The Strabane “Ghost.”
“Apparition” at Railway Station.
What three engine-cleaners saw.
Stories told to our representative.
There has not been a period in the world’s history when belief in ghosts did not exist, and today there is a strong belief in these spirits by many people. From time to time the newspapers publish long accounts of strange happenings in certain parts of the country. Not many years ago in County Derry the inhabitants of a rural district there were put in terror by the experiences of a householder who got all the furniture in his premises thrown about in a mysterious manner. The delph was smashed on the dresser, the chairs were knocked about and broken, and the tenant with his family made a hasty retreat from the dwelling. No one could see any person in the house carrying out this performance, which lasted for many days. so the mystery remained unsolved.
It is seldom that the town by the Mourne receives attention from the outer “spirits” of the world beyond the grave, but within the past week three engine-cleaners of the Donegal Railway at Strabane say they have seen a ghost on two successive nights.
Our reporter called upon Mr John Pinkerton – one of the three engine-cleaners – and heard the story of their dreaded experience upon the nights of the “stranger’s” unwelcome visit. Pinkerton said: – “Michael Madden, Fred Oliphant, and I were engaged inside a shed cleaning engines, when at half-past twelve (midnight) a knocking came to all the doors, and continued without interruption, accompanied by unearthly yells.
“The three of us went to one of the doors, and saw – I could swear to it without doubt – the form of a man of heavy build. I thought I was about to faint. My hair stood high on my head. We all squealed for help, when the watchman and signalman came fast to our aid. Armed with a crowbar, the signalman made a dash at the ‘spirit’ but was unable to strike down the ‘ghost’ which hovered about our shed till half-past two. It was moon-light, and we saw it plainly. there was no imagination on our part. We three cleaners climbed up the engine, and hid on the roof of the engine, lying there till morning at our wit’s end.
“The next night it came at half-past one. Oliphant approached the ‘spirit’ within two yards but he then almost collapse, the ‘ghost’ uttering terrible yells. I commenced work but the ‘spirit’ gazed into my face, and I fell forward against the engine. Seven of us saw the ‘ghost’ this time. our clothes and everything in the shed were tossed and thrown about. Pursued again, the ‘ghost’ ran over across the line back into the shed, but we could not get near it, and everything thrown at it missed it. We reported it to the police, who are sending us down constables.”
Another of the engine-cleaners stated that he saw the “ghost” plainly run up and down before his eyes on a ladder leading to a watertank several times and disappear in the water. One of the party “struck” it with a lump of coal. The form of a man was clearly seen, but he was a man without flesh.
The signalman rushed at the “ghost” with a crowbar, but failed several times to strike it down. It seemed to the onlookers that the hand which yielded [wielded?] the crowbar was by an unforeseen power of the ghost held back.
Our reporter further interviewed on Tuesday night Fred Oliphant, of Castlefin, who also saw the “ghost.” Oliphant, who seemed disinclined to give information, said in answer to our reporter, “we saw the ‘ghost’ surely.” Oliphant was engaged at the time of the interview cleaning an engine.
The affair has created a great sensation in Strabane and district. Two police constables one night remained in ambush close to the engine-shed of the Donegal railway, hoping to catch a glimpse of the “mysterious” intruder, but no “ghost” was to be seen.
Several people in the district gave their views freely on the subject. One of them told our reporter that a murder had been committed many years ago close to the spot where the engine-shed was now built. Another said it was an omen of a coming railway disaster, while some attributed the “spirit’s” appearance to the work of a practical joker. It was said that the men’s coats were laid across the lines of the Midland Railway.
Pinkerton told our representative that the waste or cloth which they use to clean the engine was scattered in all directions, and he was puzzled why these should be interefered with.
“What were you doing first when you saw the ghost?” inquired our reporter. “I was about to go outside the shed to bring some waste to clean the engine,” was the reply. “Before I went,” continued Pinkerton, “we all heard a knocking at the shed doors.”
“Were you frightened at the knocking?” questioned our representative. “We saw the form of a man with heavy build, he had thin legs. I was ill the next day after it, and am not quite better yet.”
“What did you see there?” “We were terrified and didn’t know what to do; all of us advanced to the door at once.”
At the time of the interview Pinkerton looked like a man who had gone through some terrible ordeal. Oliphant on Tuesday night said it was hard to continue working there but they were not going to give up their work because they had seen a “ghost.” “I have my time almost served,” he added, “so I will finish it.”
Pinkerton said before he came to the shed at Strabane he had been working in Stranorlar. His place of residence was Castletown, Strabane, where he lived with his father and mother. Michael Madden, the third engine-cleaner, resides with his parents in Barrack Street, Strabane.
The night after the first appearance of the dreaded “visitant” of the “unknown” world, the engine-cleaners, who were much perturbed over the matter, reported it to Mr Lavery, the Strabane Stationmaster, to whom one of the described the “funny” visitor.
The shed in which the engine-cleaners were working is about ten yards from the Donegal Station, and just opposite it is the water tank with a ladder leading up. Up this ladder the employees saw the “ghost” run frequently, and finally disappear in the water above. They all saw it on the second night run up and down the rails and across towards the goods station. The “spirit’s” hovering in the shed was more than the men could account for, as it ran frequently in front, behind, and under the engine.
They say that on the second appareance it went right from the shed through the window and never came back. The police authorities attach no importance to the matter. The “ghost” has not been seen any night this week, and it is to be hoped it will stay away.
Strabane Chronicle, 25th October, 1913.
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003130/19120309/014/0001
this happened the year before and has many SC bingo