Is it a Ghost?
Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph, December 17, 1884
On Skinner hill, four and a half miles south east of Sherburne village, resides the family of Fred Boos, who are Germans and came to America eighteen years ago. Mr. and Mrs. B. were married at Earlville, November 12, 1871. They have one child, a boy twelve years of age. The house stands in the lot some fifteen rods from the road. Twelve years ago Boos purchased the farm of Gilbert Manwarring and has occupied it ever since. The family have the reputation of being peaceable, honest, truthful and hard working people. They are not superstitious and are not given to believing in ghosts or hobgoblins. The first thing which happened that attracted the attention of the occupants was about three months ago. Eggs were missing at the barn Those gathered were brought into the house, put in a basket and hung on a hook in the wall. These also gradually and mysteriously disappeared. Soon after, singular operations began in the cellar. Barrels filled with ashes were overturned, potatoes dumped upon the cellar bottom, and cabbages, which had been put into box and securely nailed, were strewed around. Believing the cellar was infested with rats they made an image of straw, dressed it in male attire and stood it up in the middle of the cellar. A few feet from it was set a steel trap awaiting its victim. Five minutes after, when one of the family repaired to the cellar, the dummy was found astride a milk rack with the trap hanging to its pantaloons. Next observed was the fruit jars, which had been on a high shelf, now lying on the ground, but none were broken. To secure the pork, a heavy stone, which required the strength of both Mr and Mrs. Boos, was put on the top of the barrel and a strong prop put from it to the joist above. On entering the cellar next morning the pork was scattered promiscuously over the cellar bottom. These disturbances meanwhile were going elsewhere on the premises. At the barn the harnesses were scattered about upon the floor, blankets and other things displaced, but no injury done to them. Things continued to go from, bad to worse, and destruction to personal effects seemed inevitable. To shut the disturber out of the cellar, every hole in the wall was stopped up, but that did not serve the purpose. This mysterious creature, whatever it was, whether man, animal, spirit or devil, seemed invincible to every human precaution which was made to stop his nefarious work. He seemed at times everywhere present, but no where could he be seen. Like Santa Claus, occasionally he would enter the house from the chimney. All the unused holes in the chimney were stopped and one night he was heard by the family coming down the chimney and on down the pipe till he reached the stove, then making his exit through the door, when a fire was in the stove. The intruder would go to the boy's bed while he was asleep and drag the bedclothes from him and leave them laying near or on the stove. Sometimes they have found cold pancakes between the ticks. Not only articles but money has been stolen and some of it was afterward found in the straw tick and under the carpet. Five dollars is still missing. A week ago, between the hours of eight and nine PM Mrs. Boos heard a peculiar noise which came from in the bed, that sent a terrible thrill over her. These noises have continued at times ever since, proving a great annoyance to the family. The creature seems more attached to the boy than any of the rest of the household, and has often been felt by him in his bed. Since these plagues have commenced, two feather and four straw ticks have been cut and torn so badly as to render them worthless. Pillows, as well as other articles about the house have been destroyed.
Friday night Mr. Boos felt something in the straw tick of his bed, and avers he had hold of it. He says it resembles some kind of an animal. He fought it for an hour and a half, but failed to secure it. This affair has been kept secret by the family all this time, except a few friends and neighbors were told of it. They dreaded to make it public, for they thought people would not believe the story.
On Saturday Mr. and Mrs. boos, leaving the boy at home, went to Sherburne, and there they related the story as we have given it to the readers. The story spread rapidly, and in a short time was in everybody's mouth. That night about forty persons assembled at the house, among them your correspondent. We were taken into every room, and we must confess nearly everything in the house was turned upside down. Mrs. Boos claims that the house was in order when they left it in the morning, and it was as they found it on their return. The boy says it was all done while he was doing the chores. Had Barnum's cage of monkeys been let loose, things in the house could not have presented a more confused aspect. In fact almost every piece of furniture in every room of the house was turned topsy turvy. A curtain was torn, pie stewed upon the carpet, large places in the walls on the sides and overhead were made, holes were made in the floor, castor upset, clock taken from the shelf and set down on the floor, and the lounge was found by them with one end upon the kitchen stove. Examination showed the holes to have been made with some kind of dull instrument. A chisel was found in the pantry that corresponded with notches in the holes. The family claims that it is not an unusual thing to find knives and other articles near or in these holes, which were dragged there by this intruder. The other day Mr. R's revolver and a pair of tongs were found in these places.
Boos says it is an animal of some kind with eyes like a ball of fire and which moves like a streak of lightning. Reliable neighbors claim to have seen evidences confirming what we have written.
What we have written is vouched for by the family, who appear to want to relate nothing but the truth. Many stories are afloat regarding the matter, and it is hoped through investigation that something may develop to explain the cause of all this uncalled for rumpus and destruction of household effects. On Sunday G.S. Tanner and Charles James were at the house all day and night, to learn the cause and satisfy themselves, but as yet no developments have been made. G.S.T.
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