Remarkable occurrence.
To the Editor of the Morning Chronicle.
Cambridge, Oct. 7. 1804.
Sir,
The threat of invasion, and the “dreadful” firing off Boulogne, have been so often repeated in the papers as to have lost all interest with the public; even the catamaran has not answered to its name, for it appears but very few of the enemy’s craft have been destroyed, though, by the first account, we were led to expect it had completely justified the expectation of the projectors.
As, then, there is a dearth of political events, it may not be unacceptable to you, or your readers, to be informed of a phenomenon, in this neighbourhood, that has excited the curiosity of the philosopher, and the fears of the superstitious. I shall state it as briefly as possible without any exaggeration, for, as your paper is much read here, it would be very easy to convict me if I departed from the truth.
A few days since Mrs Adams, the wife of Mr Adams, a respectable farmer at Sawston, seven miles south of this town, percived the bottom part of her gown was torn, as if by a nail, this she mended, and thought no more of till the next day, when she discovered that not only her own gown, but her servant’s also were literally in tatters; she could not account for their being in that state, but put on another, this, though whole at the time of doing so, was reduced to the condition of her first, and though, in the whole, she dressed herself in six different garments, all of them shared the same fate.
She informed several of her neighbours, both male and female, of the circumstance, who, on going into the house, were equally unfortunate, for though the utmost precaution was taken that they might experience no injury, they found such holes in the gowns of the women and the coats of the men as convinced them all were regarded in the same light.
A friend of mine who lives in the place, and who is a gentleman of great respectivility, informed me that he went to the house, where there were a dozen others, that he knew their gowns were entire on their entry, but that he saw pieces drop off, and rents made without any visible cause.
Mr Adams called on Dr Milner to acquaint him with the business, and I understand the Vice Chancellor, who as well as the Dr has great knowledge in Chemistry, intends accompanying him tomorrow, that they may, if possible, discover the cause of this extraordinary case.
The garments have no appearance of having had any Chemical preparation thrown on them, for neither the look or smell would lead you to suppose that the rends were occasioned by vitriolic acid, &c. &c. Many of your readers will laugh at a tale so improbable and inexplicable: there might have been some grounds for ridicule if only one or two persons had been affected by it, but nine-tenths of those who visit the house have a knowledge of the effects from their own experience.
Another letter same date: [as in the following article more or less].
Morning Chronicle, 9th October 1804.
Supernatural Agency.
The following extraordinary article appeared in a Morning Paper. Whether it be intended as a political allegory, an effusion of humour, or a simple statement of matter of fact, we pretend not to determine, but it may rank with the Cock-lane Ghost or the Stockwell Wonder; and we submit it to our readers that they may be able to judge for themselves:
“The wife of Mr Adams, a respectable farmer at Sawston, near Cambridge, a few days ago perceived that the bottom part of her gown was torn, as if caught by a hook; this she immediately mended, and thought no more of it; on the following morning the gown appeared torn in the same place, and also in several other parts, for which Mrs. A. not recollecting any cause, began to be much surprised, and mentioned the circumstance to her husband, and to the maid servant, whose gown by this time had shared the same fate. The family being now alarmed, related the strange event to their neighbours, many of whom visited the house, and soon discovered that their apparel sustained a similar injury, as well men as women. Mr Adams has three coats, all of which appear to be considerably torn in the skirts; the wife has, during the last four days, put on six different gowns, and all are so much torn that she cannot ever mend them. A girl that resides in the house, about 15 years of age, had literally nothing but the body part of her gown remaining, all the skirts having fallen off as she moved about.
A Lady who has been a few weeks on a visit at Sawston, called at the house on Friday evening, with several other persons; she had on a new coloured gown, and after being there about a quarter of an hour discovered two large holes and a long rend in different parts of it, and being considerably alarmed at the unaccountable effect, immediately left the house: during her stay in it, the apparel of several other persons was torn or rent in like manner.
This very extraordinary occurrence has now become the only subject of discourse all over Cambridge, and I have no doubt half the town will go to Sawston to witness its strange operations. Many of your readers will laugh at a tale so improbable and inexplicable, and I myself should have suspected some imposition, had the effects been confined to the family, but so many others have experienced them, whose veracity cannot be questioned, I confess myself lost in amazement.
Should any of your learned readers know a precedent for such a case, and be able to unfold the cause of so strange a circumstance, or prescribe a preventive, it would give the greatest satisfaction to the family and friends of Mr Adams, who have hitherto been unable to discover any cause whatever by which they can, in the slightest degree, account for the event. Nothing is to be seen, heard, or felt, during the operations of the invisible agent, and no other article in the house but apparel has been hitherto affected, and that principally when on the wearer, who is not at all aware of the attacks of his imperceptible enemy.
Mr Adams called on Dr Milner to acquaint him with the business, and I understand the Vice-Chancellor, who, as well as the Doctor, has great knowledge in chemistry, intends accompanying him to-morrow, that they may, if possible, discover the cause of this extraordinary case. The garments have no appearance of having had any chemical preparation thrown on them, for neither the look or smell would lead you to suppose that the rends were occasioned by vitriolic acid, &c. &c.”
Manchester Mercury, 16th October 1804.