East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1922-07-08
GHOST TRAMPED FLOOR
AND ATTACKED WOMAN


niture about. and, on at least one oc-
casion, has attacked a woman, is
arousing the deepest interest in psy-
chic and scientific circles throughout
Europe.
The facts in the case have been au-
thenticated by the HILBERT journal
the leading philosophical magazine
published in England.
The ghost appeared to Mr. ana Mrs.
Niger Kerr, an. English couple who
are not spiritualists. according to this
magazine. They recently decided to
settle down in a town bordering one
of the italian lakes. They withhold
the name of the town. except from
scientific investigators, for the pur-
pose of preventing a rush Of morbidly
curious people.
Mr.. and Mrs. Kerr bought the ef-
fects of two elderly Danish sisters.
One of the sisters died. Her death
was attributed in part by her grief az
having to part with her belongings.
The surviving sister departed for Dem
mark, after making over the lease of
her house, Villa Wisteria. to Kerr. /.
The alleged ghostly yisitations be-
gan as soon as the Kerrs moved into
Villa Wisteria. Mr.. and Mrs. Kerr oc-
cupied different bedrooms. The first
evening, Kerr, in bed, heard light
footsteps on the stairs. At the top of
the sairs, the footsteps, hestated, hu
says. Then, Kerr was aware of hands
feeling the outside of the door of his
bedroom. There was bright light in
the bedroom. Soon, the handle, which
was on the latch principle, moved
upward. The. door can only be open
ed when the handle is moved down.
ward, Again Kerr heard the hands
pass over the outside of the door, and
again the handle moved upward. Kerr
got out of bed and quickly opened the
door. He could see nobody. He re-
turned to bed, and then after short
interval heard the footsteps again.
This time they were descending from
the floor above, and finally they NOV
ed off.
Furniture shifted.
Thereafter. Kerr heard footsteps
almost continuously when he was at
home. They seemed more distinct in
daylight. When he was reading. the
footsteps would pass in front OF him.
When he moved about. they followed
him. At various times, the furniture
onthe floor above was shifted On one
occasion when Kerr arrived home at
night, footsteps rushed down the
stairs toward him and he ran out into
the street in fright. At no time was
the phantom visible.
nothing of his experiences to his wife.
This fact is held to be of great value
by psychic investigators. because aft
er the Kerrs had left the house, they
compared notes and then for the first
time Kerr learned his wife had heard
the same ghostly sounds in Villa Wis
teria.
When the Kerrs decided TO move.
two French women called to 4nspSet
the house which they thought they
might rent. While the visitors and
Mrs. Kerr were talking, they all heard
the front door open and close. Then
steps were heard in the hall. The
steps went up the stairway. There
was cough and the steps apepared
in the room overhead. A chair was
heard to move, and one of the French
women asked whether there was any
body stopping in the house.
Mrs Kerr explained that her hus-
band must have come home. She
went into the hall and called. bu,
here was no response. She made an
excuse to the visitors, who soon de-
parted, Mrs. Kerr had no doubt her
husband was upstairs and had been
90 shy to come down. She mounted
he stairs, but found nobody. She
vas greatly frightened and fled to
he kitchen, locking herself in until
Kerr returned an hour later. She told
Ter husband somebody had broken in
he house, but a search revealed
IOthing.
Terrifying Experience.
The most terrifying experience oc-
urred the evening the Kerrs 8 were
acking preparatory to moving, out.
lrs. Kerr, alone in her room. was fill
lg trunk. She was on her knees,
ending over when she heard foot
cps coming up the stairs. She was
lmost paralyzed with fright. She felt
lie invisible presence cross behind
- tHVi tHeEe was pressure on
er neck and she couldn't resist 4.
ressure was firm and gentle. Mrs.
err's head was slowly and resistless-
forced downward until her face
as almost within the opened trunk.
RS. Kerr brought forth a supreme ef-
rt. pushed the trunk from her, ut
red a piercing Shrek. and then
ruggled to her feet and locked her
or. The ghostly assailant then dis
peared.
The next day, the Kerrs left and the
ost went. too. Experiments are be-
conducted to recall the phantom
Nilla Wisteria for scientific inves-
alton.
The psychic explanation is that the
antom was the ghost of the dead
nish sister, who was haunting
ther the Villa Wisteria nor thu
rrs, but wished to be near her be-
ed possessions. which the Kerrs
! purchased. Some of these Dos
Sions in the trunk. ready to be NOV
away. are believed by spiritlalists
have been the reason for the at
K on Mrs. Kerr.
BROTHERS \