Coolbaggie Creek is in the vicinity of Rawsonville, to the NW of Dubbo.
A Coalbaggie Mystery.
About three years ago, Peter Stein, a hard-headed, practical, frugal German, sold property he possessed in the Wagga district, and with his family came to Dubbo, in search of land. He and his son Jacob, a young man now 28 years of age, took up two areas of 2560 acres each on the Coalbaggie. The selections are on the South Balladoran run, and rather isolated. Jacob’s selection is on the southern part of the run, and there was when it was taken up an old hut upon it. In this at first lived the family, consisting of Mr and Mrs Peter Stein, two adult sons, two adult daughters, and five younger children. With the family a young man named Daley came into the district. He had been reared by the Steins, and was as one of the family. He was very much attached to them and they to him.
Jacob determined to build on the site of the hut, while Peter commenced the erection of a commodious residence on his land, about three miles away. The Steins were, however, no sooner settled down – the father and family in their new house and Jacob at his hut, than they heard at night strange voices, loud cooeyings, and awful screamings. Thinking that they proceeded from either belated travellers or homewards proceeding selectors, more merry than sensible, they took little notice of them. These sounds were only heard at intervals – a fortnight or three weeks intervening between their occurrence. They, however, took place so regularly – for they were at one time heard at Jacob Stein’s, and again at the father’s – that the idea of noisy roysterers, making night hideous with their noises, was given up.
About eighteen months ago, there were further developments, and, according to the family, strange manifestations. The furniture in Peter Stein’s house became as possessed. It jumped about in all directions, and on one occasion the crash of crockery was something decidedly extraordinary and uncanny. Mrs Stein was baking in the kitchen, one day, and after she had her dough prepared to be placed in the oven an invisible hand caught it up and tossed it on the floor.
These things, or akin to them have kept on from then till now, but with the further development that the person responsible – whether spirit of Heaven or goblin damned – has frequently interviewed, and has had conversations with the several members of the family. Evidently the presence is not of the regular type, for it does not wait till the “witching hour when grave yards yawn and ghosts troop forth,” but comes along in broad daylight, and talks to a family, who are now somewhat terrified, as may well be imagined.
In reply to a question from Peter Stein, the invisible visitor has said that his name is George William Herbert, and that his mother, who was named Annie, and his sister, who was called Julia, were burnt to death on the South Balladoran run, – that his father died in the Cootamundra Hospital eighteen years ago, – that he (the speaker) had been hit upon the head and left for dead on the road, – that he had been saved, – and had subsisted upon herbs and weeds.
Upon being asked to show himself by the elder Stein, he replied that if he did, those who saw him would faint, for they had never seen anything like him before. According to the Steins, – and all, from the father to the youngest child tell the same round unvarnished tale – the visitor sometimes speaks in a gruff manly voice and sometimes as softly as a woman – indeed it would be difficult to distinguish his voice from a girl’s.
The dogs about the place seem to know when it is coming – although the Steins cannot see it, they appear to have that power, for they bark furiously and one particular dog goes nearly wild with fear and excitement.
About a fortnight ago, things reached a climax, and the invisible one performed all kinds of pranks. It cast tomahawks and knives about, with the grace of an Indian juggler, and upset pots, chairs, and other articles of domestic economy. One night, while the family were engaged reciting the Rosary – they are Roman Catholics, and retain the simple devotional habits of the Rhineland – the table round which they knelt was suddenly lifted towards the ceiling and then allowed to come down with a heavy thud.
So annoying have been the manifestations that Kelly the young fellow who came from Wagga with the Steins, has left the place. Another man named Bowden, employed by them, has also left saying that if he were given the selection he would not live there. The whole thing is certainly mysterious, but, however the sceptical may be inclined to laugh at it, there is not, our informant states, the slightest doubt that every one of the family thoroughly believes what he tells, and each from the youngest child to the father of the family, has the same story to tell.
Mrs Stein, who is an English lady, with no tendency to the superstitions, is as convincedas she is of her existence that the place is haunted. A few days ago, at Peter Stein’s request, the Very Rev. Father Byrne visited the selction and though during the night and day he spent there he saw or heard nothing, he investigated as far as possible the affair, and is thoroughly satisfied that the Steins are believers that they are being annoyed by a power, which can act materially, talk like a man or woman, all the time being invisible.
The affair is extraordinary, and a searching inquiry should take place.
Dubbo Dispatch and Wellington Independent (NSW), 15th May 1894.
