Newspaper Clipping of the Day

Via Newspapers.com

This odd little story--which I suppose goes into the “bits of random weirdness” file--comes from the “New York Sun,” June 25, 1882:

The boarding house at 52 Willoughby street, Brooklyn, is one of a three-story, painted, brick row, on the south side, between Jay and Lawrence streets, a few doors only from the residence of Hugh McLaughlin, and is kept by Mr. and Mrs. William Swift, formerly of Boston, who leased it early in the present year.

The back parlor was let to a lady from Chicago, but about two months ago she suddenly went away, and the room, with a bedroom adjoining it, was rented to a young married couple, who yet occupy it. The room is very prettily furnished and ornamented with bric-a-brac. The walls are adorned with paintings and engravings, while the windows and doorways are heavily curtained. The following stories are told concerning these rooms: 

The couple had occupied the room only a few nights when the springs of a clock standing on the mantelpiece, and known to the trade as a carriage clock, began occasionally to vibrate with a sudden force, thereby transforming the ordinary tick into a sound likened to a prolonged mournful cry. This would occur while the occupants of the room were seated at the table, and sometimes it would break out in the middle of the night, when they were asleep. This peculiar noise has continued at irregular intervals ever since. The clock continued to keep good time, and there did not seem, on inspection, to be anything the matter with it.

Recently there has appeared in the room several times a floating, vaporous body which assumes the shape of a huge foot ball. It is of a dark color, and is transparent. It will start from a corner of the ceiling. take a downward course. and float slowly across the parlor, through the curtained doorway of the bedroom, and disappear under the bed.

In one instance it was discerned by a pet dog lying in his mistress's lap. With a bound the dog was upon the floor barking at it loudly. Two of the occupants of the room were riveted to their chairs, while the effect upon the third, who was lying sick in the bed, is described as like that of a severe electric shock. During the last few nights slight rappings have been heard.

On Thursday night the light was extinguished about 11 o'clock, and just as the couple had fallen asleep a loud pounding awakened them. The pounding ceased for a few seconds, only to be renewed in the shape of loud raps, which appeared to come from a small table by the fireplace. They sounded as though they were caused by a knuckle coming in contact with wood. The table is small, of common wood, and is covered with a cloth which would somewhat muffle the sound of a rap.

The raps heard were sharp and could not have been produced by striking upon the cloth. A thorough investigation failed to elicit any cause for the mysterious rappings, which were kept up almost without cessation until the dawn of day. There was also a rustling sound at intervals, as though something was moving through the air. The curtains trembled. 

The occupants of the house believe that a natural cause will eventually be found for the annoyance, but it is added that there are peculiar circumstances surrounding the affair which are very distressing.