[Upper Hungary is now mainly Slovakia. This page suggests Kabsdorff is what is now Hrabusice.]
Persecution of the Pastor of Kabsdorff.
The evangelical clergyman, Gunther, of Kabsdorff, in Upper Hungary, in 1666, was greatly persecuted in his house by spirits. The annoyance commenced by the throwing of small stones, lime, lumps of earth; there were frightful noises made, and people were pulled violently by the hair. This took place at first by night only; then also by day, and visitors were struck by stones. The plaster was torn from the walls of the house and the court and flung with the stones; all house utensils were thrown about and damaged, and doors, windows and stoves were injured.
This nuisance lasted for three months, sometimes more actively than at others, and always worse at night than by day. A brother of the preacher attempted to exorcise the demon, but was instantly struck severely by a stone. He seized this, full of anger, thrust it into his pocket, and went out uttering menaces. On arriving home, he found in his pocket, instead of a stone, hen-manure.
Food was thrown about, and the clergyman’s wife, as she was nursing her infant, saw an egg floating and leaping over the stove. She placed her hand in fright before her eyes, and the egg was instantly thrown against her neck and broken. A mortar weighing fourteen pounds, was thrown at her, and struck her without hurting her.
One Sunday evening, as the people were pausing a little from prayers and singing, the wheel of a plough was flung down with a great rattle, and immediately a large stone flew upon a table on which the Bible and hymn-books lay, and then flew loudly crashing through the window. As the preacher recommenced the singing and praying, the light was three times knocked down and put out.
The churchwarden had to send a packet of waxlights. These lay in the window near the preacher. A pane was broken, and the waxlights were being drawn through the opening, and were only detained by the preacher by force. Then began a hideous commotion outside; the room door was shattered with great stones, and the candlestick was thrown at the preacher’s head. Yet, with the exception of a few drops of blood drawn, no one was hurt by the great stones and other dangerous things thrown, which fell against them merely like so much sponge.
The Spiritual Magazine, January 1865.