Dead Man's Spirit Rings Fire Bell, Is Ouija's Solution of the Mystery

1920

WATERTOWN, N. Y. -- For several days there was considerable excitement and wonderment among all classes of citizens here caused by the mysterious tolling at regular intervals during day and night of the huge fire alarm bell in the county courthouse tower. The big bell weighs several tons and its reverberations can be heard five or six miles on a still day. For nearly a week, at intervals of about two hours, the bell was struck a single blow, apparently by the heavy electrically-operated hammer adjusted to announce the number of the fire box from which an alarm is sent in.

When the mysterious tollings first began the police and other city officials attributed the cause of the disturbance to crossed electric wires, but later, when it was noticed that the big bell continued to peal forth its single mournful signal, detectives were sent out to solve the mystery. Wires were traced by regular linemen of the telegraph and telephone companies, but nowhere could they discover any crossed circuit that could possibly affect the big alarm bell.

Girls Offer Solution of Mystery

No acceptable explanation was forthcoming from any source until Miss Sadie Jasper and Miss Rhoda Benton came forward with what they claimed was undoubtedly the true solution of the mystery. Through their manipulation of a Ouija board, they said, they had received several communications from "Big Joe" Beals, the first man employed to ring the bell after the hammer had ceased to strike the number of the fire alarm box, which was the custom twenty-five years ago when the bell was first installed.

"Big Joe," as he was popularly known and who died about fifteen years ago, had communicated with them several times, the girls said, on each occasion confessing that it was his spirit that was causing the bell to ring, evidently by unseen and unknown hands. "You cannot know how I love to strike the old bell with the blacksmith's hammer I found in the basement of the courthouse."

According to "Big Joe's" alleged spirit, which said it was pleased to communicate with the living through the instrumentality of the wonderful Ouija board, it had selected the final moment of every second hour to tap the bell, but had about decided to reduce the number of taps to two each day -- one at noon, another at midnight.

when the bell remained silent throughout the day, save at noon and midnight, and the Misses Jasper and Benton again reported further messages from the old-time bell ringer, the police and hundreds of others were inclined to accept the Ouija board as the true explanation of the mystery, and naturally the city was greatly aroused by the sensational developments.

Boy Upsets Ouija Board's Story

But no one here cares to even mention the Ouija board just now. The "baffling mystery" of the tolling bell is a mystery no more. A certain 13-year-old grammar school boy has confessed that with the aid of an amateur telegrapher's outfit, a dozen or more feet of wire, etc., he had made connection with the fire bell in the tower through a window of his sleeping room, all of which was nicely concealed by a large tree, and he had had much "big fun," all by himself, he said, operating the electrical hammer and causing the bell to toll at his will. The lad escaped a fine for his disorderly conduct on his promise to not do such a thing again.

Meanwhile, the two young ladies still insist that they only reported what the Ouija board told them.

--The Saturday Blade, Chicago, March 27, 1920, page 9.