South Main Street Ghost
In November 1893, a number of residents encountered a ghost-like creature on lower Main Street. The witnesses included Martin Beacon, Austin Ellison, John R. Losee, Joseph Bennett, and Pauline Klein. The ghost was described as being eight feet tall and having white hair on its face. Some said that the ghost could trot as fast as a horse without making a sound. Two witnesses reported that the apparition dissolved into thin air.
However, the ghost scare did not last long. A week after first sighting of the mysterious figure, two identities of the “ghost” were uncovered. According to the New York Times, two witnesses were scared by the sight of Charles H. Lott Jr. who was wearing a shooting outfit on his way to the bay. The second identity was that of Louis Friedman. Dressed in a disguise that included boat sails and poles, Friedman would sneak up on pedestrians with the intent of scaring them. Friedman’s prank nearly almost turned deadly when he tried to scare William Bornscheur and Bornscheur pulled a gun. Once the masquerader was identified, no more sightings of ghosts were reported on South Main Street.
Source:
"The Freeport Ghost' Caught," New York Times. 25 November 1893: 1
