The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-03-29

New York City. March 2s.-Are
ghosts q nervous disease? Is 1t a
kind of hysterIa which causes
young persons to torment their
families with fire-raising. sleight-
of-hand performances and surrep-
titious rapp:ng and knocking, thus
contriving to make it appear that
d house is haunted?
In the recent Antagonist case,
Investigated by DR.. Walter +.
Prince of the New York Psychical
Research society, the gnost turned
out to be subnormal girl, foster
daughter of the terrified MELON
aids, given-according to DR.. Prince
to peculiar dream states 1t
seems possible, therefore. that 9th
er historic ghosts may be account
ed for by similarly afflicted indi-
viduaIs.
The idea is not new. Long be-
fore Antagonist leaped into the
limelight as the home OF spiteful
spooks. a British man OF letters
advanced the suggestion that a
neurologist was the proper person
to be set on the trail OF an irritat-
ing ghost.
In tracing the history Of haunt
ed houses, says this gentleman.
Il have been struck with the fact
that in many instances the ghostly
activities invariably center around
a certain member of the family
usually a young woman. In these
instances. the ghosts atrocities are
always the same. There is mystic
rious knocking at sudden inter
walls; household articles are moved
or flung about, and fires break
forth in unexpected places. l am
convinced. however, that these wild
disturbances are not always DELHI
erately planned. There is a GER
tain spontaneity about them which
leads me to conclude that they are
often involuntary like the pecu-
Earities of ehorea-in short. that
they are the symptoms of a nerv-
GUS disease. At any rate, it is no.
uceable that they always cease
when certain member of the fam
lily is absent from the house"
Another Nova Scotia Ghost.
A celebrated instance of this
kind is the Great Amherst mystery,
tons. which spread terror through
out Nova Scotia some forty-od6
years ago, all centered around a
young woman named Esther Cox.
Like the Antagonist spook. the Am
herst ghost or ghosts attracted
widespread attention. made a con-
viRcing impression upon the credu-
lous, and finally a lot of money fo--
an actor. Walter HubbeH. who had
the sasacity to put them into popu-
lar book form.
The iced family. which was vic
umlzed in this case, consisted of
Mr. and Mrs. iced. their children.
Willie. aged 3 years. and George.
aged Il months. as well as the
slfe Two sisters, Jennie and Es-
ther Coz. They lived in q lonely
farm house in Amherst under prac-
tically the same circumstances as
the McDonnds in their farm house
AZ Antagonist.
The first alleged supernatural
disturbances occurred in the room
Of the two girls. Jennie and Esther.
who slept together They were just
going 10 sleep one night when Es-
Their suddenly leaped out of bed.
screaming that there was e mouse
IN the mattress. Upon investigat-
.ng no mouse was found. but an
innocent pasteboard box under the
bed jumped into the air and fell
over on its side.
After this, the ghost or ghosts
in on their campaign OF
petty frightfu1ness. When Esther
was in bed, the bed clothes would
fly of her and settle into a far cor
ner OF the room. When they were
replaced. the pillow under her head
few out and landed in the center
of the floor. It, also, was replaced, !
upon which it again flew out, hit
ting Mr.. Teed in the face. Where !
upon, 1t is reported, Mr. Teed I'M
left the room. declar- |
ing that he had had enough of it"
The next. night, the sound Of
scratching on the wall was heard !
for the first time All looked in
The direction from whence the
sound came" say the reports, !
when to the family's great aston |
shment there could be plainly read |
-hese words: Esther Cox, you are
nine TO kill. Everybody present |
could see the writing, but a mo-
nent before nothing was to be seen |
but the kalsomined WALL
Now, articles began TO be mys- |
moved about the house. |
sometimes violently and sometimes |
reptitiously. according to the |
mood of the ghost All saw a !
lighted match fall frou1 the ceiIi7- /
% the bed" continue the reports. |
having come out OF the air, which /
would certainly have set the bed |
on fire. had not Jennie put |
{ out instantly. During the next +,
eE minutes, eight or ten lighted !
matches fell on the bed and about |
he room out of the air. but were /
Ill extinguished before anything /
could be set on fire
Spo0ks Start BIazes. |
The fire-raising continued forl
several days. The family would |