“Haunted House” Tenants’ Stories.
Heavy footsteps: figure of man on stairs.
Mysterious knocks and door that swings open.
Remarkable stories of ghostly figures and mysterious footsteps sounding in empty passages were told to the “Evening Telegraph and Post” to-day by Dundee tenants who declare that the building in which they live is haunted. The tenement is situated at 43 Larch Street. Last night a deportation of tenants put before the Corporation Housing Committee a request for closing orders on the property, and the statement that the building had the reputation of being haunted was put forward as one of the reasons why the tenants desired other houses.
Tenants told an “Evening Telgraph and Post” representative to-day that an old man had hanged himself in a garret at the top of the building, and that no one could be persuaded to live in another garret adjoining. One woman met a violent death, and two children had been burned to death in the houses in the building.
Mrs Rae, one of the deputation, who lives two stairs up at No. 43, said she had long been annoyed by a slow, heavy foostep, which was heard sometimes at night, and sometimes through the day in the passage outside her home. “Some time ago I had an experience I hope never to go through again,” said Mrs Rae. “I was returning from a church function one night. It was winter time, and the stair was dark. I was on my way upstairs when all at once I saw in front of me the figure of a man. He was standing on the stairs with one hand stretched out towards the railings, and he seemed to have appeared from nowhere. He had kindly eyes, and did not seem as if he would harm anyone, but his appearance gave me a terrible fright. On his head was an old-fashioned bonnet, which was either black or navy blue – not the least like the caps men wear nowadays. The figure soon disappeared.”
Recovering from her scare, Mrs Rae told some of her neighbours what she had seen. And one old lady, who has since died, told her that her description of the man tallied with that of an old man who years before had been found lying dead on the stairs. “I last heard the footsteps in the passage some weeks ago,” said Mrs Rae, “We looked out, but could see no one. Sometimes we have heard a knock at the door, and on opening it have found no one there. We have stood behind the door to pull it open suddenly but have never been able to find the cause of the sounds. Occasionally the door has suddenly opened when there was no wind and no vibration of traffic from the street. This, however, may be due to a faulty lock on the door.
Mrs Rae’s 16-year-old son, Kassatt Rae, has also heard the mysterious footsteps, and has run suddenly out into the passage only to find no one there. “You would think the place was cursed,” said Mrs Rae, who has lived in the building for about 14 years.
Mrs Christie, who lives on the floor below, has also heard strange sounds during the seven years she has occupied her house. The sound of footsteps became so alarming at times that her husband mounted guard in the passage during the night, armed with a poker. His vigil, however, proved fruitless. “It is some time since I heard any noises,” said Mrs Christie, “but one night, as I entered the passage, I saw a figure in the darkness. I screamed, and my husband ran out. But the figure had vanised without making a sound. The police were called in, and investigations were made to try to discover the source of the sounds.”
A strange feature is that the sounds have been heard only at the end of the passage at which Mrs Christies’ home is situated. Mrs Lonie, who lives at the end of the passage at which Mrs Christie’s home is situated.
Mrs Lonie, who lives at the end of the passage nearest the outside platform, stated that she had never heard the sounds, or seen anything strange, though during the 11 years she has lived there she has often retuned home at night time.
On the ground floor of the building lives Mrs Johnston, who occupies the house in which a previous tenant, a woman met a violent death. “I have lived hereabouts for 40 years,” said Mrs Johnston, “and I have never heard or seen anything out of the usual.”
The stories of the other tenants have, however, recalled to Mrs Johnston a strange incident which occurred years ago, when her daughter, who is now married, was only four years of age.
One morning the daughter asked who the old man was who had visited the house during the night. When her mother told her there had been no one else in the house, the little girl said that an old man with a beard had come to the bedside and tucked the clothes round the child. He then went away.
Dundee Evening Telegraph, 20th November 1936.