PHILADELPHIA, AMERICA'S MOST HAUNTED CITY

Academy of Music

Location: The Merchant's Exchange 3rd and Walnut st

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Philadelphia architect William Strickland built the Merchant's Exchange in 1832, the exchange was used by the rich business men of that time to conduct business such as buying , selling trading and bidding, at one time a creek from the Delaware river once flowed where the cobblestone Dock street now occupies, our story takes place here;

Time: November 12th 1834

He was a well known figure of his day, not for being just a " blind beggar", to the citizens of 19th century Philadelphia Jack Osteen was more than that, he was a teller of stories and a singer of songs and in that time before the invention of television and radio , you could probably see someone as Mr Osteen being a popular addition to any party or event to entertain people.

He would often station himself at the Merchant's Exchange, waiting to be hired by a rich business man , while he waited, Mr Osteen would often feed and pet the horses that were parked there during the business **day.

It is written that one particular horse became very fond of Jack, you would often see them outside of the Exchange , it seemed the horse would look for Jack and he would not let himself be tied anywhere else but near him.

The master of the horse was Harold Thorn , one of the most wealthiest men of his day and one of the most meanest, it was said that he was an haughty, greedy, unscrupulous person who looked down upon the lower classes.

On a day that Harold Thorn lost a great amount of money in a business deal gone sour, Jack Osteen had the ominous fate of accidentally stepping on the feet of Thorn, the rich businessman in a angry rage beat the beggar to death with his walking stick, his blood flowing into the creek, Thorn's horse seeing this let out a great wail and pummelled the businessman, mortally injuring him.

Today business people , tourists and citizens of Philadelphia have reported a phantom dressed in 19th century clothing standing on the portico usually in the Fall of the year around late evening or very early before the light of the dawn. But that is not all often the figure will disappear when the sound of phantom **hoofbeats are heard.

City Tavern