The Statesman.
London, England, 1810-10-18 00:00:00

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SAMPFURD GHOST.

Sutcrut.-llt Boltaat, a I,tuotiress,
court, !;t. J , PI! t a perlOti to her vat.sten( e,
yesteitlay, by lin allowing a quantify of arsetilc, suf.
liLient to have dcstioyed per3tni.

The Rcv. Mr. Colton, of Tiverton, who first
proclaimed himself the champion of the S'ampford
Ghott, add whose pamphlet upon .the subject of
the extraordinary noises supposed to be produced
by it, led to the detecthin;of which we gave an ac.
count on the authority of The 7'uunton Courier,
has just replied to the Editor of that Journal, in
an appendix to his former narrative, and states as
his creed concerning this mystery, " that he be.
sieves in nothing but the difficulty of detecting it."
'So far from thinking that the Editor of The.l'aun.
ton Courier has solved the mystery, he controctts
•aliliost every one of the alleged facts which forms the
basis of that statement. Ile asserts that Mr. Chave
farms 1001. a year, and is a man of most respecta-
ble family and character, who keeps a large shop
on the premises in question ; that instead of seven
months, as stated by the Editor, he has resided there
since July, 1800 ; that extraordinary sights had
been seen there before Mr. Chave occupied the
house ; that Sally, instead of being about 18, was
only 16 years of age, and did not appear to be
more than 13 ; anti that Mr. Taylor, instead of 25,
was only 20. No dispute took place between Mr.
Talley and Mr. Chafe about the painter's bill,
which was a matter solely agitated between the
painter and Mr. Talley. Mr. and Mrs. Chave have
both deposed, that no such conversation passed with
Air. Talky as was asserted by the Editor to have
taken place on his going thither to sleep ; and that,
instead of Mr. Talky stipulating " that none of the
servants bhutdd remain un the premises, and that
this was also, with much reluctance, acquiesced
in," no such promise was made, nor e•iiai asked,
and not a single servant was sent out of the house
on that occasion.
The conversation between Mr. Talley and Dodge
is acknowledged to be true; and that Dodge slept
with the apprentice boy, on account of the latter
having been frightened. Mr. Talley supped on the
evening in question in the lower room, through
which Dodge must and did pass ap stares to bed ;
for instead of three entrances to get up stairs, a
carpenter has made oath that there is but one.—
Dodge has deposed, that there were no curtains to
the bed ; that Mr. Talley did not desire him to pull
off his clothes ; and that he never mice. that night
or day entered Talley's room. Instead of Talley
" having locked all the doors, and taken the keys
with him, so that Dodge could not quit the room
ucat morning till Mr. Talley came to let him out,"
it is proved that the door of that chamber had nei-
ther key-hole, lock, bolt, bar, nor any thing to
secure it, but a common thumb-latch, catch
oven which aas gone. Mr. Talky since ac-
knowledges that lie did not lock a single lock, nor
put a single key into his pocket. A carpenter,
after having minutely examined the house, has
sworn that the walls of the two rooms iii which the
noises by day were principally heard are not bat-
tened, but solid walls ; that it is impiissible asiy
human agent could act between the flour and the
ceiling, and that such noises could not be pro.
duced by any act or ingenuity with which he is ac.
painted.
The marks and mutilations on the ceiling are
proved. to have been occasioned by attempts to
imitate the noises ; but 'woe of them corresponded
td the shape of the mop.stick. The allegation of
the l'autston Courier, that Mr. Taylor had been
under taitiou fur a considerable time, leaguing
slight-of-hand tricks, and conjuring, Ate. of a :sir.
Moon, is flatly contradicted by Mrs Taylor, who
has made affidavit, and appeals to all his friends, and
to Mr. Moon hignielf, in confirmation of it—that
he never saw Mr. M. exhibit but thrice—never was
in company with him but twice—and never was uu.
der his tuition one hour. As a proof that the extra.
ordinary noises, &c. have not ceased, Mr. Sully,
an ElCisi.tOilleer in that neighbourhood, has recently
made an affidavit, that ou Friday, Sept. 14, he
went, about ten at night, into a chant her, described
as hating a large modern Window in it ; " that he
desired Mr: C. and Mr. Taylor to walk up with him, •
and to place themselves at the window, and on no
account to move from it ; that Mr. Sully then held
the door in his hand that leads from the larger tutu
• the lesser room, in which lesser room a single wo-
man only slept ; that Sally was confined with Mrs.
Chive during the whole of that time iii another
apartment, at Mr. Sully's request. While Mr.
Sally held this dour half open in his ha which
door is about three feet frout the foot of the ued in
which this single woman slept, he Clearly and distilict•
ly heard something coming up the stairs.; he heard it
• plainly cross the'auti.chainber and come upon the
bed in which this woman was. It immediately •
beat her violently, principally, as Mr. S. cou'al
perceive by the !wends, over the hips and le4s. In
the midst of these blows, while they were iu the
greatest height, he instantaneously' drew too door
fully open: ' The moon'slinoe very Wight directly
into the apartment; had any tiling material at..
templed to escape, lie affirmii he must have seen or
heard it, is the window is very large (occupying
'lwo-thirds of the breadth of the whole room). Ile
is quite positive that he heard and saw nuthiog
selcape, and that Mr. Taylor and Mr. Chave kept
their position at the window.
The following affidavit Closes this extraordinary •
pamphlet
'lgnominy, Bept.27, 1810, Jahn Chave, William Taylor,
James Dodge, and Sally Case, voluntarily make oath this tiny
as wows Twit they are entirely im-norapt of the cause of
all thnse'extettc:rdiuttry circumstances that have and are omits
ring at the house of Mr. ()have the parish Sampford.—
Also, that they have never glade •in, or easily part of the pre:-
takes, any sounds or noises, by day or night, by blocs or
knarkiiigs, either Ivith or without lot instrument, to order to
induce any one human being it hatever to h sieve, or even to
think, total there was any taint uaaccaantatne or supernatura I in •
the house. Also, that they have never requested any o either
versciti so to do, and Vial Hwy firmly believe Ito such attempts
have heel: in3ale by utlrers. Alen, that Wench attempts ir,vo
been made, it nits without their kuovsleditc or C9116tV.1. Also,
that they MAT repeatedly heard in mid- day most violent and
loud noises in their house, vireo ninneroul persons have been
assembled, same in the upper, :aid some in On lower apart.
meats, ut the same time ; all till of them anxious and eager to
discover the cause. Also, that the marks on the ceiling he %c
been made by persons tryirg, but in vista, to intimate the 'mile
ccuunds. Also, that to 11w nest of tatoir knowledge owl beliefs
there ate no subterraneclits passaoss in or about that house.
" Sworn befare me, 1, cc. -2711 i Sept. (OW,
" .1. t:OV e, r, AlOyor el Tiverton.'