A Ghost.
The inhabitants of Freeschool-lane, Rochester, have been put into a state of great excitement, by some pranks bearing a strong resemblance to those played off by the Cock-lane ghost. The scene of action is a house occupied by a Mr Reinhard, whose family consists of himself, his daughter, a young woman about 17, and a housekeeper. For nearly three weeks the family has been disturbed by noises, which commence about twelve o’clock at night, and last for two or three hours.
The noises are sometimes loud knockings, at others they are like the snorting of horses, then like an unintelligible chattering; but the most extraordinary and inexplicable of the noises result from the bedstead in which the daughter sleeps being raised from the floor, and falling down again in its place, with a crash apparently enough to break through the planks.
The most vigilant attention has not yet enabled the parties, who have made every attempt, to discover how this very extraordinary thing is effected. The bed has been removed into the centre of the room, so that there has been a free passage all round it; the floor has been taken up, and the wall of the house examined, without affording any clue to the means used to produce the effect.
A few nights ago Mr Reinhard’s son, a strong young man, with several other persons, were in the room while the young woman was in bed; and the younger Reinhard stooped down on the floor to look under it, keeping his had strongly pressed upon the bottom of the bedstead, when the bedstead, which is very heavy, was suddenly forced up against the resistance of his pressure, and raised some inches from the ground, upon which it descended again with such violence, that the head board, which is very heavy, was suddenly forced out, and flew against the wall, a distance of more than three feet. This feat has been frequently performed, and on this occasion was preceded by three loud knocks.
The only person in the house who appears not to be discomposed is the daughter; and it is remarkable, that upon her being sent away for two or three nights, the noises ceased. Thus the matter stands at present, and every person has been puzzled, and remains at fault, who has hitherto attempted to detect the impositions practised by this very noisy and very powerful ghost! – (From a Correspondent.)
South Eastern Gazette, 18th August 1835.