Strange find in my house!

[Groovedymond]

I have a cape type house (single floor with basement) here in Northern Mass. It was built in the late 40's. The 'attic'... if you will, it EXTREMELY hard to get into. There are no stairs. In fact, the only way in is actually over the basement stairs through the ceiling (about 10 feet up). The only way to get up there is to climb the water sewer pipe like a monkey. Then, once up there, all that you'll see is the eves of the house, no floor to speak of (just the ceiling of the 1st floor).

So, to the story. I was ripping the walls and ceilings down in one of my kids room. I ripped down once piece of ceiling and down fell a newspaper. I looked at it, and it was from a Sunday in March of 1957. "WOW" I thought and enjoyed reading it, but was curious, whey the heck was it up there?!?? Strange. So, I saved the paper to the side, and continued to rip ceiling down. Then, down came a mans striped shirt..... then a mans black coat... then an old coffee can.. in the coffee can was a burnt candle... old cig butts, and some spent matches. From their positions, I can tell that they were deposited all very close together.

I bought my house from an older couple that had lived there since about 61'. The owner before that was some older guy..... and he was the 1st owner. I'm not sure why he was up there. Perhaps he was hiding? But why in the attick


Very very very strange. Kinda spooked me. I have to rip down more ceilings in the future... i'm almost frightened at what I might find!

 

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[diggemall]

Sounds like I'd be getting a laddder and heading up there BEFORE bringing more things down on my head !

For whatever reason, SOMEBODY felt it was worth the effort to get up in that attic, and spent some time up there too, if they bothered to set up an ashtray.........

We might just learn the whereabouts of ol' Jimmy Hoffa afterall.....................

Diggem'

 

[Gold_Needle]

Hmmm,

Keep pulling stuff... you might find the guy.

Joking aside, it could have been someone hiding out from the law after a crime and the clothes you found were what he wore during that crime.

A little research into the owner at that time and of relatives might explain what was going on.

J

 

[Marty-Graw]

could it possibly a homeless man hiding there where it was warm during the winter and came down to eat when the owner went to work?

 

[hollowpointred]

sounds like someone hiding his smoking from his wife!

 

[jeff of pa]

sounds like someone hiding his smoking from his wife!

or parents

 

[simonds]

Yeah Jeff, I kind of remember doing that myself. Except us brothers did it out in the wood shed or chicken coop.

 

[Groovedymond]

Thanks for all the replies. Did a little research on the guy. Seems that his wife passed on in the early 50s, and if he had kids, they were all gone. A buddy on my Bowling League used to deliver the guy's newspaper.

So, hiding the smoking? Not likely. Kids, nope. Homeless..... could be, but, there is no access to the attick from the outside, so it seems unlikely.

I'm beginning to wonder what else could possibly be up there. He was certainly not rich, or did not live richly.. so.. who knows! I'll have to keep looking!!!!!

 

[shamhawks]

sounds like someone hiding his smoking from his wife!

First thing I thought when reading the story

 

[tammahawk]

sometimes them old folks hoarded money, but live poorly, something i cant understand whats the sense of having it if ya never spend it, but there might be a nice stash up there what are you waiting for?, tammahawk

 

[ringding]

Did you say there was a striped jacket up there? Was it the type that prisoners wore?

 

[Digginman]

sounds like someone hiding his smoking from his wife!

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Gypsy Heart]

I dont understand...I would be up in that attic checking everything out.Crawl through the hole and see what is going on...Whats the hold up here?

 

[Groovedymond]

The coat was a normal Men's type coat (not a prisoner). There was a dark colored coat, a white shirt and a blanket of some kind. I checked the pockets, then promptly threw the things away.

I've poked my head through the ceiling tiles in another room, and I can see that there is no easy way for me to walk around up there without falling through the ceiling. I guess if I find anything, it will have to be while ripping down the walls and such.

By the way.... when I ripped the walls down in that room, I discovered that the outside wall had some GREAT insulation.... cardboard boxes....... here in New England, not a good idea!!!

 

[diggummup]

Hmmm,

it could have been someone hiding out from the law after a crime and the clothes you found were what he wore during that crime.

A little research into the owner at that time and of relatives might explain what was going on.

J

This is what i'm thinking.

 

[KGCnewbieseeker]

dosent sound like he would he hiding the smoking from his wife since she could prob smell it. and why would they wear a coat in the attic? maybe it was from when they were building the house? maybe the wifes suiter hid them there when they got interupped by the husband comming home. LOL

 

[treasurekidd]

Joking aside, it could have been someone hiding out from the law after a crime and the clothes you found were what he wore during that crime.

If this is the case, could the 1957 newspaper hold a clue?? Maybe he enjoyed reading about his illegal exploits!

 

[jsn571944]

The coat was a normal Men's type coat (not a prisoner). There was a dark colored coat, a white shirt and a blanket of some kind. I checked the pockets, then promptly threw the things away.

I've poked my head through the ceiling tiles in another room, and I can see that there is no easy way for me to walk around up there without falling through the ceiling. I guess if I find anything, it will have to be while ripping down the walls and such.

By the way.... when I ripped the walls down in that room, I discovered that the outside wall had some GREAT insulation.... cardboard boxes....... here in New England, not a good idea!!! HELLO IN MASS.In maine alot of houses have card board insulation. There was]not a lot of money in the forties. I once found 17 old movie poster in a wall i was repairing.THANKS FOR THIS POST.

 

[Inform]

So, you shouldn't throw away the clothes, til you read the paper...perhaps a murder, perhaps a robbery, perhaps something is related to the paper and the clothes...put it all together before you throw it away...as someone said earlier, lol, Jimmy Hoffa's clothes might be in your attic, lol!
You never know how it might all fit together, I found things that didn't seem to relate, and then all of a sudden, a year later, it completed a puzzle, but I had to do more research! Best of Luck!

 

[savant365]

I see you are still an active member Groove, how about an update, have you found anything else up there in the last 3 years?