Supposed Spectral Visits and Mysterious Sounds
SUPPOSED
SPECTRAL VISITS AND MYSTERIOUS SOUNDS
From time to
time the Derry constabulary have had rather knotty problems submitted to them
for solution, but it is open to doubt if they ever had placed before them a
“case” so queer and uncanny as that which is presently having the attention of
the acutest members of the Bishop Street Station force. It is often difficult
enough, in all conscience, to get at the real root of disturbances happening in
the open, during wide daylight, and usually traceable to a sudden ebullition of
temper among a group of persons whom controversy causes to adopt dangerous
methods. However, when the peace of a household is repeatedly disturbed and a
certain measure of alarm is raised only in the gloom of night and only through manifestations
of an occult nature, the difficulty of satisfactory investigation is ten-fold
increased.
An extensive
section of a thickly populated district in Derry city has been thrown into a
state of consternation by a series of extraordinary and mysterious nocturnal
occurrences. Faint rumours of peculiar noises having been heard within an
inhabited house in the vicinity of the thoroughfare known as Hogg’s Folly made
themselves felt about a week ago. At first they were discredited as being the
outcome of a practical joke. These
reports of a man and his family being most strangely disturbed at night in
their residence continued in circulation despite a general tendency among
people in the quarter to set them down as childish and as not having foundation
in fact. Still the rumours persisted, and when a neighbour spoke jocularly to a
member of the family concerned about the alleged mysterious happenings in their
house the answer given was in no humorous vein. Though the inhabitants of the
house were for obvious reasons inclined to allay undue alarm, yet the prevalent
reports were corroborated with circumstantiality. As a consequence, excitement
in the neighbourhood increased and it became common knowledge, by this time,
where the abode which caused all the commotion was situated.
The house
which, by the way, within the past two or three days has been hurriedly vacated
by the family who dwelt there stands, as the last of a street row, on a little
eminence at the junction of two thoroughfares, namely Hollywell Street and
Hogg’s Folly. It is a plain-built but substantial two-storied structure, having
a frontage lighted by five windows. In exterior aspect its walls contrast
favourably with those of some adjoining houses, since they are freshly and
neatly whitewashed. In brief the building might be described on the view as a
very suitable cottage for an artizan’s family. It seems that there is a cellar
beneath the ground floor of the cottage, and it is from this cellar that
uncanny noises have been for some time emanating nightly. Patient and cool
attempts to trace the origin of this mysterious visitation were made but the
investigators were baffled and yet remain so.
Not only have
these inexplicable noises been heard by the inmates of the house, but the
ghostly din manifested itself so loudly after midnight on two nights of last
week that it reached the ears of neighbours dwelling on the opposite side of
the street. Disquieting, as these incidents undoubtedly were, it appears that
they alone did not determine the family to leave the place. On one of the
nights the spectral figure of a woman was seen passing slowly from one
apartment to another within the house.
This latter
remarkable circumstance was among the particulars made known to the police when
a report of the extraordinary affair was conveyed to them. The phantom female
figure was described as been clothed in a flowing robe.
Then the
question was put – “Of what colour?”
“Of pearl
grey colour,” was the reply.
The house was
visited on Saturday by Sergeant Quinlivan, Sergeant Morrow, and by other
members of the Bishop Street constabulary who, indeed, owing to the information
they got, have been pretty constantly in the neighbourhood for the past four or
five days engaged in the language of the young lads living in the locality,
“Watching for the ghost.”
Indeed the
spectacle in the street of nights recently, was wholly uncommon and not without
aspects of weirdness. A number of young men who heard the news of the
mysterious noises decided to test the truth of the matter for themselves by
waiting at a little distance from the house outside on the road till after the
midnight hour. They appeared cheerful enough at the outset, but as twelve
o’clock drew nigh loud talk gave way to low whispers. The more timid left
before the clock chimed, while those who remained after twelve listened with
bated breath. Some stated subsequently they heard no sounds from the house.
Others asserted positively that they heard the sounds of “heavy footsteps in
the cellar,” though at that time it was known that the cellar was absolutely
unoccupied.
Each night
the listening crowd assumed larger proportions, and towards the end of the week
the thoroughfare was quite filled with people discussing the mystery for which
no solution has yet been found.
From
inquiries made it appears that the house was occupied by a tenant with his wife
and three children till Thursday last. On that day they removed to another
dwelling, but a good deal of their furniture was left behind until Saturday
when it was conveyed to their new abode. The family declare they were quite
comfortable in the house they left were it not for the mysterious nocturnal
disturbances.
It is said
that the family kept a dog in the cellar and on the nights when the strange
sounds were heard the animal tore at the floor frantically with his paws so
that quite a large hole would be found thus scooped out in the mornings. This
incident suggested to some practical reasoners that rats might have been at the
bottom of the mischief, but a very careful search since made in the cellar has
failed to detect the slightest traces of these rodents.
It is now
alleged as a curious coincidence that a previous tenant left the place less
than a year ago. His decision was suddenly come to, and he declined to discuss
– even with his wife – his reasons for leaving on the very day after he had
arrived home late one night.
At present
the “ins and outs” of the extraordinary affair form the chief topic of conversation
for numerous citizens, especially those living in the vicinity of the place
concerned.
One of Hood’s
finest poems gives an exceptionally vivid description of an empty habitation,
and the pedestrian passing along yesterday by the house under notice was
reminded by the silent look of the place of the lines:--
“No dog was
at the threshold, great or small,
No pigeon on the roof – no household creature –
No cat
demurely dozing on the wall,
Not one domestic feature
No human
figure stirr’d, to go or come,
No face looked forth from shut or open casement,
No chimney
smoked – there was no sign of Home
From parapet to basement.”
A strange
thing in much that is singular in these eerie occurrences, or imaginings plus
the occurrences is the conduct of the house dog – a glut with a litter of
whelps. The animal, usually gentle and quiet, suddenly develops intense
excitement, and sets as if protecting its offspring, whilst there is no visible
cause for its disturbed and anxious condition.
We give the
case in its details as investigated, leaving our readers to form their own
judgement between imagination and manifestation.
Source:
The
Derry Journal, 10 August 1908
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