Haunted house at East Boldon.
During the last fortnight there has been considerable excitement in East Boldon, owing to the house of a gentleman residing there having been visited by a ghost. Every night strange rumbling noises have been heard, and several of the windows were broken. At night all the family watched, and as soon as they heard the crash of broken glass, they rushed out at the door, but to their great surprise, nothing was to be seen.
An old labouring man agreed to mount guard with a blunderbuss, and shoot the ghost. While he was walking to and fro in the garden at midnight, and all was silent, the spectre appeared to him in the shape of a black and white dog, which run between his legs; he was suddenly thrown to the ground, and the blunderbuss, though the trigger was pulled by no mortal hand, went off with a loud noise, which so alarmed the sentinel, that he screamed out “murder” but when the inmates came forth, the apparition had vanished.
The next night three stalwart yeomen agreed to watch. They accordingly mounted guard with their old rusty firelocks loaded to the muzzle, and each having a large stable lantern, and besides being well furnished with rum punch. At the witching hour of night, they were alarmed by the growl of an invisible wild bear, trying to get loose. They were struck with terror at the unwonted sound, and fled, leaving their arms behind them.
The house still continued to be haunted and about 28 squares of glass were broken.
At last three of the county police came and watched by turns several days and nights. P.C. Smith had been watching one whole day, and the moment he descended the staircase, more windows were broken. On Thursday last he went into an out-house, and lifted a tile off the roof. He thus commanded a complete view of the premises, and after watching for upwards of 19 hours, about 4 o’clock in the afternoon, after the shutters had been closed he heard the crash of broken glass, which fell on the outside, and a few moments afterwards the servant girl stepped slyly out, and picking up the broken glass, ran into the house.
A few minutes after the young lady of the house, who is about 17 years of age, came out and began to dance the polka, in a graceful style, when suddenly she snatched up a stone and threw it through the window, breaking another pane. After which she ran into the house, screaming “mother, the ghost is come again.” But the policeman who followed her in, coolly told the young lady and the servant girl, that he had discovered the whole mystery, and that a warrant should be issued to bring both the ghosts before the magistrates.
On Wednesday, the two young women were brought before the bench at South Shields, but after Archbold, Jervis, and all the law authorities, had been examined, there was no case produced to rule a ghost, and they were discharged.
North and South Shields Gazette, 14th February 1851.