PHANTOM TRICKS

Hokitika Guardian, 16 September 1933, Page 6

PHANTOM TRICKS

SOME AMAZING PHOTOGRAPHS HAPPENINGS AT VIC All AGE LONDONy (September- 3. The ghost of a monk is believed to be playing strange tricks in the vicarage at Sp fey ton, one of the oldest villages in Devonshire. A story of phantom footsteps, falling furniture, and queer inexplainabie noises wits told by the vicar, the Itev AV. R. Eunstan. Not long ago two photographs were taken on Mr Dunstan’s front lawn with an ordinary box camera of a popular make, in each ease there appeared in the picture the shadfiw or what seemed to be a monk kneeling, .apparently in prayer, and wearing a flowing robe and a cowl. Experts cannot explain the phenomenon. “One evening,” the vicar says, “while the sexton and I were conducting some business or other in an upstairs room, we heard heavy footsteps crossing the hall, directly below us. They were calm, unhurried am deliberate, and we sat amazed, for we knew that there could he no other human being m the house.

“The moment they ceased we ran downstairs, but no one was there. On 'another occasion my wife hoard the .'footsteps cross the hall, mount the stairs, pass the bedroom door, and enter the next room. There was a noise as if some furniture’ had fallen over. It awakened me and we went into the room, but apparently nothing had been disturbed. “We have had so many similar experiences that these things no longer .’starifle us. Often we hear a chair or some other object fall in another room we know by the sound exactly what lias fallen over, yet we have never found anything out of place.” One of the photographs was taken by the vicar, and in the other, which was taken by a friend, the vicar, is seen standing in front of the house. At the time of the day the pictures were taken and the position in .which the photographer was standing, it would have been impossible for, the sun to cast a shadow in front of the photographer. .Yet in each picture appeared the shadow of the cowled monk.

The possibility of the shadow, being that, of Mr Dunstan is further disposed of by the fact that he, was wearing jacket and trousers, while the mysterious shadows wore undoubtedly tliose of someone in, a long. robe.

Mr Dunstan, is .a small, man, and it was obvious that the. strange figure whose shadow appeared, in the photographs was of. unusually large build. The camera and films were 'examined by : experts Who agreed that they were quite in order.