O, My Prophetic Soul!
Mr Charles Joseph, Howick-street, writes: – Re the ghost at Coalbaggie, near Dubbo, the story of the family Steins may be truthfully reported, but the ghost should remember that there was no hospital at Cootamundra 18 years ago, nor any time up to 10 years back.
National Advocate (NSW), 18th May 1894.
The Coalbaggie Mystery.
Mr Jacob Stein Interviewed.
Mr Jacob Stein, one of the family at Coalbaggie, Dubbo, which has been troubled by the supernatural doings of an invisible visitor, has been interviewed, and has made several more statements of wonderful occurrences in addition to those already published. The continuations of the manifestations, to the great annoyance of the family, induced Mr Jacob Stein, the eldest son, to visit Dubbo recently, with a view to obtain such assistance as would enable a solution of the mystery. Mr Stein called at the office of the Dubbo Dispatch, and in the presence of several well-known gentlemen, told a most extraordinary tale, bearing out in every particular what had been previously published – showing, in fact, that what was said was only a part of what had occurred almost continuously during the four years the Stein family have been on the Coalbaggie.
When did these annoyances commence? askedthe interviewer. – From the first day we went there. There was, I may tell you, an old hut on the ground when we took it up, and we heard noises there first. Then when the new place was built it commenced in earnest. It chucked candlesticks, furniture, and everything else about. It hammered the tin dishes, and you could see the dints in the dishes afterwards. It started to talk to us then, but since Father Bolger and Father Moylan were out it has not talked so much. It was quiet for some time afterwards.
Has it told you what it is, or anything of its history? Yes it has often said that its mother and sister were burned to death in the hut. The mother was ironing, and her dress caught fire. He said an aunt and uncle lived across the creek, and the mother when she was dying gave £60 and a gold watch to the aunt, asking her to keep them for her boy and take care of him. The uncle, a man named — hit him upon the head with the handle of a stockwhip and left him for dead on the road.
Have you ever seen anything, Mr Stein? – Well, one night mother and I were sitting in the room by the fire, and clods were pelted at us, as if by some person in the fireplace. We looked and saw a strange figure. It had the body of a child, about five years old, and most peculiar face, with a whitish beard on it. I went to catch it and it disappeared. On another occasion I saw something like a hand coming over a box, and when I tried to grasp it there was nothing.
When you heard it talking did the things move about? – Yes, while it talked outside, as it were, the furniture and other things would be knocked about inside. In fact, in four different places the racket would be going on. It used to catch the bedsteads and shake them violently, and while this was going on, a few yards away the crockery woudl be smashed at the same time. On one occasion it took up a crucifix which was in the house, broke it to pieces, and flung the bits in our faces. At another time some blessed candles brought from Dubbo were broken into bits before us and cast at us. The candles and crucifix were quite uninjured a minute or two before, and without our seeing what was doing it, they were pulled to pieces and cast at us.
Was any person outside the family in the house at the time when these occurrences were going on? – Yes, why only the other day it attempted to set fire to my sister’s clothes, and did other things, and this can be testified to by Mr McLeod, who is now in Dubbo, and a Mr Dwyer, who with his son was at our place at the time making arrangements for the purchase from us of 1000sheep.
When did it appear last? – Of late it was very bad, and it took us all we could do to prevent it burning down the place. We smell something like fire before we see it, and the house will be on fire in four places at once, and the bedclothes and articles of female apparel also burning.
It has been suggested, Mr Stein, that one of your family is a ventriloquist, and that accounts for some of the manifestations? – Whenever I hear this – and I have heard it said several times – I get real “narked”. I wish those who offer this solution had the thing tied round their neck. Then they would know if it was a ventriloquist. It is, I assure you, a regular torment to us, and it is driving my father and mother real mad. My opinion is that it is a live spirit, possessed of the devil.
Have you seen more at any other time than what you have told us? – Well, on one occasion, it came in the shape of a bear, got up on the wall of the kitchen, and when we went to chase it away it disappeared in a white smoke. On another occasion a big mouse, about a foot long, came on the roof and it mysteriously moved about. Again it took the shape of a kangaroo and another day a wallaby was near the house, and it would not shift for my sisters. They tried to put the dogs on it, but the dogs came back with their tails between their legs. My brother and myself put two kangaroo dogs on to it, and it ran into the creek and disappeared as if into the ground. The dogs came out on the other side, looking terribly terrified, and there was no wallaby. That night it talked to us, and said it could appear in any shape – that it was the wallaby we were chasing. It said it could appear as a lizard or a snake, or any shape it liked. It told us it was no use bringing out the priests. It said it would haunt us and torment us not only while we were on the Coalbaggie, but would follow us about wherever we went.
