Flying Coal and Iron.
Police investigate at “Haunted House.”
Despite police surveillance of a “haunted” house in Lyons, where strange happenings have been reported recently, the curious manifestations continue. No one – material or immaterial – has yet been detained. Pieces of coal and morsels of iron continue to be tossed about mysteriously when no human agent is near.
Neighbours on either side of the house, which is situated in the Rue St. George, called in the police after watching the house themselves for days without discovering any explanation of the phenomena. The police have so far been no more successful.
Local residents openly ascribe the events to supernatural agencies.
Nottingham Evening Post, 15th July 1936.
“Spirit” Pranks in a Cafe.
Police baffled by falling coal.
Lyons, Wednesday.
Two burly policemen have spent the whole of a day, sitting in a cafe here, trying to discover how and why someone has been throwing pieces of coal into the cafe without being discovered. They confirmed that the coal kept falling into the room the whole day, but the only explanation they can offer is that “some malicious spirit is amusing itself at the expense of human beings.”
The strange phenomenon has been noticed over several days. The cafe is run almost entirely by the wife and daughter of the proprietor, who spends most of his day running a taxi service. When the police were first warned, they dismissed the matter as a practical joke by someone. But, as one of the inspectors who was sent round to investigate was leaving the cafe, he was almost struck by a piece of coal. The police commissioner rushed round to clear up the difficulty. He was assured by customers that the statements made were quite correct.
The police mean to find the solution. So far, however, the “malicious spirit” has merely countered their efforts by adding bits of iron to his store of missiles. – Reuter.
Halifax Evening Courier, 22nd July 1936.