The Brooklyn Ghost

At one time newspapers all over America published stories about people’s strange experiences with “ghosts.” In the late 1800s and early 1900s The New York Times published many of these stories . . .

Clinton Street, Brooklyn, NY 1878

Here is just one, published in December of 1878, that was eventually solved with a “wing and a prayer.”

Edward F. Smith, his wife, two daughters and a border began to experience strange activity at their home on Clinton Avenue in Brooklyn, N.Y.

For three weeks, shortly before Christmas, between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and midnight their doorbell began to ring. When Smith would go to answer it no one was there.

New York Times article

“Their quiet life was seriously disturbed three weeks ago, when one night Mr. Smith went to the door three or four times in response to the ringing of the bell, and every time was surprised to find no one there.”

After the doorbell would stop ringing, a loud rattling or banging was heard coming from the home’s two back doors.

“They rattled as if they would part from their hinges.”

Concerned that this disturbance was becoming a nightly occurrence, Smith elicited the help of family and friends to determine what was happening.

But even with people stationed throughout the home and outside no one was able to pinpoint the cause.

Smith sprinkled ashes and flour along the paths that led to his doors—expecting to see footprints but none appeared.

Not getting any sleep, Smith finally was able to persuade the police to investigate. A captain and a detective visited the home but they were unable to determine what was going on, so the next night they brought reinforcements.

This night besides the noises, a brick flew through the dining room window. The officers outside “swore” they had seen no one near the path that passed this window.

The police searched the home for hidden wires or anything else that might be causing this activity but they discovered nothing.

At first, Smith stated he was skeptical that the strange phenomena taking place was supernatural * in nature—but later he became convinced this must be the cause.

In a follow-up article on December 21, 1878, The New York Times reported that Smith had finally solved his problem. Determining the devil himself must be causing this commotion—he prayed—and the activity stopped.

Sag Harbor’s Armed Ghost is a another ghost story I wrote about that the Times published in the late 1890s.

* The word “supernatural” was widely used in this era. The word paranormal had not been invented yet.

Brooklyn Brownstones, 1898

Culp’s Ghost: Haunted Death Row

The old Allegheny County Prison in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania became famous in 1907 when the New York Times published a short article entitled, Murderers Saw A Ghost.

According to this piece prisoners housed in the jail’s “Murderers Row” or Death Row, were complaining that a prisoner that had committed suicide was keeping them awake at night.

Old Allegheny Jail

The Allegheny County Jail, like many of its counterparts of the time, is an impressive structure. Henry Richardson, a Boston architect, designed the prison in the 1880s. It took five years to complete, and cost 2 million dollars.

This fortress is a mixture of Syrian arches, French Gothic dormer windows, French Renaissance roofs, and Byzantine columns. Turrets and arches rise 300 feet above the prison’s massive walls. Today it is a National Historic Landmark.

A centerpiece of this design is a Courthouse tower, that is connected to the jail by a Renaissance footbridge dubbed the “Bridge of Sighs.”

This old-world atmosphere is the perfect setting for a haunting.

According to the Times article W. A. Culp was awaiting trial for the murder of his brother, in a cell on Death Row, in 1907, when guilt overcame him, and he took his own life.

At this time, there were 14 other men being held on Death Row in the Allegheny jail. Shortly after Culp’s death, these men began to complain that they were being kept awake all night.

They stated the cause for this was Culp’s ghost. He was visiting them in the row each night and keeping them awake until daybreak when his spirit would then disappear.

At first, their complaints were ignored but these men were so vehement about this ghostly harassment, that the warden at the time—a man by the name of Lewis was forced to move all 14 prisoners to another part of the jail.

This evidently worked for Culp’s ghost then left these men alone.

The article relaying this information was published in the New York Times newspaper on September 15, 1907, as an exclusive. It can be read here.

Another article published in the Times also focuses upon a haunting. This ghostly activity happened in Sag Harbor in 1895—it can be read here.

Sag Harbor’s Armed Ghost

I love browsing through old newspaper accounts about ghosts, especially those written over a hundred years ago. 

One such article entitled “An Armed Ghost in Sag Harbor,” published in The New York Times in December of 1895 is one of my favorites. It has the distinction of being about a ghost that would hide behind bushes and jump out at people as they passed by.

The PDF archive of this article is free at the New York Times web site if you don’t have an account to view the link below just sign up by putting an email and password in.

New York Times Article

“The apparition usually jumps out from behind a bush…”

According to this 1865 article the women residents of Sag Harbor, New York were staying at home because they were scared and the men instead of walking home alone were opting to walk in groups. The article states that this ghost was often seen along the side streets of the village where there was less traffic.

The ghost was described as over six feet tall and wearing a distinct tall hat. The victims of the spirit were all men walking through the village at night. From their accounts, not many stayed around long enough to get a good look at the ghost.

According to this article, the sale of firearms increased significantly in the village for protection. 

The first citizen to shoot at the ghost was Bruce Sweezy who had bragged to all his friends that he would. So when he was confronted with the real spirit, he had no choice but to fire. Unfortunately, when he fired, his hand was close to the muzzle, so the bullet hit his hand instead, shattering the bone.

Another sighting occurred on Union Street. As John Tabor was walking home, a ghost jumped out from behind a group of bushes located in Charles W. Payne’s yard. Tabor reported he “did not stay around long enough to shake hands” but turned and ran reaching home quickly “out of breath and courage.”  

Tabor was the first witness to report that the ghost carried an army musket—he also stated the spirit was “big enough to whip half a dozen able-bodied men.”

The article states that the only witness brave enough to confront the ghost was Tom Sellors. Sellors said at first the ghost startled him (I imagine because it jumped out at him), but he was “determined to stand his ground.” 

He readied his fists and challenged the ghost “to come on.” Sellors stated the spirit then “turned around and left…” 

Despite the ghost backing down Sellors and his friends were “determined to capture the ghost.” It was stated they were giving up their Sunday visits to their girlfriends to pursue this spirit. 

There was even “a wager” made. But if Sellors and his group succeeded the village candy shop admitted they would not be able to supply the number of “boxes of candy” that were bet. 

The name of the writer of this article is not given, but it is obvious it was written tongue-in-cheek. What is interesting is that the prevailing view back then among the villagers was they could shoot a ghost, fight it, or even capture it.