You say it has talked to you very frequently? – Well, yes; but not so much during the last few months. It talks in two voices, and sometimes speaks sensibly enough, while at other times it seems quite mad, and uses language which could not be beaten by the lowest Sydney larrikin. It bids us the time of day, and when I have remonstrated with it for its actions, it says it is only having a bit of fun. I once said to it that there was not much fun in breaking crockery and generally knocking things about, and it told me it couldn’t help it, for when its mother caught fire it was taking some crockery out, and the shock was so great that it dropped it. Since then its favourite amusement has been smashing up the crockery. It has done, from first to last, £100 worth of damage, and you may be sure if it was one of ourselves, we would not waste money like that. Not long since it went into the kitchen, and in the presence of three or four took down the frying pan, placed it on the fire and put six eggs in it. The frying-pan could be seen moving and the eggs put in it, but the agency which moved it was invisible. It is no wonder that we are scared when these things take place. Why, even the dogs know when it is about. You can hear it talking to them, and they look in mortal dread, their hair standing up and their eyes bulging out of their heads. It talks in two voices, and sometimes so loudly that it ought to be heard a mile away.
Does it ever sing, and are the songs up to date? – Yes, it sings, and it seems to know all sorts of songs. Two in particular it seems to be very fond of, “The Banks of the Clyde,” and “The Ship that Never Returned.” It sings the last one pretty fair, but it is quite horrible to hear it singing “The Banks of the Clyde,” – it’s quite sickening. It does not trouble me so much at my selection as it troubles them at father’s place. It sometimes comes and takes my tools when I am at work, and plants them. I find them afterwards, however. We are quite full about it. The family will come into Dubbo, and then it can bash away.
Do you suspect any neighbours of being concerned? – No, we are on the best terms with everyone, and the nearest neighbour is living nearly three miles away. I have really no conception of what the thing is, beyond that I honestly believe it is a live spirit, possessed by devils, and having the power of making itself invisible. Why, the night whenwe were praying it lifted up the table towards the ceiling. There were present my father and mother and four of my sisters. Not one of them touched the table, but it went up just the same.
Regarding these peculiar phenomena – and it may be said Mr Stein is a level headed man, with more than average intelligence, and he told the above before gentlemen holding the highest positions in the town – the following, which appears in a recent Melbourne Argus, may be deemed apposite. [a description of a seance follows].
Dubbo Dispatch and Wellington Independent (NSW), 1st June 1894.
Talk o’ the town.
That Coalbaggie ghost is still tormenting the Stein family. It is now amusing itself by trying to burn down the house and make a bonfire of the girls’ dresses. The invisible visitor is evidently not very chivalrous, or he would leave the women’s finery alone. But, after all, I think the Coalbaggie hobgoblin have been outdone by the spirits which have been conjured up at Melbourne [seance comments follow]
Dubbo Dispatch and Wellington Independent, 1st June 1894.
Original correspondence.
The Coalbaggie Ghost. (To the Editor of the Dubbo Dispatch.).
Sir, – In your issue of the 1st June Mr Jacob Stein is reported to have siad, “before gentlemen holding the highest positions in town,” that “since Father Bolger and Father Moylan were out (at Coalbaggie) it (the alleged ‘spook’) has not talked so much.”
My object, therefore, in writing this letter, is to decline Mr Stein’s compliment and give a most emphatic denial to the statement that I ever visited the place in question. I am also morally certain that the late Father Bolger did not visit Coalbaggie during the time specified.
Yours sincerely, J. Moylan. Catholic Presbytery, Wellington, 4th June 1894.
(In justice to Mr Stein, it must be said he was misunderstood. He did not say the Rev. gentlemen had visited Coalbaggie, but since they were spoken to regarding the manifestations, the ‘spook’ became less talkative. – Ed. DD.)
Dubbo Dispatch and Wellington Independent, 8th June 1894.
The Coalbaggie Mystery.
More reports are in circulation about the Coalbaggieghost. The latest is that the ‘spook’ has announced his intention to meet all comers on Wednesday next. Mr Jacob Stein was in Dubbo on Saturday evening. The ghost’s latest prank is the barring of doors. It is to be hoped that something positive regarding the affair will be learned on the day above named.
