A ghost in the nineteenth century!
Serious gossip and old-womanish alarm appears to have existed for some time past in the regions of Carden-street, in this city, and at length to have established in the minds of not a few a firm conviction that some ghost or hobgoblin has taken a fancy to that particular locality, and made it his abiding-place. His nocturnal pranks, which consist in slamming doors, rattling panels, jingling the fire-irons, and putting out the fire – the whole serving as an accompaniment to a series of hideous howlings and dismal intonations – have on more than one occasion gained him the undisputed possession of one particular dwelling.
This superstition has, however, not been without its usual attendant evils; for the excitement last week was at its highest pitch by the positive appearance of “something white” to an inmate of the habitation spoken of, who, through a male adult, was so shocked at what probably was his own shadow, that for some days after serious results were apprehended. The tenants evacuated the premises on Monday, their special wonder, in common with others, having, no doubt, been overcome by the fact that some years ago a case of suicide took place in this same dwelling. There is no question that this silly mischief is attributable to the ingenuity of some roguish practitioner of Cock-lane notoriety, who, if proper measures be taken, will speedily vanish into thin air.
Worcestershire Chronicle, 10th May 1848.