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While the excitement over these mysteries was at its height, the two leading spirits of the Theosophical Society—Colonel H. S. Alcott and Mme. Blavatsky—determined to make an investigation. They drove in a carriage to the Thirty-first Precinct Police Station, and from thence, accompanied by Captain Murphy and half a dozen reporters, they drove to the wharf.

While the excitement over these mysteries was at its height, the two leading spirits of the Theosophical Society—Colonel H. S. Alcott and Mme. Blavatsky—determined to make an investigation. They drove in a carriage to the Thirty-first Precinct Police Station, and from thence, accompanied by Captain Murphy and half a dozen reporters, they drove to the wharf.

At 11:50 the party reached the haunted pier, and in a few minutes a great crowd had collected. None of the neigh boring watchmen, however, could be coaxed to approach the spot. It is a fine place for a ghost-walk. A narrow lane, between two great rows of tall lumber piles, leads from the street to the river-side. The bank, which is washed into drifts and tunnels, runs abruptly down to the wharf, which is eight or ten feet lower than the surrounding ground. All around are tall lumber piles. On the left, jutting out from the wharf, is the skeleton of an old pier, about twenty feet square. The planking long ago decayed and dropped off, and the timbers only are left. It was under this skeleton pier that the body of the watchman was found lying upon its face on a great rock, the back of the head entirely out of the water. His hat lay upon the bank.  It is from under the old pier, too, that the lights are said to have come.

At 11:50 the party reached the haunted pier, and in a few minutes a great crowd had collected. None of the neighboring watchmen, however, could be coaxed to approach the spot. It is a fine place for a ghost-walk. A narrow lane, between two great rows of tall lumber piles, leads from the street to the river-side. The bank, which is washed into drifts and tunnels, runs abruptly down to the wharf, which is eight or ten feet lower than the surrounding ground. All around are tall lumber piles. On the left, jutting out from the wharf, is the skeleton of an old pier, about twenty feet square. The planking long ago decayed and dropped off, and the timbers only are left. It was under this skeleton pier that the body of the watchman was found lying upon its face on a great rock, the back of the head entirely out of the water. His hat lay upon the bank.  It is from under the old pier, too, that the lights are said to have come.

When questioned about her experience in the returning of departed spirits to the earth, Mme. Blavatsky replied that the spirits of men of great genius might return to invest the spirits or souls of their friends.

When questioned about her experience in the returning of departed spirits to the earth, Mme. Blavatsky replied that the spirits of men of great genius might return to invest the spirits or souls of their friends.