Dubbo Dispatch and Wellington Independent, 31st July 1894.
A Haunted Hut.
We quote the following extraordinary story from a recent number of “The Capricornian,” a paper published at Rockampton, Queensland: –
About three years ago (says the Dubbo “Despatch”) Peter Stein, a hard-headed, practical, frugal German, sold property he possessed in the Wagga Wagga district, and, with his family, came to Dubbo in search of land. He and his son Jacob, a young man now twenty-eight years of age, took up two areas of 2,560 acres each on the Coalbaggie. The selections are on the South Balladoran run, and rather isolated. Jacob’s selection is on the southern part of the run, and there was, when it was taken up, an old hut upon it. In this at first lived the family, consisting of Mr and Mrs Peter Stein, two adult sons, two adult daughters, and five younger children. With the family a young man named Daley came into the district. He had been reared by the Steins, and was as one of the family. He was much attached to them and they to him.
Jacob determined to build on the site of the hut, while Peter commenced the erection of a commodious residence on his land, about three miles away. The Steins were, however, no sooner settled down – the father and family in their new house, and Jacob at his hut, than they heard at night strange voices, loud cooeyings, and awful screamings. Thinking that they proceeded from either belated travellers or homeward proceeding selectors, more merry than sensible, they took little notice of them. These sounds were only heard at intervals – a fortnight or three weeks intervening between their occurrence. They, however, took place so regularly – for they were at one time heard at Jacob Stein’s, and again at the father’s – that the idea of noisy roysterers, making night hideous with their noises, was given up.
About eighteen months ago there were further developments, and, according to the family, strange manifestations. The furniture in Peter Stein’s house became as possessed. It jumped about in all directions, and on one occasion the crash of crockery was something decidedly extraordinary and uncanny. Mrs Stein was baking in the kitchen one day, and after she had her dough prepared to be placed in the oven an invisible hand caught it up and tossed it on the floor. These things, or akin to them, have kept on from then till now, but with the further development that the person responsible – whether spirit of Heaven or goblin damned – has frequently interviewed, and has had conversations with, the several members of the family. Evidently the presence is not of the regular type, for it does not wait till the “witching hour when graveyards yawn and ghosts troop forth,” but comes along in broad daylight, and talks to a family, who are now somewhat terrified, as may well be imagined.
In reply to a question from Peter Stein, the invisible visitor has said that his name is George William Herbert, and that his mother, who was named Annie, and his sister, who was called Julia, were burned to death on the South Balladoran run – that his father died in the Cootamundra hospital eighteen years ago – that he (the speaker) had been hit upon the head and left for dead on the road – that he had been saved – and had subsisted upon herbs and weeds. Upon being asked by the older Stein to show himself he replied that if he did those who saw him would faint, for they had never seen anything like him before.
According to the Steins – and all, from the father to the youngest child, tell the same round unvarnished tale – the visitor sometimes speaks in a gruff manly voice and sometimes as softly as a woman – indeed, it would be difficult to distinguish his voice from a girl’s. The dogs about the place seem to know when it is coming; although the Steins cannot see it, they appear to have that power, for they bark furiously, and one particular dog goes nearly wild with fear and excitement.
About a fortnight ago things reached a climax, and the invisible one performed all kinds of pranks. It cast tomahawks and knives about with the grace of an Indian juggler, and upset pots, chairs, and other articles of domestic economy. One night while the family were engaged in reciting the Rosary – they are Roman Catholics, and retain the simple devotional habits of the Rhineland – the table round which they knelt was suddenly lifted towards the ceiling and then allowed to come down with a heavy thud. So annoying have been the manifestations that the young fellow who came from Wagga Wagga with the Steins has left the place. Another man named Bowden, employed by them, has also left, saying that if he were given the selection he would not live there.
The whole thing is certainly mysterious, but, however the sceptical may be inclined to laugh at it, there is not, our informant states, the slightest doubt that every one of the family thoroughly believes what he tells, and each, from the youngest child to the father of the family, has the same story to tell. Mrs Stein, who is an English lady, with no tendency to the superstitious, is as convinced as she is of her existence that the place is haunted.
A few days ago, at Peter Stein’s request, the Very Rev. Father Byrne visited the selection, and though during the night and day he spent there he saw or heard nothing he investigated the affair as far as possible, and is thoroughly satisfied that the Steins are believers that they are being annoyed by a power which can act materially, and talk like a man or woman, all the time being itself invisible.
Light, 8th September 1894.