Worcester, Feb. 17.
A circumstance of rather a singular nature has recently occurred in this city, which we are induced to make public, in order that similar impositions, should they be attempted, may the more easily be detected:-
A young woman about 27 years of age, of respectable connections, in Birmingham, but who had lately become much reduced in her circumstances, through illness and other causes, was humanely received into the house of Mr and Mrs Gill, on the Causeway, in Turkey [now Tybridge Street], in this city, who commiserating her misfortunes, treated her as one of the family, and wholly maintained her for the last six months.
This ungrateful female, however, actuated, there is reason to suppose, by the basest motives towards Mrs G. about three weeks since had recourse to a method of alarming her benefactors, which brings to our recollection the old story of the Cock-lane ghost. She would get up in the middle of the night, and by violent knocks at the chamber doors, and other noises, cause great terror to Mr and Mrs Gill, as well as to the persons occupying the adjoining houses. This practice she continued for several nights, artfully evading every mode that was adopted to lead to a discovery.
Being at length suspected, she was sent to sleep at a neighbour’s, and the noise ceasing, rendered her guilt evident; in consequence it was determined to send her home to her friends in Birmingham, and a place was taken for her in the coach on Saturday last, but feigning illness on her way to the coach, her journey was deferred, and she went to reside for a day or two with an acquaintance in Angel-street.
Learning that Mr and Mrs Gill were going out on Sunday evening last, she had the temerity to enter her house at dusk through the back kitchen window, while they were absent, and secreted herself under the tiling of the roof till midnight, when she crawled from her retreat, and repeated her noise, which alarmed Mr and Mrs G. much more than formerly, as they had no idea of her being in the house, and induced them to think they had accused her wrongfully. She effected her escape undiscovered by the way she entered; but on inquiry next day, satisfactory proof of her vile conduct appeared, and she was taken before one of our Magistrates, who, after severely censuring her behaviour, and admonishing her to act with more propriety in future, ordered her to quit this city without further delay, and she accordingly set off for Birmingham yesterday morning.
London Courier and Evening Gazette, 22nd February 1802.