Newspaper Clipping of the Day

via Newspapers.com

See, kids, this is why you should never borrow clothes without permission from the owner.

Even if the owner happens to be dead. Especially if the owner happens to be dead.  The "Butte Daily Post," February 26, 1889:

Findlay, O., special: The inmates of a North Main street boarding house are greatly excited over what some of the boarders term spiritual manifestations, growing out of the following circumstances: A stonemason by the name of Colpitts boarded at the house since last fall until about a month ago, when he went to Toledo and soon after met a violent death in a stoneyard, a heavy slab falling upon him. In the room that he formerly occupied he left a red flannel shirt, which his former room-mate appropriated on hearing of the death of the owner.

The other night he used the garment for a night-robe, and about the time churchyards yawn and graves give up their dead the boarding house people sprang from their beds in great alarm, caused by the terrific yells which came from the voice of the young man who had taken possession of the dead stonemason's shirt.

Between screams the man explained that he had been visited by the spirit of the dead man, and that he was violently angry because his shirt had been used. Of course everybody laughed except the wearer of the haunted shirt, who, discarding the garment, slept peacefully the rest of the night.

The next night a young man who wan skeptical thought he would wear the shirt and see what effect it would have on him. At about the same hour that the first disturbance arose the whole neighborhood was aroused by the most unearthly shrieks and screams, and a moment afterward the young man, without any garment upon him, dashed down stairs and took refuge in the kitchen. He, too, had been visited by the former owner of the red shirt, whose anger had been intensified by the second attempt to appropriate his garment.

In the meantime, and pending the appearance of some one with courage sufficient to meet the enraged spirit of the dead stonemason, the red shirt has bean hung in the garret, whence it is said strange, uncanny sounds come nightly, and the boarding-house will soon be without patrons.

Unfortunately, there were no follow-ups to this story.