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Mysterious pelting of Akron family creates a big sensation in 1878
By Mark J. Price
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Monday, Oct 26, 2009
German immigrant Michael Metzler Jr. and his wife, Maria, a native of Lorraine, France, felt the sting of fear when an unseen presence pelted their family with rocks for two weeks.
The Metzlers had 10 children, but only the first six were alive during the ordeal: Mary Elizabeth, 13; Emma, 10; Julia, 8; Joseph, 6; Charles, 3; and Frank, 19 months. Maria's mother, Bridget Noss, 72, also resided with them.
Michael worked as a plasterer. The family lived in a 11/2-story brick home on South High
Street extension, the modern-day path of South Broadway, between Thornton and Voris streets.
The neighborhood owed its devilish nickname to the Akron Iron Co., which operated a blast furnace and rolling mill a few blocks to the north.
''Many employees of the rolling mills lived in the vicinity of the plant and since many of them were heavy drinkers and often engaged in fights, that neighborhood was known for years afterward as Hell's Half Acre,'' Akron historian Karl H. Grismer wrote.
The family's troubles began Oct. 8, while Maria Metzler was shucking corn in a field next to the home. Without warning, a violent downpour of rocks fell on her. The stunned housewife couldn't tell where the projectiles originated, so she ran indoors for shelter.
When she again ventured outside with most of her family, another rock shower began.
Michael Metzler met with Akron Mayor James F. Scott to demand an investigation. Metzler believed neighbor boys were playing a prank.
But then things got weirder. Rocks began to fall inside the Metzlers' house.
The oldest daughter was seated in a chair when a stone hit her. Rocks, coal and pieces of brick seemed to fall from the ceiling or fly out of the dark recesses of the lamp-lit home.
Metzler believed evil spirits were persecuting his family.
News quickly spread across the canal town of 16,000. Curious neighbors visited the home and some were hit by stones, too. Rowdy crowds formed outside.
''So great has the excitement become that on Sunday, it was estimated that nearly two thousand persons visited the premises,'' the Akron City Times reported Oct. 16. ''In the evening, the crowd took the form of a mob, and there were numerous altercations and disturbances.''
Hundreds gathered nightly and kept a vigil until after midnight. As a joke, some spectators threw stones at each other and pretended it was supernatural.
One rock struck Fred McFarland, who retaliated by hurling a stone at Tom Moore, who suffered a deep cut to the head. A mob chased McFarland to his home, where he grabbed an ax and threatened to kill anyone who got near. By the time police arrived, McFarland had run off.
Several reporters visited the Metzlers' home and became a part of the story when they, too, were pelted.
Writer William Montgomery Clemens (1860-1931), a nephew of humorist Mark Twain, was among the witnesses. A local editor for the Akron Argus and reporter for the Cleveland Leader, Clemens dubbed the hurler ''the Stone-Throwing Ghost.''
In a 1929 article for Akron Topics magazine, he recalled interviewing Maria Metzler in her kitchen about the rocks. ''It is a curse upon this family,'' she said.
''At that moment, a small stone the shape and size of a hickory nut, fell, apparently from the ceiling, and struck Mrs. Metzler on the arm,'' Clemens wrote. ''Later a larger stone — the size of an egg — fell and struck me on the shoulder — a slight touch like the tap of a finger. The stone fell at my feet, but did not roll or move from where it fell. Like a piece of putty, it clung to the floor.
''Still other stones fell on that eventful morning, all coming, apparently, from the ceiling. We watched for their coming, too, and appeared to have their origin eight or 10 inches below the unbroken ceiling plaster. The stones did no damage but they caused deep wonderment.''
The distraught family summoned the Rev. John Baptist Broun (1834-1915), pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church.
Broun, also a native of Lorraine, France, arrived in Akron in 1866, three years after his ordination, and was a major figure in the German congregation's history. He served as pastor for 49 years and oversaw construction of the landmark twin-tower church at Broadway and State streets in the early 20th century.
At 6-foot-2, Broun was a gruff, intimidating figure. During his half-century in Akron, he baptized 5,700 people, performed 2,200 weddings and officiated at 2,300 funerals.
He also presided over one exorcism of a rock-throwing spirit.
The priest, fluent in German, French, English and Latin, arrived at the Metzler house at 10 one evening to pray for the departure of the evil presence.
As Broun concluded the holy rites, two stones fell at his feet, narrowly missing him.
Projectiles flew for another week before subsiding.
Some witnesses refused to believe that the Metzler mystery was of unearthly origin. Skeptics suspected that mother-in-law Bridget Noss and 10-year-old granddaughter Emma were in cahoots on a masterful prank.
When Emma was away from home, the stoning was less frequent. Also, fewer rocks fell after 10 p.m. when the Metzler children were in bed.
The Akron Daily Beacon declared the case a ''crooked affair'' after one witness reported catching Emma in the act: ''A gentleman who went to the house . . . states that he was struck by a stone which appeared to issue from an adjoining bedroom and on seizing the light and running in the room, he discerned the little girl in the act of jumping into the bed, but when discovered, she turned over and gave every appearance of being asleep.''
Had she thrown all the rocks? Or was she just a copycat? The pelting ceased by Halloween.
''What is the answer?'' Clemens wrote. ''No man, scientific or otherwise, came forward to explain. The case baffled us all. It was a mystery and to this day, it remains an unsolved mystery.''
Over the years, the Metzlers made news of a different sort.
In 1898, son Joseph became a national hero in the Spanish-American War as one of the first U.S. soldiers to land in Cuba, and the first to kill a Spanish officer.
In 1899, son Frank bought an Akron tavern at Bartges and Bowery streets, and converted it into Metzler's Corner, a popular hangout for more than 40 years.
Michael Metzler Jr. died in 1910 at age 70. His widow, Maria, died in 1930 at age 83. Both are buried at St. Bernard Cemetery, which is also the final resting place for the Rev. Broun, who died in 1915 at age 81.
Widowed housewife Emma J. Collier died in 1945 at age 76. She is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Wadsworth.
Hell's Half Acre has changed a great deal over the last century.
The approximate site of the Metzlers' old home is a parking area between Bel-Aire Products and MyOfficeProducts in the 800 block of South Broadway, across from Advanced Computer Services, the former home of Summervilles' office supply.
It's a stone's throw away from a gravel lot filled with rocks.
Mark J. Price is a Beacon Journal copy editor. He can be reached at 330-996-3850 or send e-mail to mjprice@thebeaconjournal.com.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Posted 03:11 AM, 10/26/2009
That is very interesting; thanks Mark.
Posted 09:58 AM, 10/26/2009
Maybe the family was going after a reality show. Kidding aside, great historical article!
Seminole, FL
Posted 02:46 PM, 10/26/2009
Interesting to hear stories like these. From my views, his occupation as a plasterer can give one possible theory. A temporary overabundance of chemicals stored in the house causing sensory hallucinations....
Posted 08:46 AM, 10/27/2009
Jabarten - why/how would several people have identical hallucinations?
rittman, oh
Posted 09:13 AM, 10/27/2009
great story, thanks for the interesting read!
Posted 11:21 AM, 10/27/2009
Anyone know where St. Bernard's Cemetery is?
Akron, OH
Posted 02:20 PM, 10/27/2009
John - good point. Sounds like something out of "Stranger Than Science" by Frank Edwards, or one of his other numerous books recounting such "anomalies". If you like stories such as this, check him out - that's all his books are about.
Akron, OH
Posted 11:44 AM, 10/28/2009
Great Story!! :)
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! :)
