu and roomy mansions known to the I
past and now often initiated in the |
dwellings of the newly rich. There is |
a wide hall running through the middle. |
On one side OF this are the library and 4
dining room. on the other IL an immense |
drawing room as large asa Fifth avenue |
ballroom. on the drawing room Is |
conservatory facing the west
On the afternoon In question the sun |
streamed through the conservatory win |
dow and Lighted up every nook and cor |
ncr OF tia drawing room. From the hall |
and the dining room across it objects |
under the Sunshine were thrown into re- |
lief Ike A medallion upon dark wall. |
Besides, o'clock la the. summer time /
comes early. and the whole house was |
as light as at midday. II
APPEARANcE or THE GHOST
Mrs Gerrit Smith sat at the dining |
table exactly opposite the doors opening |
into thc drawing room, and facing them. 1
Dr. Smith sat ~ the end of the board. |
his side TO the doors. The two other /
ladies sat with their backs 10 the doors |
and facing the younger Mrs Smith.
Suddenly Mrs. Smith saw a figure pac- |
ing up and down the drawing room. \
There were no other guests In the house. |
ana she looked tho second time, with |
natural curiosity,
The whole nguro was then plain. II !
was that of n slight. white-ha woman |
dressed in the fashion of bysonc times. |
She wore n gray dress with a full skirt |
and trim ftting waist About her neck /
was n white kerchiof. she walked light |
Is and aimcssly and seemed perfectly |
AZ hnnt as the mistress Of house !
might I'm walking IN her. own room.
Tho most striking fact however, wns |
n certain peculiar forward hcnd OF the |
neck srscefui and Characteristic. The |
rgyro walked with hands folded In front |
ana dld not look about curiousiy az any
thiug ..l.
Mrs. Smith noted these things casual |
ly as her eve fell on the visitor. some |
Thing about 4 startled lier slightly, ans