Portsmouth Poltergeist Gives Up As Scientific Investigators Move In.
A contingent of educated ghost hunters, hoping they weren’t too late, headed here today for a spooky first hand look at the antics of Portsmouth’s prankish poltergeist. There were some signs that the poltegeist – or noisy ghost, if you prefer – might have moved out of the Charles Daughtery home just as the psychical research team got ready to move in. In any event, for the first time since last Thursday, nothing out of the ordinary happened Monday at the Daughtery residence on Florida Avenue.
This was quite a switch, for on previous days a mattress had slid inexplicably off a bed, a rug had risen into the air, a cane had stood alone, furniture had been overturned and crockery had sailed through the air, sometimes just missing the Daughterys and their kin. Authorities say such curious goings on are typical of the things reported to happen when a poltergeist – German for noisy spirit – is around.
The psychical researchers who were to visit the Daughtery home today are from Durham, N.C. All are prominent scientists to whom poltergeists are old hat. They have requested anonymity. The scientists plan to study evidence under controlled experimental conditions, hoping the poltergeist or what is it hasn’t left the presmises. They also will question Daughtery, 90, Mrs Daughtery, about 100, and the kinfolk who have been present when things began flying about.
Thousands of curiosity seekers have thronged about the Daughtery home since word leaked out that the house was “haunted.” The scientists have asked them to stay away while they conduct their experiments.
Northern Virginia Sun, 11th September 1962.