Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1837-06-22
From London paper.
\ TRUE GHOST STORY

In the year l70l, u gentleman, To all ap-
pearance OF large fortune, took furnished
lodgings in Suho square.-AiIeI be had resi-
ded there some weeks with this eslablish>
meni, he lost his brother, who had lived at
Hampstead, and who nn his death bed par
ticutaTly desired 10 he inferred in the family
vault at Westminster Abbey. The gentle
man requested his landlord TO bring the
corpse oi his brother To his lodg ings, and To
make arrangements there Tor The funeral.
The landlord, without hesitation, signified
his compliance. The body, dressed in a
white shreud, was brought in II very hand
seine collin, and placed in a great dining
room. The funeral was TO take place the
next day, aud the lodger and his servant
went out 10 make the necessary preparations
fur the Solemnity. He slaid GU, late, but
tins was no uncommon thing. The landlord
and his family, concering that they had no
occasion 10 wait for him, retired 10 bed as u
sual about twelve o'clock. One maid SER
want was left up toilet him in, and to boil
some wafer which he desired might be ready
Tor making tea on his return The girl was
accordingly sitting alone in the Kitchen
when toll spcclre.looking figure entered,
and clapped itself down in chair oprosite
her. The maid was by no means one of the
most ;inId OF her sex /; but she was terrified
beyond expression, lonely as she was, at the
unexpected aPpartion. Offering loud
scream, she flew out like an arrow at a side
door, and hurried 10 the door of her master
and mistress. Scarcely had she awakened
them, and communicated TO the whole fami-
ly some portion Of her fright, with which she
was herself overwhelmed, when the spectre,
en:eloped IN shroud, and with death like
Paieness, made It's appearance, and sat down
IN chair in the bed room, without their hav-
In,r nbc xaI TO-, "a. n
oil was, that the chair stood by the door of
the chamber, SO that not a creature could get
away without passing close TO The apparition,
which rolled lis glaring eyes so irightiully +,
and so hideousiy distorted its features, that
they could mol bear TO look al it. The mas
Ter and mistress crept under the bed clothes,
covered with proiuse perspiration, while the
maid servant sank nearly insensible by the
s,de OF the bed AT The time the whole house
seemed To he in uproar, for though they had
covered themselves over head and ears, thew
couidbearan incessant nOise and clatier which
served 10 Increase their terror. AT length all
became perfectly still in the house The
landlord venIured To raise his head, and TO
steal glance al the chair by the door but
behold the ghost was gone ! Sober reason
began 10 resume lis power The poor girl
was brought to herself after a goud deal Of
sufficient courage TO go out OF the bed room
and TO commence an examination OF the
house, which they expected to find in great
disorder. Nor were their anlicipations IN
! founded. The whole house had been strip
ped by the artlul thieves, and the gentleman
had decamped without pay ing Tor his lodg-
ings. IL turned out thai he was no other
THAI an accomplish Of the notorious Arthur
Chambers, who was executed at Ty burn, in
1903, and that the supposed corpse was line
arch rogue himself, who mad whitened his
hands and face with chalk and merely coun :
terfeited death. About midnight he quilted
the coffin and appeared 10 the maid in the
kitchen. When she flew up sairs he softly
follow ell her, and, seated al the door OF the
chamber, he acted as sentinel, so that hi.
! Industrious accomplices were enabled e.
plumber the lUuse without the least molesta
! ton.