Newspaper Clipping of the Day

Via Newspapers.com

It’s time for more Mystery Stone-Throwing! The “Stark County Democrat,” October 17, 1878:

Akron, Ohio, October 11.--On Tuesday last, while Mrs. Michael Metzler, living in the vicinity of the southern corporation line of Akron, was husking corn in a field, she was struck by several stones, which came from an unknown source. Later in the day her children were struck in the same way, and fled in terror to the house. On Wednesday evening. while Mrs. M. was again in the field, she was again struck by large lumps of earth and several stones in a similar manner as before. Yesterday morning, as Mrs. M. and her little daughter were standing before their cellar door, a large pebble came up from the cellar, striking the little girl in the face. All this is unaccountable, for the family reside in a rather ancient brick house, and on last evening a party of eight gathered in the main room, which contains two windows and two doors. Father Brown, a Catholic priest of this city, was present, and about 10 o'clock offered prayer. Hardly had he finished, however, before two large-sized stones fell at his feet, followed by a dozen or more pebbles, which came from the ceiling and walls, striking the persons who were in the room. 

All these stories have been circulated through the city, and to get the bottom facts of the affair, the Leader correspondent, together with a companion, paid a visit to the house to day shortly after dinner. The Leader man found the lady of the home and her family busy at work making apple butter, and after introducing himself to Mrs. Metzler, began a conversation regarding the strange freaks of the stones. At the time both windows and doors were closed, and the reporter and his companion were sitting in chairs near the door, where an excellent view of the room could be obtained. 

Mrs. Metzler, with tears in her eyes, declared it was not ghosts or anything of the kind, and said it must be a curse on the family. As she spoke she was standing in the middle of the room, and had pointed out to the reporter from whence the stones came, when suddenly a pebble the size of a hickory nut dropped from the ceiling and fell, striking Mrs. Metzler on the arm. The reporter witnessed all this, and picked up the stone as it fell. Soon after this a neighbor came to the front door, and inquired if anything more had transpired. The reporter walked to the door and was showing the stone which had just fallen to the neighbor when suddenly a larger pebble, four times the size of the first one, struck the reporter on the shoulder and fell to the floor. His companion saw the stone come through the ceiling about a yard from where the other one had come from. 

Mrs. Metzler stated to the reporter that at night the stones fell with a whistling noise, She showed to the reporter about twenty stones that had fallen during the forenoon. The affair is a most mysterious one, and will be more thoroughly worked up by the Leader correspondent tonight.

In December, it was reported that the family was still persecuted by this mysterious bombardment. The story seems to have subsequently disappeared from the newspapers, so it’s anyone’s guess how long it went on.