Spirit Triumphant.
An old mansion at Port Elizabeth now stands empty, the aroma of burned joss sticks mingling with mysterious tappings on the walls and the occasional splintering of window panes. Until recently it was the home of a European family. For two months they fought a ghostly visitor or visitors, assisted by police and the witcheries of native powders and charms.
For a month they endured the tap-tap of invisible knuckles on doors and walls, watched with amazement as window panes were broken singly, in pairs and three at a time. A heavy mirror fixed in the door of a wardrobe crashed in splinters on the floor.
The owners called in the police and night after night relays of policemen kept watch. Still the rappings went on and repaired widows were shattered. Then a native suggested a powder called depea. This was burned in the rooms.
Later, when that proved as ineffective as the police, joss sticks were burned in every room. Still the spirit triumphed. Finally the family left, nerve-wrecked, and the house was left to its “earth-bound spirit.”
Belfast Telegraph, 9th June 1938.