Quite squatchy?
(From the Scottsville Register)
The Mysterious Affair at the House of Mr J. S. Moon.
The following authentic, detailed and thrillingly interesting account of the mysterious affair at the residence of Mr John S. Moon, near Scottsville, from the beginning, ten months since, to Nov. 10th, is from an extra of the Scottsville Register:
Scottsville, Albemarle, Va., November 11th 1867.
About ten months ago, a candle box, filled with rags
The Albemarle Ghost.
The report that the “Albemarle Ghost” had been captured turns out to be without foundation. He, she, or it, is on the rampage still. A letter from Scottsville, Dec. the 2d, to the Richmond Dispatch, says:
“The interest manifested in the mysterious manifestations at the residence of J.S. Moon, esq., is still unabated. The report that the author of the disturbances has been discovered and arrested is utterly without foundation. For a period of nearly ten months Mr Moon’s residence has occasionally been haunted by the mysterious stranger or strangers; but it is unnecessary here to enter into a detail of the circumstances, as the Dispatch has already furnished its readers with the principal facts in the case.
“The first questions now asked of any one coming from Mr. Moon’s neighbourhood are, ‘What is the news from Mr Moon’s? Was the rogue there last night?’ His last decided demonstration was on last Tuesday night, when he threw a few stones at the house. The cause of his suspending his operations for so long a time is supposed to be the fact that he has recently had special reasons to fear detection. What these reasons are it would not now be prudent to disclose. To publish them might lessen the chances of detecting the bold perpetrators of these singular annoyances. Besides suspicion may now rest on an innocent man.
“It is certainly a very strange affair. – We call ‘the thing’ a rogue; and yet, if a rogue at all, he is only a rogue in a very small way. He has had many opportunities to take things of value, but one or two pounds of sugar and coffee, a few small articles of clothing, and two or three loads of powder and shot, are all that he is suppose to have taken. It is out of the question to suppose that he wishes to do Mr Moon a personal injury, as he might do this at any time. Nor yet is it probable that he is influenced by feelings of hostility toward any member of the family. That he should expose his life night after night simply ‘for the fun of the thing’ is almost inconceivable. What then, can be his motive? The future may reveal.
“Those who have had the best opportunities of knowing all the facts of the case suppose that at least three persons have been engaged in it. Only one, however, has ever been seen at a time. There is a tall figure and a low figure, and another of which nothing is known. The tall figure, we believe, is the most daring. He is specially noted for throwing lights about. There lights are of two kinds. One is an ordinary light, which might be thrown from any lamp or lantern, and the other is described as of a very singular character. It comes into a room through a thick curtain, and shows itself in a round spot not much larger than a silver dollar, illuminating only the spot upon which it rests. It does not remain long in one place, but dances about with the utmost agility. A lady who has seen it frequently remarked that it is the most curious light she ever saw, impressing her with the belief that it was supernatural. These lights are thrown into person’s faces, and never fail to blind them for the time.”
Alexandria Gazette, 7th December 1867.