HAUNTS MANSION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 24, 30 January 1939, Page 5

HAUNTS MANSION.

BROKER'S GHOST.

MILLIONAIRE ART COLLECTOR.

A "ROOM TO FIT A CARPET."

(Special.—By Air Mall.)

LOXDOX, January 1

Strange tales that the ghost of John A. Holms, eccentric Scottish stockbroker, has returned to haunt hie magnificent estate at Formakin, Renfrewshire, •re circulating in Scotland. Recently buyers from all over the world flocked to Farmakin to attend the sale of Holm's £250,000 worth of art treasures. Some of them declare that since the tale began ghostly knot-kings have been heard at houses on the estate. A friend of the dead man says that lie whs eitting in the gardens of the estate when he felt a "presence" behind him. On turning round he found himself looking into the eyes of John Holms. The stockbroker, other friends «tay, has come back to be near hie treasurehouse. For that mansion, full of rare art treasures, wa* the dream of hie life come true. In hie younger days hie great ambition was to own a home of surpassing loveliness. Dream* Came Trtif. That dream took hold of him. He devoted his days to making money. When ho became a millionaire he confided to hi* architect friend, Hii Rohert Lorinirr. his great ambition Lorlmer wita given a free hand, and on the lovely hillftiiif near Bishopton. ir Renfrewshire. the dream mansior ■became reality. Every oionp'that went into Formakin as the mansion was culled, was epecialh treated to give the impression of great ase. m

Steps for the many staircases were carefully ecooped out by machines so as to appear as if they had been worn by centuries of uee. The entrance doors required no "faking." Their antiquity was undisputed, for they had come from Newgate prison. From every capital in the world his agents reported to him impending sales of any art treasures which they thought would take his fancy. Once he had made up his mind to purcaee nothing would stop him. £25,000 Fittings. One of hie purchases was the famous "■Garden Carpet," almost circular in shape, and reputed to be the finest example of Persian work. Holmes considered that no ordinary room was capable of displaying its true beauty, so he had a special room built to fit the crapet. Holms himself lived modestly and frugally, though it was hie boaet that on his dining table on special occasions were fitments worth more than £25,000. Suddenly work had to be stopped. Depression had hit the world, and with [lit the stockbroking business. Holms I fought back and was on the way to I making another vaet fortune when a I second slump hit the markets. This time the handicap was too much , for him. Xo longer could he afford to - pay for art treasures which still took his fancy. t But he stiH declined to part with i those which he had already bought. s And so for years Holm* lived in the f little cottage where each day he gazed upon the unfinished masterpiece. In May laet year John Holms died and this week hie treasures were sold. e The mansion itself is likely to come under the hammer. r — 1. II Minor damage to the engine and wiring 11 of a taxi parked on the Gundry Street n rank was caused by an outbreak of fire on Saturday night. The cause of the ~ outbreak, which was easily suppressed vby firemen from the Central Fire t Station, was a short circuit in the elecitrical wiring system.