Ghosts of the Twentieth Century...

Plymouth Mail, March 19, 1897

Ghosts of the Twentieth Century...

To all Political, Literary, Dramatic, Artistic and Historic Ghosts, and to the Spirits of Events, Ideas, Customs, and Things belonging to this Century.

FELLOW GHOSTS You are summoned to Penniman Hall, Plymouh, Mich., on Tuesday evening, the 22nd of October, at four hours before midnight. Appear in costume appropriate to the occasion. Old-time apparitions are politely requested to absent themselves.

Assemble at the foot of the stairs and then rise.

Spook march at 9:00 o'clock. Come prepared to participate in the mysteries and rites of HALLOWE'EN.

Lady spooks, free. Gentlemen sppoks are expected to donate 55 cents to this ghostly gathering. Spirit of the Occasion,

Underwood Dancing Academy

'Spooks' Figure in Divorce Suit

Detroit Free Press, August 27, 1931

"I have a complex against seances," Mrs. Ethlyn Mann, Detroit Conservatory of Music dancing and dramatic art director, explained when she was granted a divorce Wednesday by Circuit Judge Theodore J. Richter.

In a cross-petition filed and later withdrawn by her husband, Carl F. Mann, operatic director at the conservatory, he charged Mrs. Mann with constantly attending "spook" parties and showing too much interest in occult matters. Her more prosaic petition complained merely that he failed to provide her with a home.

Mrs. Mann is living with her mother at 70 Highland avenue. Mr. Mann is living with his mother at 1941 West Grand boulevard.

Fear of Spooks Leads Little Girl To Death

Detroit Free Press, February 10, 1923

This story is far more tragic than weird but the circumstances that lead to little Jennie Wieczarza death were as common as they were strange. Little children are afraid of the dark and the spirits which inhabit it. I would do a proper write-up but with only this article it would be a mere re-hashing of a story that I found while once again digging for Detroit's yesteryear spooks and wouldn't do it the justice of the original piece.

Fear of Spooks Leads Little Girl To Death

6-Year-Old Jennie Dies After Candle Sets Her Nightgown on Fire.

Jennie Wieczarza, 6 years old, is dead. No more will her little heart flutter in fear of "spooks." Jennie died last night at Highland Park General hospital of burns suffered at midnight Wednesday, when she sought her parents, with a lighted candle, to spread the alarm that a hobgoblin or something was abroad in the house at 13440 Riopelle street.

Jennie slept alone and often she heard queer sounds. She had imagination too--heaps of it--and in daytime it was fairies that danced through her busy mind. When the shadows fell those creepy shadows and sounds rose to terrify her. Perhaps it was only the wintery winds moaning in the crannies of the house, or a flapping window shade. Sometimes Jennies would awaken in the middle of the night with a piercing scream and her mother rushed to her bedside to comfort her.

She was sure that an evil spirit roamed the house Wednesday night. Jennie didn't scream this time, but crept quietly out of her bed, got a candle, lighted it and started for the room where her parents slumbered. Before she got to the door she was trembling and the hand that held the candle ignited her nightgown. Flames enveloped her body. She screamed and her parents ran in, discovering her rolling on the floor. They put out the fire, but not until Jennie had suffered painful second degree burns.

She lay on a cot of pain throughout Thursday and Friday. Finally at a late hour last night the pain ceased, a peaceful calm settled over the child's features and a nurse drew the sheet over her curly head. Jennie had gone, and left the spooks behind.