Wanton Mischief.
Last week a respectable family in Rutherglen were molested with a rather singular species of annoyance. Their dwelling-house is inclosed with walls, part of which form a back area or court, containing wash-house, byre, &c. and into which the kitchen windows look. The door into this area, which is a little way from the house, locks from the outside, and has an iron bolt for occasionally fastening it inside.
Tuesday night the servant, soon after being in the court, had occasion to retun, but, upon attempting to open the door, found, apparently, to her great astonishment, that it was bolted within; access was obtained however by the windows alluded to, when there was nobody found in the court; this was repeated several times in that and the succeeding night, until the family were puzzled, annoyed, and the younger branches and women somewhat frightened, and the servant, a stupid looking girl, from the neighbourhood of Glendaruch, almost in hysterics with terror.
Matters became worse, a pane of glass in the kitchen and some articles of earthenware in the court, were smashed in the same mysterious way; milk was transferred by invisible hands, from the tubs used to contain it, to places where it had no right to be, and butter, kept in a place off the byre (corn-house), was found in the boiler in the washing-house.
At last, on Friday, as some of the family were in the kitchen, about dusk, with the lower sash of the kitchen window up, an iron 4lb shot, such as is sometimes used for breaking coals, was thrown through the window, breaking two of the panes in its passage, and striking the wall close to where a young girl, one of the family, was standing. This was a little too serious – the neighbourhood was in an uproar, and as they had not been able to detect any human agency, the effects were ascribed to witchcraft, ghosts, or the Devil in propria persona.
One of the sons having been led by circumstances to guess from whence the whole proceeded, concealed himself amongst some hay, on the ensuing evening, within the area, determined to seize or shoot the tormentor, if it should appear again. The householder, one of the Borough magistrates, had quietly drawn a cordon of the civil power round the house, and every thing that human and magisterial sagacity could suggest was put in practice to render the plans effectual. Scarcely had evening begun to spread her dusky mantle over the earth, however, when the kitchen window was slowly and cautiously raised, and the servant, whose apprehensions had been so violent and clamorous, crept nimbly out, and slipping softly to the door, had inserted the bolt as the first act of the drama, but before she had time to withdraw her hands from the latch, the ambuscade, pistol, and all were at her side.
The usual circumstances followed. She was at first obstinate and sulky, but when the Bailie and the city guard appeared, showing a view of Bridewell in the distance, she confessed the whole. Upon being questioned as to her motive, she could give none, and had nothing to complain of against the family. She, however, succeeded in softening the heart of the worthy Magistrate and his Lady, who ascribing the whole to the influence of the arch enemy, instead of sending her to Bridewell, as she richly deserved, kept her till Monday, and paying her the balance of her fee, dismissed her, with an advice to behave better in future.
In return for this excess of forbearance, we understand the damsel has been very active in denying to every one as having had any hand in the business, and accusing her master and mistress with having extorted a confession of guilt by the terror of Rutherglen Gaol. (- Glasgow Paper).
British Press, 5th September 1825.