Barabashka In The Petersburg Province - Alternative View

Barabashka In The Petersburg Province - Alternative View
Barabashka In The Petersburg Province - Alternative View

Video: Barabashka In The Petersburg Province - Alternative View

Video: Barabashka In The Petersburg Province - Alternative View
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In the article "A Case of Spontaneous Mediumistic Phenomena Near St. Petersburg", published in A. M. Butlerov's book "Articles on Mediumism" (St. Petersburg, 1889), Alexander Mikhailovich describes in detail a case that happened in November 1880 in the village of Ruchii, Petersburg province, and also complains about the incorrect position of scientists in relation to the phenomenon. Oddly enough, but even now, 125 years later, much of what the great scientist lamented about, has hardly changed …

“… It is known that in most cases scientists - opponents of mediumship - consider it permissible for themselves to refuse the observations offered to them. … A look at all mediums as rogues and deceivers and at all observers who confirm phenomena as fools, if they do not speak out loud, it is still silently accepted. The extreme improbability of such an assumption is lost sight of.

… The essential question - why this or that observer, who in all other cases has common sense, should be considered insane, as soon as the matter concerns mediumship - remains open.

During the time that I have been interested in mediumship, that is, over the past ten years, spontaneous mediumistic phenomena have already been discovered several times here, in Petersburg, and in other localities of our fatherland. Sometimes it happened that written inquiries were sent to the scene of the incident, and the facts were established by the written answers of eyewitnesses.

In three cases, when these phenomena occurred here in the city itself or near it and news about them appeared in the newspapers, my acquaintances, people who are serious and trustworthy, went to the place to get the nearest information about what happened.

Messages have always been confirmed, except perhaps for minor details. Of these three cases, I will discuss the latter in the following. It took place in November 1880. This is what was reported by the newspapers and confirmed by the investigations of my acquaintances.

On November 19, the old-style colonist's widow Margarita Beach and colonist Adam Bauer (guardian of the Beach children) brought a seventeen-year-old girl, Pelageya Nikolaeva, a pet from the local orphanage, to the district superintendent of the latter, who lives in the Forest Corps district.

At the same time, it was stated that strange phenomena were taking place in the house of the named widow, who lives in the neighboring village of Ruchyi. Two girls, the aforementioned Pelageya and Vera Yakovleva (also residing in the Beach house), became objects of strange, from nowhere and from whom, attacks from November 3 (15).

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When these girls were busy with the bulkhead of potatoes in the cellar, they were thrown in the face first to Vera, then to Pelageya. Since then, the tossing of potatoes persistently continued almost every day and became almost common for girls. During a search of the cellar, nothing was found.

Later, other phenomena were added to this: various other objects and household utensils, for example, stumps, benches, shovels, were thrown at the girls. All this happened only in the presence of Pelagia; when Vera was alone, nothing special was noticed. In most cases, the thrown objects flew in pursuit of Pelageya, the throwing usually took place when she herself was in motion; when she sat or slept, the throwing stopped.

On November 19, the throwing was most severe in the morning. Logs were thrown out of the wood box, although the lid was lowered, then two wall shelves with all the dishes standing on them fell, followed by a kettle thrown at Pelageya's feet and crashed. Pots, irons, etc. flew from the stove, the lid was thrown off the boiler, a ladle of water flew out of it and poured it over Pelageya's head. Later, Pelageya was doused with water two more times without the help of a ladle - the water itself rose from the boiler and rushed at her.

On this day, the colonists went to Murino for a priest and asked him to serve a prayer service in their house, which was done. During the service everything was calm, but half an hour later the same story resumed. Incidentally, the hats of the curious visitors, who were then in the house, numbering about fifteen people, fell off the chest of drawers: in broad daylight, three discarded hats were seen jumping on the floor, rising from one place and falling onto another.

Many also saw how the cat sitting at the table was lifted into the air and thrown into the back of Pelageya; the frightened cat screamed and bristled.

It was finally decided to remove Pelageya, which was performed that same evening. With her removal, all worries ceased.

When they let the police know about everything that had happened, a special investigation was ordered, witnesses were interviewed and a report was drawn up. The witnesses said at the same time that they really saw these strange phenomena. On November 29 (December 11) in one of the St. Petersburg newspapers everything that happened was described, and two or three days later my acquaintances, V. I. P. and his wife, and gentlemen M. P. G. and K. N. M. went to the very place.

They personally inspected the theater of strange phenomena, spoke with the colonist Beach and the colonist Bauer, and all of the above was confirmed by eyewitnesses; Bauer especially insisted that he saw the hats jumping on the floor. Bauer was delighted to finally meet people who listened to his stories without sarcastic smiles and did not find him touched in reason, as some others rushed to do.

Bauer and Beach are calm and educated people for their social standing. They do not see anything hostile, terrible or devilish in the phenomena; rather, they tend to see in them a playful element, and in the culprits their known consciousness, rationality. Pelageya was never harmed, although much was thrown at her with force. Both Scourge and Bauer were quite convinced that Pelagia did not take a conscious part in the phenomena.

A few days later I had the opportunity to see the innocent cause of all these events, the girl Pelageya, and arrange a session with her. She turned out to be decidedly mediumistic: soon various knocks were heard and some other elementary mediumistic phenomena were discovered. If further circumstances were favorable for this, the girl could develop into a strong medium …

How this story ended and what happened to the family of the colonists is unknown. But this is not the main thing. The main thing is that the poltergeist has been observed and continues to be observed throughout Russia - including in St. Petersburg. It's just a small matter - it is necessary for scientists to study this phenomenon seriously …

Artem PLATONOV