Nocturnal Visitations.
Mysterious rappings.
Brisbane, Monday.
There is much excitement in the suburb of New Farm by the mysterious knocking nightly at the residence of Mr George Myers, a leading merchant of this city. A week ago, at 9 o’clock at night, three distinct knocks on the windows of the front bedroom were heard, and that side of the house shook for several seconds. The residence is a large house constructed of wood. The knocks were repeated on the following nights at the same hour.
The police investigated without success in discovering the cause. The inmates were consequently alarmed, and two gentlemen and three constables watched on Sunday night. The knocking took place as before, but the watchers failed to discover any person working the mischief. The whole affair is beginning to excite interest in the neighbourhood, although the newspapers of the city hitherto withheld statements concerning the mystery with the object of hoodwinking the mischief makers if such exist. Nevertheless the mystery had the effect of prostrating one member of the family.
Bathurst Free Press and Mining Journal, 8th May 1895.
Supposed Spooks.
Mystery at New Farm.
Strange knocks on a shutter.
For two or three weeks past a mystery has located itself in a portion of the extensive suburb of New Farm to the great terror of the family of one of Brisbane’s most respected citizens. It appears that one evening three loud knocks were heard on the shutters of the French light of a front bedroom, followed by a rattling noise. For a time no notice was taken, but about a week ago the repetition became alarming.
The shutters were removed, but the knocking and rattling were transferred to the French lights themselves, and generally between 9 p.m. and midnight. Every precaution was taken by the inmates to detect the pranks of skylarkers, and the services of independent observers were obtained to watch the proceedings.
One night a constable took up his position inside the room, and heard the sounds already described without being able to trace any probable cause. On the succeeding night an officer of police, accompanied by two constables, watched from the outside with the result of being convinced that the unusual noises are to be heard, while all confess their inability to explain their origin.
The house is a spacious one, occupied by the gentleman and his family and their servants, and during the time the manifestations recorded have been in progress there have generally been one or two visitors suspiciously awaiting the course of events. It is a detached residence, and it is not perceptible how any sort of artificial communication could be established with the portion of the building in which the disturbances are noticed or any other part of the premises or adjoining grounds. Up to the present this nightly mystery has not been solved.
The Week (Brisbane), 10th May 1895.