From the Albany Daily Advertiser. Singular Case of Hysterics.
There has been considerable excitement and much conversation in this city, for a few days past, in relation to a strange knocking supposed to be heard on the head board of a bed occupied by a girl about 17 years old, named Beals, (living in Daniels street), who has been for some time affected with convulsive fits. It is stated that this knocking has been heard a number of times, immediately preceding the coming on of a fit; and it is also stated that when she is laid on a bed on the floor, a knocking is heard on the floor near her head. It has been remarked, however, that when she lies on a cot, there is no knocking. There were generally three distinct and rapid knocks, which were sometimes succeeded after an interval of ten or fifteen minutes by three more. In an hour or two there would be a repeat. This knocking was repeated every night from Thursday till Sunday.
During this time the curiosity of the neighbours, and indeed of many at a distance, had become much awakened, and a number of persons watched with her in the hope of being able to discover the cause of these knocks, and relieve the fast increasing anxiety. With some people there was no doubt on the subject. They were sure that the unfortunate girl was possessed by an evil spirit, at least bewitched, and it was in vain and indeed presumptuous to endeavor to fathom the mystery. Nothing less than a regular ceremony of exorcism, with “bell, book and candle,” could displace the demon from his tenement, stop the knocking, or restore the miserable object of his persecutions to freedom and happiness. Indeed, it could hardly have been believed that there were so many of this class of persons in this city, so far behind the intelligence of the age. But this circumstance has shown the mortifying fact, and thus opened a new field for those patriots who are using their faculties and their means to disseminate the seeds of knowledge. We hope that this field may be plentifully strowed with the seeds, for truly there is need.
There were others who determined if possible to relieve the distresses of the young woman, by trials to discover the cause of this singular matter. Alderman Low, who resides near, caused her to be removed to his house on Monday, and he excluded the crowd who for the last two days had not only been in her room, but had nearly filled the street before the doors and windows. In the evening, several gentlemen, most of the medical profession, and one or two philosophers, were admitted to the room, to await the usual time of the knocking.
Ten o’clock arrived; the girl was lying on a bed on the floor, when, “Angels and ministers of grace defend us!” the ominous and dreadful “three knocks” were again heard on the floor under her. It is said that the “firm nerves” of the disciples of Galen, “trembled,” and that the philosophers were ready to exclaim – “Beest thou a spirit of health, or a goblin damned? – Thou com’st in such a questionable shape that I will speak” – No, they could not speak, their tongues clave to their mouths. But after a short breathing spell, and not again hearing that which struck such “terror to their souls,” they exclaimed, with Macbeth, “Being gone, we are men again.”
They then began to investigate the matter seriously and with coolness. We understood they arrived at no definite conclusion. Some thought the noise might be caused by the striking together of the teeth with violence, as the fit came on; some believed there was deception practiced; some thought one thing, some thought another, and some thought nothing.
After the fit which followed this knocking, had passed off, the girl became composed, and perfectly sensible, and remained so all yesterday, evidently mending. This may principally be ascribed to the measures pursued by Mr. Low, in excluding all company, and preventing much conversation with her. It is desired that no persons will call to see her, as they cannot be admitted.
We have said thus much on a subject of which we would have said nothing, if it had not been noticed in other papers. It is an affair which has grown into great consequence, when in fact it is not worthy of more than common attention.
The Rhode-Island Republican, August 9th, 1831.
Ghosts and Witches.
The days of superstition have not yet passed away. Our late mails furnish two stories of a supernatural agency; one in Albany, and the other at Nashville, Tennessee. The Albany case is to this effect: – A female between sixteen and seventeen years of age, the daughter of a widow woman in moderate circumstances, has been afflicted with hysterical fits, at intervals, for the last eighteen months. A short time since, as she was preparing to go to bed, she heard several knocks upon the head-board of the bedstead, and insisted that some one was in the room under the bed, and it was not until a thorough search that she was satisfied to the contrary. She was not, however, much alarmed, and slept well that night, without further interruption. In the course of the ensuing twenty-four hours, she again heard the knocks; she was removed to another room, but was still annoyed at intervals for several days –
Attempts were made by her friends to convince her that it was imaginary, or that the noise was produced by themselves, but the knocks soon became so frequent and distinct as to destroy this delusion, and the poor girl now yielded to all the terrors of extreme fright and alarm. It is said that she falls into paroxysms and spasms as soon as the sound is heard.
The knocks are rapid, distinct and loud [in…] so heavy as to shake the bed, and so loud as to be heard in the adjoining rooms, and when the windows are up, in the street and adjoining dwellings. They are never less than three and rarely less than five at any one time. They are heard at irregular intervals during the day and night.
Persons in the room at the time, not only hear them distinctly, but when seated on the bed or standing near it, feel the concussion. – A gentleman who, with two or three neighbours sat up with her during Sunday night, says that he was standing at the head of the bed when it was heard on one occasion during the night, and that it was sudden and powerful enough to throw his hand from the head board, and that it was in its nature, if not appalling, at least impossible to account for.
