Furniture Dances.
Police baffled by eerie occurrences.
Rome, Saturday.
Eerier than a story by De Maupassant have been the experiences of an Italian family in their new home. The building is situated in a highly-respectable quarter of Rome, surrounded by silent gardens, and it is inhabited by the Advocate Fettaroli, his wife and daughter. At last the Advocate has been compelled to call in the police and the priest, all of whom are baffled by the spiritualistic manifestations which have been attested in the police report.
The family is sitting quietly at home, engaged in peaceful domestic pursuits when suddenly there is a terrific hammering at the door – from which, in fact, the paint has been knocked off. Then, for no apparent reason, a plateful of artichokes decides to fly across the room. A big heavy box, full of old iron, glides swiftly under a bed, drawers fly open, their contents being scattered over the room. A jug of oil safe in the hands of Madame Fettaroli turns a freakish somersault without any oil being spilled. Chairs dance, and other weird and wonderful things occur.
The neighbours, disturbed by the failure of the police, are at a loss to account for the phenomena, but a large grey cat is blamed by some for the incidents, which only occur, they say, when the cat is in the house.
Evening Despatch, 25th April 1925.