Extraordinary “Manifestations.”
An incomprehensible freak on the part of a young girl, named Sibrey, was disclosed at the Rotherham Court House on Monday. The girl lately became servant in the house of a workman at Parkgate, named Rushton, and had not been there long before the windows began to be broken in an unaccountable manner.
The girl pretended to be in great fear, and Rushton being unable, after repeated examinations, to account for the damage, came to the silly conclusion that his premises were haunted by a set of malicious fairies. He appealed to the police, and an officer was sent to his aid, but was as puzzled as himself to account for the “manifestations.”
A crowd at length collected round the house, and more panes being broken, a spectator remarked that they were broken by stones and pieces of coal thrown from inside the house. This led to the tardy discovery that the “fairy hands unseen” which had done all the mischief were those of the girl Sibrey, who was consequently given in charge.
She could give no reason for her strange conduct, but on the intercession of her mother, was discharged on paying for the damage and the costs.
Sheffield Independent, 10th January 1865.
Extraordinary Freak of a Servant Girl.
A little girl, aged fourteen years, named Eliza Jane Sibrey was charged with wilfully breaking windows, under the following curious circumstances: The complainant, Wm. Rushton, who resides at New Rotherham, and is employed at the Parkgate Works, said that about a fortnight ago the prisoner came to live at his house as servant maid.
On Friday morning last, while he was in bed, a stone was thrown at his kitchen window, and one of the panes of glass was broken. He took but little notice of the circumstance until two other panes had been broken, and he then got up to investigate the affair. He examined the yard and the outhouses near, but he was unable to discover the cause of the mischief.
About five o’clock in the evening he went to his work; but had scarcely reached Parkgate before the prisoner came running for him, saying that unless he made haste home every window in the house would be broken. He hastened home and finding that windows in all parts of the house had been broken, a second rigid search of the premises was made; but the cause of the mischief remained unexplained, and he concluded that fairies had taken possession of his house, and were amusing themselves by smashing his windows.
He communicated with the Rotherham police, doubtless thinking that however much they might be at fault with murderers and thieves, they would be able to give a good account of “fairies.” An officer investigated the affair, but was equally unable to explain the cause of the mischief. He accordingly watched outside the house, and the complainant kept vigil within, but although during the evening one or two more panes were broken, the “fairies” managed to elude the vigilance of the gentleman in blue and the watcher within.
The complainant sat up most of the night, as his wife was ill, and he feared the consequences which might ensue from the fright. At seven o’clock in the morning he called the prisoner and told her to light a fire in a certain room, and take the children there and dress them; but not to go into the kitchen, as they might be hurt if more windows should be broken. The girl had not been up long before another pane of glass was broken in the kitchen and shortly after one in the front room, and before long the fan light over the front door was smashed.
The prisoner gathered up the pieces of coal and stones with which the glass had been broken, and carried them to her master, and said how frightened she was to go about the house.
The police were again applied to, and as stones and lumps of coal were not very likely missiles to be used by “fairies,” the premises underwent another search, but the utmost endeavours to solve the mystery proved unavailing.
A crowd collected round the house, an dwhile they were looking on, glass flew in all directions. By-and-by, a common-sense Welshman, who was passing, and who saw one of the windows broken, noticed that the stone came from the inside of the house, and he communicated his suspicions to the complainant that it was some one inside who was the cause of all the excitement and mischief. The complainant thought such a thing impossible, and to prove that such was not the case, he threw a stone at a window. The stone and the shattered glass fell where others had fallen, and he then inquired in what parts of the house the prisoner had been when certain windows had been broken. He found that the prisoner had always been in the different rooms when the windows in those rooms had been broken.
She was charged with having committed the damage, but she denied having done so. At the same time she was observed to be secreting something under her frock, and when searched, lumps of coal and stones were found on her. She was taken to the police-office, and on the way she admitted having broken part of the windows, but refused to assign any reason for her strange conduct…
The complainant said his wife received an excellent character with the prisoner when she came to his house, and while there she had been a good girl… In reply to the Bench, the prisoner said she had been treated kindly while with the complainant, and had nothing of which to complain. She could assign no reason for what she had done…
The mother of the prisoner came forward, and seemed quite unable to account for the extraordinary conduct of her daughter. She had always been a good girl at home, and she thought at the time she was behaving so strangely that she must have been “off her mind.” She begged to be allowed to pay for the damage, and for her daughter not to be sent to prison…
In answer to Mr Oxley, the complainant said he would rather not take the prisoner back into his service; he should not feel safe with her…
Her mother promised to take her home, and, after having been cautioned by the Bench, she was discharged on paying the damages 18s. 6d., costs 7s., and a fine of 6d.
Sheffield Independent, 14th January 1865.
Eliza Jane Sibrey, a little girl, appears to have been practising a few “spiritual manifestations” at Rotherham on her own account. About a fortnight ago she entered the service of Mr William Rushton, of New Rotherham, as a domestic. Yesterday week, whilst the master was in bed, three panes of glass in the kitchen window were broken, and although he afterwards searched the premises he was quite unable to discover the cause of the mischief.
At night the prisoner fetched him from his work, saying that unless he hastened home every window in the house would be smashed. Although he obtained the assistance of the police, they were at a loss to know how the mischief was occasioned, and he concluded that “fairies” had taken possession of his home. The house was watched all night, but no further damage was done.
The breaking commenced again soon after the prisoner rose in the morning, and suspicion ultimately rested upon her. Stones and lumps of coal were found concealed in her clothes, and as she confessed to having broken several of the panes she was given into custody. She appeared to have been kindly treated, and could assign no reason for her strange conduct. An excellent character was given to her, and as the case was not pressed she was discharged on her mother promising to pay all expenses.
Leeds Times, 14th January 1865.