A whimsical farce has been carried on in Leith, for those eight days past, which equals in mystery, and exceeds in mischief, the achievements of the some time celebrated Sourhole Ghost. The habitations of two respectable tradesmen (tailors) who occupy each a flat of the same tenement, have been assaulted with little intermission, since Thursday last, by stones, pieces of coal, brick, &c. thrown, by some invisible agent, with such unerring aim as seldom to fail in penetrating the windows.
The attack is generally made both in front and rear at once; and now, when scarcely a pane of glass remains unbroken, the inhabitants have been obliged to put wooden shutters on the outsides of some of their windows, to prevent danger to themselves and destruction to their furniture.
Every exertion has been made to discover this Devil among the Tailors – all the premises adjoining have been searched, from top to bottom – sentries have been posted, both within and without, close to and at some distance from the haunted house – in every place which offers itself as a proper point of observation ; but still it defies all inquiry.
The Intendant of the Police watched for some time in one of the visited apartments; till, in going from one room to another, a piece of brick made him sensibly perceive that the house was too hot to hold him. The people on watch have frequently seen the stones strike the windows; but declare their velocity to be such, as renders it impossible to discern from whence they come.
The affair has no doubt afforded abundance of mirth to its wantonly mischievous contrivers and executors; we hope, however, their temerity will soon lead to detection; and, as they appear adepts in the exercise of the air gun, or some similar instrument, we think they might be made visible members of a society which would teach them an improvement on their plan of firing, if not more amusement to themselves, at least with more benefit to the country.
Saunders’s News-Letter, 18th December 1810.