Staus Poltergeist
The village of Staus, on the shores of Lake Lucerne, was in the years 1860-62 the scene of the most remarkable case of poltergeist-haunting to be found in modern records. The outbreak occurred in the house of M. Joller, a distinguished lawyer and a member of the Swiss national council, a man, moreover, whose character both in public and private life was beyond reproach. The household comprised M. Joller himself, his wife, seven ohildren (four boys and three girls), and a servant-maid. One night in the autumn of 1860 the latter was disturbed by a loud rapping on her bedstead, which she regarded as a presage of death. M. Joller ascribed the sounds to the girl's imagination, and forbade her to speak of them. A few weeks later, returning after a short absence, he found his family much alarmed. The knocks had been repeated in the presence of his wife and daughter, and had even manifested signs of intelligence. When, a few days afterwards, they had news of the death of a friend, they imagined that this must have been what the raps portended. But again in June, 1861 the outbreak was renewed. This time it was one of the boys who fainted at the apparition of a white, indistinct figure. Other strange things began to be seen and heard by the children, and a few months later the maid complained that the kitchen was haunted by dim, grey shapes who followed her to her chamber, and sobbed all night in the lumber-room. In October of the same year the maid was replaced by another, the rappings ceased, and the disturbances seemed to be at an end. They were renewed, however, and with tenfold vigour, in August, 1862, during the absence on business of M. Joller, his wife, and their eldest son. So great was the annoyance that the children fled from the house into the garden, in spite of their father's threat to punish their credulity. But at length the poltergeist began to persecute M. Joller himself, pursuing him from room to room with loud knocks, and not all his efforts sufficed to elucidate the mystery. Things began to be thrown about by invisible hands, locked doors and fastened windows were flung wide, strange music and voices and the humming of spinning-wheels were heard. In spite of M. Joller's attempts to conceal these happenings, the news spread abroad, and hundreds, even thousands, of persons flocked to witness the phenomena. Finding no rational hypothesis to fit the circumstances M. Joller begged the Commissary Niederberger to come and investigate, but in the latter's absence Father Guardian visited the haunted house, blessed it, though without alleviating the disturbances, and suggested that an enquiry be made by men of authority. M. Joller privately called in several scientific men of his acquaintance, but they also were unable to find a solution, though various theories of electricity, galvanism, and magnetism were advanced. Other persons of authority, Land-Captain Zelger, the Director of Police Jann, Dr. Christen, the President of the Court of Justice, were present while Commissary Niederberger and Father Guardian made a careful examination of the house, without discovering any cause for the disturbances, which still continued unabated. At length M. Joller demanded of the police a formal examination, and three of the heads of the police were chosen to investigate. The Joller family were bidden to withdraw, and for six days the police remained in undisturbed possession. At the end of that period, having neither heard nor seen any sign of the poltergeist, they drew up a report to that effect, and took their departure. Immediately on the Jollers re-entering the house the phenomena began afresh. Ridicule was heaped upon the unfortunate member of council, even by those of his own party, and his house was in such an uproar that he found it impossible to go on with his business. Add to this the unwelcome curiosity of the crowds who flocked to witness the marvels, and it is not surprising that at length, in October, 1862, M. Joller left for ever his ancestral home. In the following spring he succeeded in finding a tenant for the house in Staus, but the poltergeistic outbreak was not renewed. It has been thought necessary to relate the above events somewhat fully, since they afford perhaps the best evidence extant for the hypothesis of discarnate intelligence operating in poltergeistic cases. The Joller case is exceedingly well-attested, not only by the curious crowds who saw the opening and shutting of windows, and so on, but also by men of responsibility, members of the national council, court of justice, and other institutions.
Stead, William Thomas: Journalist and Spiritualist, was born at Embleton, Northumberland, in 1849. On leaving school he was apprenticed in the office of a merchant, but soon drifted into journalism. In 1871 he was editor of the Darlington Northern Echo, and in 1883 of the Pall Mall Subliminal Self Gazette. In 1890 he founded the Review of Reviews, finding therein an outlet for his remarkable energy. His journalistic zeal led him to espouse many causes-he conducted a propaganda in favour of the peace movement, devoted himself to the interests of the Boers during the South African War, and issued cheap reprints of classical works. But not the latest of his activities was concerned with his advocacy of spiritualism. For four years-1893-97-he conducted a spiritualistic organ, the Borderland, and till his death gave the weight of his journalistic and personal influence to the movement. Notwithstanding that there was something of fanaticism in his zeal, and that his ardour sometimes carried him beyond prescribed limits, he was still a force to be reckoned with in the sphere of politics, and Cecil Rhodes, especially, was much influenced by his opinions. Mr. Stead perished with the sinking of the Titanic in April, 1912, since when many spiritualistic circles claim to have seen and spoken with him. His daughter, Miss Estelle Stead, has written his life.
Stevenson, R. L.: (See Fiction, Occult English.)