A Haunted House in Ohio.
New countries are not generally haunted by ghosts, and houses are too scarce at the West to be abandoned to the occupancy of spirits, but, according to the following article in the Cincinnati Gazette, it appears they have a real haunted house in that busy place called Porkopolis.
On that great shopping thoroughfare – 5th street – in the heart of the city, between Western Row and John, there is a fine modern built brick house of three stories, containing a store-room and eight or ten other large rooms. Investigation has developed nothing remarkable in the construction or appearance of any portion of the house, which is altogether a desirable residence. The property is owned by widow lady, Mrs Warfield, who sometime since leased it for a term of years to a Mr Wales; Mr W. soon after transferred his lease to Mr James, and Mr J. recently sold it to Mr Carter. The latter gentleman occupies the store room, and a few days since rented the other part of the building to a Mr Edwards as a boarding-house. Mr E. had been in the house but a few days – just long enough to get comfortably fixed – when, on last Wednesday evening about 10 o’clock, a noise similar to the discharge of a pistol was heard in an upper front room, but on examination no cause for the report could be ascertained.
Several hours afterward, and when the family and boarders had retired, a succession of reports were heard by all the inmates of the house, accompanied by loud screams from a room where were several young lady boarders and a daughter of Mr Edwards. The whole house was aroused, and rushing in the direction of the noise, found the young ladies in the utmost trepidation from terror. They declared that the ‘pistol shots’ were made at their bedside, repeated as from a revolver, and that they distinctly saw flashes of red light following each report. One of the girls, pale and almost senseless from fright, affirmed that just at the moment of the sounds, a tall, dark figure twice stooped over her pillow. Such was the excited condition of the whole family, that cots were prepared for all in one room, and the remainder of the night was passed in company, but no further disturbance was experienced.
On Thursday, at about noon, another sharp report was heard in the kitchen, and for several hours during the day a noise was heard in the dining-room resembling the pawing of a horse, or of the morticing of a carpenter in heavy timber.
The occupant, not inclined to pass another night in a manner so disagreeable, and unable to retain his boarders there, rented another house and moved out on Thursday. A party of persons, curious in such matters, spent the night there, but no noises were heard.
The owner of the property threatens to sue the tenant for damages in giving the house the character of being ‘haunted’, by circulating the tales, and leaving the place; while Mr E. thinks that damages should be given him, inasmuch as he was not informed of the reports previous to his renting it, which he understands were currently believed in the neighbourhood regarding its ‘ghosts.’ Not only has the matter taken this phase, but the present lessee, upon the same grounds, demands the annulling of his contract, and so all that have been concerned in the building, are asking reparation for their losses.
Taking this affair altogether it is most curious. The residents in the vicinity say that the building has borne the character of a ‘haunted house’ for several years, and that no family has been willing of late, to remain any great length of time; the noises frighten them away. As there is always a solution to such mystery, we inquired after it, and was informed by one person that a carpenter, whose shop had occupied the ground, had been murdered there, that he could not rest until he had been revenged, and that he would reveal all to a ‘writing medium!’
Another report was that the celebrated clairvoyant, Mrs Bushnel, had reported a conversation which she had with the restless spirit, which revealed that it was a man whose last will had been destroyed with the design of defrauding an orphan girl, and that when reparation was made he would cease to trouble the house! It was also reported that parties residing in the city were implicated in the unholy transaction, and that efforts were silently making to bring them to justice, and restore to the orphan what she long since should have possessed – a goodly fortune!
All this gossip we relate as it is current in the neighbourhood of the ‘haunted house’ and say nothing in regard to the correctness of any portion save that the noises are heard – of that there is no question, and the solution of the matter would make an interesting page alongside the story of the ‘Cock Lane Ghost’.
Long Island Farmer, and Queens County Advertiser, 14th September 1852.