Experiments have been made, by changing her position on the bed, but without success. If the head be reversed, the knocking is heard in the new position. If laid on the floor, it is heard there, directly under her head, and is sufficiently loud to be heard in the room below. – If placed in a position against the ceiling, it is heard there.
The Albany Evening Journal* attempts to explain the phenomenon thus: He says that the knocking was heard simultaneously with the spasms, and when the spasms came on, they brought her teeth so violently in contact as to produce the noise that has been regarded as supernatural; but the Commercial Advertiser will not allow this statement to be satisfactory.
He states that: “In the year 1805, a similar occurrence took place at the corner of Mulberry and Bayard streets. Whenever the knocks were heard, a young woman who resided in the family would go into hysterics. The young woman removed into another family, and the knocking was heard in that house. A vast number visited the house, heard the knocking, but we do not recollect whether the cause was ever found out; the writer of this note heard it repeatedly. There was a case very similar, and more extraordinary, in Hackensack, some 30 years ago. And who, moreover, does not recollect the case of that eminent servant of God, John Wesley, who, with his pious family, was so long afflicted with knockings which never could be explained – “There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamed of in our philosophy.”
And we add, who has not heard of the Cocklane ghost, that so completely confounded the judgment of Dr. Johnson? We admit that there are many accounts of supernatural visitations on record, well authenticated, and so far as the testimony goes, they bid defiance to human ingenuity to explain rationally; but it does not follow, that if all the circumstances were known, that the same difficulty would exist. We have reason to arrive at this conclusion, as the most remarkable phenomena, and apparently inexplicable, have ultimately been traced to n atural causes. – U.S. Gazette.
Adams Sentinel, 16th August 1831.
*a paper from Albany, New York.
The young lady of Albany, who was thrown into fits, &c by a mysterious knocking, is named Maria Abeels. She was removed to the house of Alderman Low, and the Daily Advertiser says that after one knocking being heard and one fit, she has been growing better. A learned Professor of Schenectady according to the Advocate, sat by her bedside three hours and says it is all nonsense.
The Rhode Island Republican, August 23rd 1831.
More Mystery.
The hysterical young woman in Albany, it appears, is still troubled with the strange knocking under the head-board of her bed, about which so much wonderment has been expressed. The female has been swung in a hammock, and carried into the country, but the strange rapping still follows her. What can it all mean? It is the work of an evil spirit, say the old women. – Now, for our own part, we believe, like a Christian in the agency of good and bad spirits, – but we have no faith in the doctrine that they have material knuckles, capable of coming in collision, like a carpenter’s hammer, with pine boards and joist.
The New England Galaxy, 27th August 1831.
The Mysterious Knocking.
A correspondent of the Albany Daily Advertiser attempts to account philosophically for the phenomenon that has lately excited so much attention in that city. He compares the ear in a diseased state, when the watery substance in one of the inner cavities has been absorbed partially, leaving a vacuum, to the instrument called ‘Water Hammer.’ This is a glass tube, hermetically sealed, partly filled with water, the rest being a vacuum, by suddenly raising which to a vertical position, a peculiar noise is made by the falling water, resembling that heard during the spasms of the patient, in the case referred to. The solution seems a plausible one. Only three knocks are heard at a time, and in quick succession, when she has the spasms; and soon as this is over, the spasm ends.
Phenix Gazette (D.C.), September 1st 1831.
More Phenomena.
The Albany Daily Advertiser says that the young woman who has been afflicted with “knockings,” had began to discharge pins from her mouth and person, and had been carried out of the city, much to the relief of the wiser sort of people. If this be true, a good flagellation would have cured her of the “knocking,” and saved some great philosophers from the trouble of accounting for it on rational principles.
Phenix Gazette (D.C.), September 9th, 1831.
The Mysterious Knocking.
Our readers will remember an account, lately published, of a mysterious knocking heard on the headboard of the bed and on the floor near the bed of a girl troubled with hysteric fits, in Daniel street, in this city. Shortly after the former account was published, the girl was removed to the country, and for a time the knocking left her. But they were resumed while she was in the country; and on her subsequent removal back to this city, they again returned.
She was placed on a hammock swung from the ceiling, and to it there was no head board; but the knocking was heard on the floor beneath the hammock, and they have also been heard on the door near where the hammock was placed. She has likewise been laid on a bedstead and on a cot, and the knockings have followed her. Public interest and curiosity have once more been awakened. Superstition is again busy and the friends of the girl are daily pestered with accounts of remedies to exercise the evil spirit which it is said possesses her, or to destroy the power of the witch who has control over her. It is hoped the medical men may interest themselves in the matter, and, if possible, ascertain the cause of these knockings. By so doing, they might relieve the misery of the girl, and remove the foolish fantasies of those who believe in supernatural agencies, and pay reverence to imaginary beings. – Albany Daily Advertiser.
The Rhode Island Republican, September 13th, 1831.