The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-01-31
The Haunted House In Front Street.

The Haunted House In Front strect.
HAVE WI COCK LANE GHOST AMONG US 9-MYs'
TERI0Us NOISES AT THE HOUSE NO. 26l FRONT
sTRsEr-hABvELLOUs STORIES TOLD IN RnLATf0N
TO THBh-NvEsrIGArION or THE POLTCR RE
sPECrING THEIR ORIGN--SOMBTHNG NEW FOE
THE LOVERS OF THE WONDERFUL, ETC., kr0.
Houses that have the reputation Of being haunted are
equeut enough In the country, and almost every village
that has been settled for hundred years has IT. old
ruined barn or deserted house that 10 associated In the
minds Of the villagers with ghosts, hobgoblns mystic
rious lights and NOISES that form the burden Of many
story told In the twilight around the winter fro by the
credulous ruscs TO the wonder loving listeners But In
large city like New York very ow suoh houses known
and the hustle and excitement city e together with the
sceptcsm begets people 70 laugh at the stories
when tod or to very soon forget oil about them But
stAi even In New York, there have been old edinces
about which marvellous accounts have been gvon. and
which n their time created little excitement among the
old ades In the neighborhoOd The old Sugar House
Liberty street had the reputation Of being haunted and
building opposite 70 Il, ne store had similar dis
encton Circumstances have recently ranspred In oon
necton with house Ia Front street that bid fair to give
~ q eat nooriey Is tnat accorded 70 tha Cook lane
ghost story which the celebrated Dr. Johnson believed
IN 90 religtousy,
About two months since private wstchman. named
Rchsrds while psroing his beat In Front street. near
Dover heard tapping sound that caused him to pause
he looked around and found proceeded from the
No. 2Sl Frsnt street, of the doors Of which seemed
to be slightly Jared immedatey after the noise
He listened and presently the noise became louder and
II seemed the door was struck On the inside
smartly with piece Of metal. He wA puzzled
to know what caused and supposed that the water had
been left flowing In the upper story and dropping
the floor inside the door. But the Same noise was
pesed on subsequent ught aud he found from observA
ZION durir the day that his theory was incorrect.
The policeman on the same bes. WAS notified, ard hs
also heard the strange noses and could no. account
them They always seemed to proceed from the door,
sud loud enough be heard tho street. and
or still night recognized distinctly by the police
men at the corner OF Dover street. distance OF some
two hundred ieet
The story Of the mysterious noises soon began to
spread and every night the ru ber OF the curious To-
quirers Increased Questions asked tho supposed
spirit, aud intelligent enswers OF "yes" or "no raped
out and In every case related " with remarkable
curscy. The policemen amuaed themselves during the
small hours Of the night by asking question: and tn fol
owing is . sample Of the ooavsrsa,io1 that ocsarred =
FoUxTH WARp PoLIHxAr.-5prit, want you 10 rap
twice If You agree to Answ.r my questions.
Rap, rap, came twioe datinctly
due win get the money the city owes US. Rap the
number Of weeks
This conversation occurred ten days ago and i'm.
medaely repeated 10 the other policemen among whom
II became quite joke and when any asked
when they would procure their pay from the city
which was for soms time over due, the aaswer
vas so the sprit says We wiD have at The end OF six
we're paid o H.. u 1 S week. amer so psy
was due
second ward policeman wss more curious s.ili, and
asked what number would como out hrst In the Poko
moke "a game In the lottery, next day. The
and dvs and enough and Ave wore the rat
drawn nsxs day .. least 20 me policemen say and they
Yesterday reporter visited the scene OF these won-
sers 70 learn from the ooospinn o. me building 10.
the eis hborhood he found No. Isl 70 consst OF
narrow bosR house. four s.orss high and occupied By
having occupied the buialnx sor eghtesu yeArs
Opposite the door from whence all the mysterious noise
proceed, is staircase, and the floor over tn
ooor -four bin, about ,oD fee, long and four wide As
usuai around hour bins the have been very busy
ana have eaten number Of hoiss In the door over the
producing door In several places the holes hsvs
been timed over but this did stop the rats
they had torn up the TN IN more than one place,
cupans Of the building 10 be matter of fact people, who
had way Of ibeir OF ccOuotlng for the noises,
which wn that u wss cag,sd by toe I,s passing over
ing wood sounding board which gave the peculiar rap
noticed In thenoises Tns theory they are anxious
to mai public as hey are put 10 no little annoyance by
impairment people ekDg them questions during the day.
Bui this notion secuted by all heard the rappngs
which they say could be caused by rats aud then
tgap. rata could hardly sDsyer questions irolgently.
Tne rap n sometimes sharp and lod, aad then faint and
s heard on every part Of the eoor.
persons have been the habit o. assembling outs ie the
door Of TIE called haunted seu tue noises,
and nj last source OF serious annoyance TO The
occupsn,s, as their windows were brosen ia and thu
ooors dolly shaken evsy nsht by the mob Taey seni
Tor Captain Di,ohe, Of the Fourth ward police, and re
qucsed him to take the keys night and make too
rorgh search OF tho premises. Tho oapisln did 1 70.
qucsed and d,tnoty heard tho po,scs, bu, supposed
caused by tho rate He requested that the -four bin
be taken aWsy spd all the holes timed up. This tho
proprietors bsye done rocerty, and It Ia 10 be seen
whether the noises viii continue.
Subsequent TO bis examination OF the premises, Captain
Dtcheti visited the place alone last Monday night 70
n be could not detect the trick. any there There
near and he Uked the suppoItlous rpirit "
u would answer by the Police telegraph signals, any
questions be might ask upon which four raps dis
tnoty given The numper four In, strange 10 say, the
police ,guai for eyes" he then asked any IN
trouble inside and required assistance upon which
rsps given rapidly, which the police signal Tor
30" A, ths uncture he lntsrrupted by gang of
bows and eoud not continue his Thas the
matter SANDS ~ present, and vo commend the Front
street. shos, 10 al good spr rsppers, who viii no doubt
make good use OF him.