Mass Hysteria and Murder: the Tale of the Hammersmith Ghost
<p>People in Hammersmith began to panic — as is the case with things like this, rumors built on each other and took on a life of their own. A story spread that a pregnant woman had died of fright after being assaulted by the ghost. Many residents believed that the spirit of a man who had committed suicide was roaming the neighborhood — it was considered sacrilegious to bury a suicide victim in a holy burial ground. Citizens formed neighborhood-watch patrols, prowling the streets each night in search of the spectre. A few days after Christmas, one of the watchmen saw the ghost and chased him, but he tossed its white cloak aside and disappeared into the night.</p>
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