Newspaper Clipping of the Day

Via Newspapers.com

A ghost resembling a cartwheel who dislikes accordions.  Works for me.  The “Taunton Courier,” February 6, 1895:

The little Wiltshire village of Ham has a ghost—an up-to-date nineteenth-century ghost—which discards tradition, and instead of appearing as respectable ghosts should, at the witching hour of midnight, erratically selects any opportunity for appearing. This is what a correspondent who visited the ghostly hunting-ground writes :—The information gathered was to the effect that on Thursday, in last week, the occupants of the haunted house—a cottage occupied by a married man—were suddenly alarmed by an unexpected movement of the chairs. The wife was naturally greatly agitated, and sought the aid of her neighbours, who, however, were unable to restore her composure or allay her apprehension. The report of this remarkable occurrence spread, and as the result a council of war was held, and a representative body undertook to verify the extraordinary statements that were made. Accordingly the man's employer, the village publican, the village policeman, and an ex-prize fighter known as " Jack," proceeded to the cottage in question with a view of clearing up the mystery. The policeman had his lamp alight, and the party also took with them two cats. It is alleged that soon after they had established themselves a distant rumbling sound was heard, and one of the number, "Jack," it is alleged, sought to make his exit, but the door was blocked by the entrance of the ghost, who bade “Jack” resume his seat. This, however, was impossible, because the chairs, without any visible sign of interference, were tumbling over each other in delightful confusion. While this was proceeding the watchers are said to have departed in great fright. Though able to escape from the scene of these unaccountable manifestations, the policeman, publican, farmer, and ex-prize-fighter were not free from the shock sustained; and that their affright was not simulated or mere sentiment is shown by the fact that two of the number have since severely suffered mentally and physically, and have required medical treatment. 

In the meantime the occupants of the cottage had removed to another house, and on Sunday they were alleged to have received another visit, and to have suffered from similar occult manifestations. It is also reported that on Sunday a boy was playing an accordion in the house, when he suddenly found the chair mysteriously go from under him. His shrieks and cries were so alarming that they aroused the whole village. Some people, determining to get at the truth of the business, began to watch, and they declare that the apparition appeared having a face resembling a cartwheel and a frightful tail, the extremity being bifurcated, and in appearance like an inverted V, with eight pair of fins and scales like a fish. They also allege that the chairs turned over,the pictures also acted in a similar manner, and that so alarmed were the poor cats that one jumped into the fire, and the other was apparently forced across the room. Nor were these the whole of the manifestations, for the top of the boiler flew off, and eight pairs of boots were seen flying in all directions about the room, as well as from out of the oven. One villager in declaring his experiences remarked to the writer " Why, sir, it was enough to make your hair stand up." Another said "Me and my wife and nine children be afeared to chop wood." When asked what was his reason, he replied “We're afeared of angering the spirit." 

By Monday the feeling had increased, and the news of these supernatural experiences having got abroad, a number of people visited the village. One "Posty" Challis, an authority on most matters, declared his intention to find out the mystery. In company with others he proceeded at 10 o'clock to the "haunted house," and they declare that they heard unearthly noises; sometimes it appeared as the wailing of an infant, sometimes like the cry of a sailor in distress; at other times the cry for help, succour, and relief. All day long people were going to the village, not that they could see anything, but they usually ended by adjourning to the village inn, where the extraordinary stories of what had been seen and heard were told over a glass and a pipe. It was here that I met a hardy son of the soil, who had, perhaps, reached his fourscore years. With his half-pint of fourpenny and a screw of tobacco, which he leisurely discussed, he told me that years ago a "spirit" came to Ham in much the same fashion. He recollected his father saying that a man who was prone to use bad language went to the haunted house, and whilst standing outside the door the step suddenly opened, and he fell in the cavity above his knees, and the step closing quickly his legs were snapped clean off. For years afterwards the villagers declared they saw him going home at night with the aid of two bean-sticks. The mystery thickens and refuses to be solved, and as a result the whole village is scared.