Kiernan altogether denied the charges, but asserted that Waldron’s house was notoriously haunted.  Witnesses proved that every night, from August 1884 to January 1885, stones were thrown at the windows and doors, and extraordinary and inexplicable occurrences constantly took place.

Mrs. Waldron, wife of the plaintiff, swore that one night she saw one of the panes of glass of a certain window cut through with a diamond, and a white hand inserted through the hole.  She at once caught up a bill-hook and aimed a blow at the hand, cutting off one of the fingers.  This finger could not be found, nor were any traces of blood seen.

A servant of hers was sorely persecuted by noises and the sound of footsteps.  Mr. Waldron, with the aid of detectives and policemen, endeavoured to find out the cause, but with no success.  The witnesses in the case were closely cross-examined, but without shaking their testimony.  The facts appeared to be proved, so the jury found for Kiernan, the defendant.  At least twenty persons had testified on oath to the fact that the house had been known to have been haunted.[2]

[Footnote 2:  See Sights and Shadows, p. 42 ff.]

Before leaving the city and its immediate surroundings, we must relate the story of an extraordinary ghost, somewhat lacking in good manners, yet not without a certain distorted sense of humour.  Absolutely incredible though the tale may seem, yet it comes on very good authority.  It was related to our informant, Mr. D., by a Mrs. C., whose daughter he had employed as governess.  Mrs. C., who is described as “a woman of respectable position and good education,” heard it in her turn from her father and mother.  In the story the relationship of the different persons seems a little involved, but it would appear that the initial A belongs to the surname both of Mrs. C.’s father and grandfather.

This ghost was commonly called “Corney” by the family, and he answered to this though it was not his proper name.  He disclosed this latter to Mr. C.’s mother, who forgot it.  Corney made his presence manifest to the A——­ family shortly after they had gone to reside in ——­ Street in the following manner.  Mr. A——­ had sprained his knee badly, and had to use a crutch, which at night was left at the head of his bed.  One night his wife heard some one walking on the lobby, thump, thump, thump, as if imitating Mr. A——.  She struck a match to see if the crutch had been removed from the head of the bed, but it was still there.

From that on Corney commenced to talk, and he spoke every day from his usual habitat, the coal-cellar off the kitchen.  His voice sounded as if it came out of an empty barrel.

He was very troublesome, and continually played practical jokes on the servants, who, as might be expected, were in terror of their lives of him; so much so that Mrs. A——­ could hardly induce them to stay with her.  They used to sleep in a press-bed in the kitchen, and in order to get away from Corney, they asked for a room at the top of the house, which was given to them.  Accordingly the press-bed was moved up there.  The first night they went to retire to bed after the change, the doors of the press were flung open, and Corney’s voice said, “Ha! ha! you devils, I am here before you!  I am not confined to any particular part of this house.”