Some five or six months ago a man named George Hart, residing at Maclean, in New South Wales, was accidentally drowned at Harwood, and up to a few days ago his widow, who had no children, continued to reside in the house at Maclean previously owned by her husband. From a few days after his death until a week ago stones and other missiles were night after night hurled upon the roof of the house with monotonous regularity, and on one occasion a verandah screen was set on fire. The police and civilians watch regularly in order to catch the perpetrator of the outrages, but without obtaining the slightest clue.
Sometimes stones would strike the roof in almost opposite directions, then knocking would be heard underneath the house, and although those on the lookout would rush off in the direction whence it was supposed that the stones had come, no sign of anyone could be seen. Since these assaults have been carried on, the windows have been time after time smashed to atoms, and the iron roof has been damaged. Mrs Hart has now become insane, and she has been removed to the Grafton gaol for medical treatment. A few of the residents have offered a reward for the conviction of the offender, but so far not the slightest clue has been obtained.
Otago Daily Times, 28th January 1893.
Topics of the Day.
The MacLean Mystery.
Our Melbourne correspondent recently sent us an account of a mysterious and shocking affair which has occurred at MacLean, New South Wales. A man named Hart was drowned, and after his death his widow continued to reside in the house he had owned. From a few days after his death until the poor woman was actually driven out of her mind, stones and other missiles were night after night hurled upon the roof of the house. Although the police and the neighbours set a close watch they were utterly unable to obtain the slightest clue to the perpetrators of this diabolical outrage.
The story reminds us of a somewhat similar affair which happened in England some sixteen or eighteen years ago, when the London papers used to be filled day after day with the proceedings of the “Hampton Wick Ghost.” Hampton Wick, we may explain, is a village on the banks of the Thames about twelve miles or so from London. Night after night were the inhabitants of that quiet little suburb disturbed by the rattle of stones on their roofs and the crash of broken windows. As in the MacLean case, all efforts to discovered the cause was for a time unavailing. Some of the inhabitants became convinced that it was all due to supernatural agency.
The leading organ of the Spiritualists sent down a special reporter, who wrote up all the details of the visitation in graphic style, and had no hesitation in setting down the wholesale window-smashing as a spiritualistic manifestation on a large scale. At last the mystery was solved, and the “ghost” was found to be none other than a little errand-boy, twelve years of age, employed in a grocer’s shop. All the mischief and consternation had been caused by this young urchin, with the aid of a catapult. At closing time, for example, when he took out the shutters and found nobody was looking he fired off three or four shots in rapid succession, and then rushed into the shop in great excitement to inform his master that “the ghost” was again at his old tricks.
The young hopeful was sent to prison for fourteen days and from that time Hampton Wick ceased to be troubled with spiritualistic manifestations. That was a case of pure larrikinism and love of mischief and notoriety. The MacLean affair has been far more serious in its results and seems to have been prompted by far more inhumane motives. It is to be hoped the scoundrel or scoundrels may yet be caught and severely punished.
Press (NZ), 30th January, 1893.