The Great Amherst Mystery

Esther Cox was an 18-year-old woman living with her sister’s family in Amherst, Nova Scotia, when she became the center of what became known as the Great Amherst Mystery. The phenomena she experienced terrorized the household and attracted international attention.

The Trigger

Shortly after Esther was attacked by a local man, strange things began happening. Her body swelled grotesquely. Bedclothes flew off her. Loud knocking sounds came from everywhere. Words appeared scratched on walls, including “Esther Cox, you are mine to kill.”

The Escalation

Objects flew through the air. Fires started spontaneously throughout the house. Esther was stabbed by pins that materialized from nowhere. The activity was so violent that the family had to send her away temporarily, but the phenomena followed her.

The Investigation

Actor Walter Hubbell moved into the house to observe and later wrote a bestselling account. He witnessed objects flying, fires starting, and Esther being physically attacked. He tried to charge admission for people to witness the phenomena, but the entity responded violently.

The End

The activity decreased after Esther served a short jail term for arson, accused of starting a barn fire that was likely caused by the poltergeist. After her marriage in 1889, the phenomena ceased entirely.

Assessment

The Great Amherst Mystery is notable for its violence, duration, and the number of witnesses. The case suggests trauma may trigger poltergeist activity and that such activity can follow its focus person rather than haunting a location.