The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1820-08-29
THE .NEWGaTE SPECTRE.

lIE 5EVO MI II OF TT hCs
On Tuesday night last most extraordinary
cirt umstance took place in the prison of New.
gate. The following are the particulars -
Tuesday night, as usual, several of the unfortun-
ate criminals under sentence of death were ia.
ken to their cells, and locked up for the night,
and watchmen we're stationed in various situa-
tions, and the doors were locked, barred &c. At
nearly the hour Of twelve o'clock, Mr.. Bartlett.
the head keeper, was in his room, when atten.
ton wa. attracted by loud knocking at his door,
as if some enc was beating il with sledye ham.
mer the door being separated from the cells BY
two large windows, he opened one Of them to
ascertain from what it proceeded, but to his as
tonishnen ut he could see one. On the repe-
titsn of the nsise he fearlessy made search, but
10 no avail, he could not ascertain from what it
proceeded. Shortly after one Of the colprits.
bold, Courageous man, who was convicted for
horse stealing, aud who was his cell, was
driven into fits by the following singular crcum-
stance lie states, that while he in his
cell he behsld ball of fire pass through tho
grating OF his window with great force, which
struck him with vehemence upon his shoulders.
He much terrified, and after some time it as.
suned the appearance Of horrid CHASTITY human
form. The sight OF it deprived him at The mo-
ment of his senses, aud uttera1ce, and he gazed
on 1t until it vanished as he says, !. through the
Key hoe OF his cell" and the place appeared to
| De IN uauteS. ABOUT the same Time auOLne(
spectre was seen by one Of The watohmen Of the
prison, and had such effect upon Rim that he
tainted away. Here it dia not stop its progress,
"a soldier who confined in the next cell 10
the horse steaer. also saw spectre 81 the same
description, and he was seized with fiji Of a
violent nature IA consequence, aud Continued so
Tor a length of time. lie says that he has been
in the field Of battle, aud has frequently slept IN
the field with the dead, out was never so much
frightened in his life. He is now very bad. To
corroborate the above, another Waterman, sta
toned on the top OF the prison, positively asserts,
that he saw oal OF fire on the stair about
the time represented by the above persons, and
made oath of II loT the satisfaction Of the prison.
During this time tremendous blows were epeat.
ed at Mr.. Barretts door, aud the horse stealer
aud soldier were IN fits the whole night. The
former impIores not TO be put into the same cell,
and says he would rather submit TO be double
ironed and have himself chained to the floor, or
auy other punishment, rather than to be put in
to the cell again.Ihe above circumstance was
mentioned to sir. Cotton, the Ordinary, who in.
timated it TO MIR. Brown.
The following additional particulars from the
sequel 10 this extraordinary circum.ance.--The
convicts thought fit, after having been assured
by Mr.. Brown that one OF the fraternity had been
amusing himself at their expense, to make some
enquiry, and they succeeded ia a.certaining that
CONVICT, hameu nay, Was the ghost, and the
fame OF fire and the brlmstone.-Ihey held q
council Of war upon the question whether they
should try hiT, and punish hun according to Law
by bsmplns. The joke, however, was consider.
edit well performed TO be punished and they
wrote a letter TO Mr. Brown. expressing their re-
gret at having been so weak as to think there
could be any thing within the CRATES Of Newgate
at night but mortality, and very frsil mortality
too. Hay had taken it into his head to try
whether five men, who had not been afraid to
commit rosberies dayor night, would be afraid
OF a sound and the light ei candle at night.
There are five condemned cells in one passage,
III each OF which there is prisoner. At ten
O'Clock, when all was dark, Hay entered the pas
sage, knocked at the door Of one Of the cells,
spoke lew words, and thrust lighted candle
through hole, which is just large enough to ad-
NIT II, and as suddenly Withdrew il, to the con-
sternation OF the iHmste, who cried out, -" Lord.
have mercy apon US !" He did the same
at the doors of the other four cells, and exclama-
tons oil fright were heard at each. He then stole
away, after having uttered deep groan, which
was re-echoed from the cells.