A 19thC Cornish seaman's ghost haunts an old house in penzance, and a deadly secrett is discovered beneath the floorboards.

In certain cases the ghostly visitants of such old houses have been known to make themselves so obnoxious as altogether to oust the living from their rights. An instance of this sort was seen in the case of a house which about the beginning of the last century formed part of some old premises near the quay at Penzance. Owing, as it was said, to some nocturnal and ghostly wanderer who, being deprived of rest itself, was resolved that all others should be in a like condition, this particular house had long remained unoccupied. Old people, however, of that date, could recall the time when the place had been a public–house, and stated that a sailor who was known to have possessed money had previously disappeared in its neighbourhood, and had never afterwards been heard of again. At length, in the year 1813, the premises were purchased, and a part of them was taken down 'in order to erect a smelting–house for refining tin for the China market'.

During the work of demolition a human skeleton, greatly decayed, was discovered beneath one of the floors, and this was believed to be none other than that of the unfortunate mariner whose ghost had so long disturbed the precincts wherein the murder had been committed.

The idea that a ghost which is not at rest will endeavor to make the living likewise not at rest is an intriging thought. And what better candidate for an unrestful spirit than someone murdered for money and stuffed below the floorboards?