DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70303#0084
66 THE HAMMERSMITH GHOSTS.
joining the White Hart, in Hammersmith ; being at that
house on the same evening, and we may suppose, warm
oyer his liquor, wrought himself up to the resolution of
going in quest of the ghost.-—Unhappily supposing some-
thing more substantial than a mere airy form, he loaded a
gun, and sallied out with William Girdler, the watchman
of that part of Hammersmith, who had previously agreed
upon a pass-word, whereby they might distinguish each
other, which was—“ Who comes there ?” “ A friend.”
ie Advance, friend.” Girdler then continued upon his re-
gular beat, while Smith, that evening, went down Black
Lion-lane. The circumstances that immediately followed,
we cannot exhibit in a clearer point of view, than that of
the ensuing evidence given before the Coroner, and upon
the trial. It appeared before the Coroner, that Smith
took his station in Black Lion-lane, one of the places where
the ghost used to make his escape when hard pressed by
his pursuers. He had not long been in waiting before he
fancied he saw the wished-for object. A figure dressed in
white (that is, Thomas Millwood, the plaisterer, in a -white
jacket and trowsers) approaching, Smith fired, and the
mistaken object fell to the ground. Millwood was then on
his way to a house in the neighbourhood, where his wife
was at work, to fetch her home, which his sister also re-
lates upon the trialShe said her brother was about 23
years of age, and was,a plaisterer by trade. On the even-
ing of Tuesday last, he was at the hohse of his father, in
Black Lion-lane, with whom'the witness resides. He left
the house between ten and eleven o’clock, and the witness
being almost immediately struck with a presentiment that
some accident-would befal him, she accordingly -went' to
the door, and stood on some bricks, in order to look out
for him. She then heard a voice say, “ B—n you, who
are you ?—Stand, else I’ll shoot you 1” and the report of
a gun immediately succeeded. Her brother was perfectly
sober.
joining the White Hart, in Hammersmith ; being at that
house on the same evening, and we may suppose, warm
oyer his liquor, wrought himself up to the resolution of
going in quest of the ghost.-—Unhappily supposing some-
thing more substantial than a mere airy form, he loaded a
gun, and sallied out with William Girdler, the watchman
of that part of Hammersmith, who had previously agreed
upon a pass-word, whereby they might distinguish each
other, which was—“ Who comes there ?” “ A friend.”
ie Advance, friend.” Girdler then continued upon his re-
gular beat, while Smith, that evening, went down Black
Lion-lane. The circumstances that immediately followed,
we cannot exhibit in a clearer point of view, than that of
the ensuing evidence given before the Coroner, and upon
the trial. It appeared before the Coroner, that Smith
took his station in Black Lion-lane, one of the places where
the ghost used to make his escape when hard pressed by
his pursuers. He had not long been in waiting before he
fancied he saw the wished-for object. A figure dressed in
white (that is, Thomas Millwood, the plaisterer, in a -white
jacket and trowsers) approaching, Smith fired, and the
mistaken object fell to the ground. Millwood was then on
his way to a house in the neighbourhood, where his wife
was at work, to fetch her home, which his sister also re-
lates upon the trialShe said her brother was about 23
years of age, and was,a plaisterer by trade. On the even-
ing of Tuesday last, he was at the hohse of his father, in
Black Lion-lane, with whom'the witness resides. He left
the house between ten and eleven o’clock, and the witness
being almost immediately struck with a presentiment that
some accident-would befal him, she accordingly -went' to
the door, and stood on some bricks, in order to look out
for him. She then heard a voice say, “ B—n you, who
are you ?—Stand, else I’ll shoot you 1” and the report of
a gun immediately succeeded. Her brother was perfectly
sober.