Manifestation of spooks near Arroyo Grande.
Many people gather at residence of Edgar Ball to solve mysterious knocking on the wall.
Arroyo Grande, Oct. 9. – This whole community is much mystified and wrought up over a most remarkable phenomenon which manifests itself at the home of Edgar Ball four miles from this city toward Huasna. Mr Ball bought a piano a few weeks ago and frequently while his daughter plays on the instrument a distinct knocking is heard on the wall close to the instrument. This was first noticed three or four weeks ago and did not cause very much alarm at first as it was supposed there must be some natural cause for the occurrence. But as the knocking continued the family at last became somewhat annoyed and neighbours were told of the matter and renewed efforts made to solve the mystery.
Knowledge of the affair spread but most people on hearing of it pronounced it a fake without going near the place. But the ghost would not down no matter how much discredited and stories of new knockings were related. At last the people concluded to find out the cause of all the commotion and two or three hundred persons went to the Ball home last Monday night prepared to make a thorough investigation.
The young lady went to the instrument and as she played the knocker knocked (no reflections on the knocker tribe) and the sounds were loud and distinct, just as had been reported, on the wall right by the piano. At one time sixteen distinct knocks were counted in unbroken succession. There could be no mistake about the knocking, or rapping, but it was insisted that there must be some natural cause. Accordingly, the wall and piano and all of the surroundings were examined in every possible way to see that there was no electrical contrivance, wire battery or anything that could cause such a rapping. Nothing was found and the crowd at last departed not the least bit wiser than when it gathered, as to the cause of the singular manifestation.
On Tuesday or Wednesday night Miss Ball was at the residence of John McGlashan, a neighbour, and played the piano, or perhaps an organ, there. The family was startled by the same manifestations and the knocks are reported to have been very heavy and strong.
The whole thing is an absolute mystery and no kind of explanation can be given. The Balls have lived here for years and are nice people. They are not known to be superstitious or even to belong to any spiritualistic or kindred mental professions. The outcome of the affair is awaited with the keenest interest.
Morning Tribune, 10th October 1903.
Visitation of Spooks.
Pat Moore was a passenger to Arroyo Grande yesterday. Asked if the spooks still operated in the locality he said he should think they did. Last week large number of he spooks and she spooks both, visited his place, but he unmasked the lot of ’em. He promised to write the affair up for publication. The rapping still continues at Ball’s whenever the young lady plays the piano. Although the mystery is still unexplained the excitement has died down a great deal.
Morning Tribune, 21st October 1903.