There is a certain house here, at Tiflis, near the Mooshtaid [Mushthaid/ Mushtaidi] garden, long since deserted on account of its reputation of being haunted. This winter, a strong rumour was suddenly spread about the town that phenomena of the most infernal character took place there nightly. The soldiers living opposite this house were constantly startled in their barracks by a fearful noise of thundering thumps in it, as though many persons were engaged in pulling down the roof and walls and scattering the fragments all over.
These rumours grew so wild that a number of educated and determined men began to form parties and visit it at nights with the intention of investigating them. One company of such fearless visitors was composed of several professors and students – Messrs. Hadlin, Professor of Languages, and Bokey, of Natural Sciences, being among the number. These were the most determined and zealous of all investigators, and it is from these sceptical gentlemen that I have the details. Daily with the first approach of twilight the whole building began to tremble, as if it was going to fall to pieces. A most appalling din and unearthly ghostly noises shook the house to its foundations. Large pieces of plaster and timber fell in a shower from the ceilings, and sand, shingle and even rocks pelted the visitors upon their arrival.
Some one of those who had visited the haunted place previously, had warned our friends not to take their watches with them as they invariably got spoilt from the first moment of their appearance. Anxious to note the time and having determined to pass there the whole night, a Mr Stadlin had once taken with him an alarm clock which, upon entering, he placed on the window sill. Before the eyes of the whole party, the clock began immediately to strike, whirr and rumble, whirled round and round on its place, and suddenly burst into small fragments. It was if some one had made a mine in it, loaded it with powder and then touched it off.
In answer to the sand and gravel showering on his head, Professor Bokey began to fire his revolver. But the bullets, after going to the distance of three or four yards harmlessly fell to the ground, suggesting the idea of a hand catching them in their flight and then throwing them down. One of the party offered to examine the invisible host as to their erudition, and with this object in view, drew on the wall some geometrical figures; another one wrote problems, and loudly asked “the powers that be” to solve them, leaving in the room for this purpose a few pencils. These, so long as the questioners remained in the room, lay quiet; but, upon their leaving the room to repair to an adjoining apartment to try some other experiment, and then returning they found the wall perfectly clean, and every one of their formulas and figures transferred from it to the floor. Then a variety of experiments was begun. Diverse objects being placed in a corner, the party left the room shutting the door after them, and upon their return found them in quite another place. Having driven a large nail into one of the walls it was found – without the least noise of a hammer being heard – immediately driven into the opposite wall; and no signs left of a hole in the first one.
The most curious feature of the investigation is the one that forcibly brought it to an end. Remarking the various detachments of mysterious-looking men stealing nightly into the haunted house, and, mistaking them for political conspiritors – Nihilists – the police made a raid one fine night, and catching all of them on the spot, arrested every one of the erudite investigators, and took them to the police station. Vain was it for our pedagogues to protest; useless the explanations offered by them to the severe guardians of public security in favour of the theory of the fourth dimension of space. The police, sure that they had discovered a new infernal plot, would listen to no excuses. This event created a great sensation and laugh about the town. Every door and window of the haunted house was securely nailed and all entrance into it made impossible. Notwithstanding all these precautions the noises and disturbances inside are still going on as lively as ever.
Spiritualist, 10th September 1880.