The neighbourhood of Rushes-street, Loughborough, says the Leicestershire Mercury, was thrown into a state of alarm at midnight, about a week ago, by two females running out in their night-clothes, when the rain was falling heavily, screaming, moaning, rattling the doors of some of the neighbours, and saying that there was somebody in Mrs –‘s room, where they had been in bed.
On the next night the noise being repeated, more minute inquiries were instituted by some of the neighbours, and the noise was described by Miss — as like the “clashing of armour,” but by a youth who slept in th ehouse as “like a stone as hit summut an’ then rolled on the floor.” This description was considered most likely to be correct, and was confirmed by a piece of stone being found on the floor of the room in which the females lay.
The window was examined, but no stone had entered that way, and facts afterwards came to light which fix strong suspicion on the younger female as the cause of the supernatural disturbances, she having some time ago been detected in the act of causing a similar noise in the room, which so alarmed her mother that she called in two of the night watchmen, who heard the mysterious sounds, and were unable to ascertain the cause, but at length found beyond any doubt on the subject, that it was – the daughter’s big toe moving a smoke screen.
Monmouthshire Beacon, 30th August 1845.