The Washington herald., 1907-08-31

The "spooks" which several weeks ago
are alleged to have disturbed the peaceful;
and orderly neghborhood in the vicinity
OF Brown street. in Georgetown. have
long since departed, but only recently has
the mystery surrounding their uneanny
gambols been satisfactorily explained.
! That ghosts, "ha'nts," spooks. hobgob-
lins, or some equally evil spirits infested
the vicinity was declared by the residents
of Brown street Mysterious showers OF
bricks aud cobbiestones, that bore no su-
ipernatural app Arance. but. on the con-
trary, a very earthly and natural one,
We're frequent occurrences, and no
amount of apparent investigation on the
part of the much disturbed residents
could explain their cause.
Not even the "Gumshoes" of the Sew
| enth precinct. who watched on the roofs
in the neighborhood for several nights.
We're able TO give any dehnite~ explana-
! ton for the showers. Semi-transparent
beings. who, moaning and wailing, disap-
pear through walls and ceilings are COM
mon in ''spookdom. but showers OF peb-
tl,s and rocks are rare. TO say the least.
4 The ghosts, with their mysterious mani
festations. have now disappeared. and
so has one of the families who formerly
resided On Brown street, and it is through
their disappearance that the police of the
Seventh precinct station have learned the
truth of the supernatural pebble showers
Just tn Drive Family Out.
Certain Of the residents Of Brown street
have confded to Capt Schneider that the
family in question was for some time very
unpopular with the other residents of the
neighborhood. The informants de-
clare that they were perpetually disturb
ing the peace aud serenity Of the vicinity,
and that all efforts toward effecting their
removal proved futile until one lucky
resident discovered that the members of
the family were stanch believers in
ghosts and all things supernatural
The peaee-loving residents had learned
their opponents weak point. and imme-
diately an attack along that line was
planned. Through an arrangement, un-
known to the police, certain OF the citi-
zens OF the neighborhood were detailed
10 work up increasing interest in spooks
about the vicinity by continued conversa-
ton toward that end. Others planned and
brought into operation the pebble show
ers.
After the first visit of the "spooks'' the
promoters of the scheme were satisfied
that they had found the vantage point
OF attack. The schemers continued with
their uncanny tales about ghosts and
haunts. Some Informed the much
frightened occupants OF the ill-fated
house that vinegar should be sprinkIed
at the foot of every stairway TO prevent
the evil SPIRITS from ascending 10 the
rooms above. Others advised that red
pepper should be scattered in ali cracks
and crevices, a most accepted method OF
preventing the entrance Of ghosts.
Supernatural" Showers Increase.
The advice was freely given, and as
the occupants Of the house became more
frightened the more copious grew the
supernatural showers" of rocks and
pebbles. One scheming resident Of Brown
street is said 70 have told the members
Of the family that If the person closing
the shutters for the night were TO say
''Whitherro" three times before doing
So no spook would dare to attempt en-
trance through that opening.
Whether this advice was followed or
not, il is nevertheless a fact that when
Capt. Schneider made a visit 70 the
house he found ali the doors and win
dows tightly closed, the screens drawn.
and lamps burning within, although il
WAS in the middle OF the day Some one
had said that il was a sure method for
preventing the visits Of ghosts, and the
suggestion had been followed.
Finally the members Of the prosecuted
family could stand the attacks no longer.
and, packing bag and baggage, left
for parts unknown. With their departure
the mysterious manifestations Of the
spoOks Immediately ceased, and now if
some one mentions the affair in the
presence of the residents of Brown street
many attempt to suppress a smile and
others only look wise