Fire-bug Ghost Moves to Oklahoma Town.
Mystery Blazes in Room of Invalid.
Enid, Okla., March 13.
The incendiary ghost of Caledonian Mills, Nova Scotia, appears to have transferred his activities to Alva, Okla. Mystery fires, declared to start from “nowhere” in the room of Mrs Ona Smith, 23, invalid of that town, are baffling investigators. The fires burst out in the same manner as those Alexander MacDonald said occurred on his lonely farm house near Caledonian Mills, forcing him and his family to flee into a blizzard. The remarkable similarity between the alleged pranks of the Nova Scotian spirit and the mysterious fires in Mrs Smith’s home, is causing much excitement. Dr W. Franklin Prince, New York scientist, who went to Nova Scotia to trap the incendiary ghost may be invited here to continue his investigation.
Mrs Smith became hysterical after seven fires had appeared on articles in the room, burning two mattresses, a calendar and shawl. The blazes appeared, it is said, in the form of blue flames and occurred two or three times while several persons were in the room.
Chemical action from medicine, strange wireless phenomena and other theories were advanced as possible causes of the fires, it was reported here.
Norfolk Post (Virginia), 13th March 1922.
[…] Meanwhile, another fire-eating “poltergeist” (or can it be the same one who operated at Antigonish?) has been terrifying the people of Alva, Oklahoma. Mysterious fires burst seemingly from the air in the little cottage where Mrs Ona Smith lies a paralytic on her bed, and (to quote the press accounts) “baffled watchers, who are keeping vigil day and night, can only leap to the rescue as mysterious fires burst out at intervals in the bedding, clothing worn by Mrs Smith, wall draperies or any inflammable material in the room.” […]
The Long Island News and The Owl, March 16th 1922.