Mysterious affair at Leacroft, Cannock.
Manifestations Extraordinary.
Some excitement was caused in the quiet village of Leacroft on Saturday by the report of certain mysterious occurrences which had taken place in the neighbourhood. It appears that last Friday in a house occupied by Mr Jonathan Hunter, an official at the Cannock and Leacroft Colliery, a number of bottles and jars were found on the edge of the shelf in the pantry and nearly ready to fall off. These were pushed back into their proper position, but some time afterwards were found smashed to atoms on the floor.
A jar of jam, plates, dishes, and other articles shared the same fate. Flour, which was left in the usual small paper bags was strewn about the pantry, and currants were intermingled with it, and still more mysteriously, it is said that two loaves of bread were seen to leave the furnace top and alight in the most orderly manner on the shelf in the pantry.
Things were not quite so lively in the kitchen, still this was not quite exempt, for the milk jug and sugar basin were found on the floor. They were again put on the table, and in a short time were found on the floor broken. A paraffin lamp, which was left on the parlour table, refused to stay there, and chose rather to occupy a humbler position on the floor. This the inmates of the house declined to allow, and replaced it on the table, but as it felt inclined to protest against this action it was found broken to pieces, the carpet being very much damaged by the oil.
In the bedrooms the chairs were found standing on their heads, the bed-clothes disarranged, and the chamber service scattered about in a confused manner.
These manifestations in addition to being very annoying were costly, and efforts were made to fathom the mystery. The servant was questioned, and denied having any knowledge of the affair, and Mrs Hunter was so much afraid that it was deemed advisable for her to go away for a time. A man was set to watch the house, but he failed to detect anything that would account for the manifestations. Since that time the domestic has confessed to placing the things in the position in which they were found, but denies breaking the other articles. The natural conclusion is that she is at the bottom of the whole affair.
Litchfield Mercury, 8th August 1884.