float through doorways andwalls and disappear in a puff of smoke. it was the inspiration for the scary character lamont cranston in "the shadow." that three-story house has since become a stop on the new york city ghost tour because, you know, people like a ghost story and you've got to put something on the tour. this house was a former speakeasy called "the pirate's den." it was reportedly the former home of the a new york city mayor jamd jimmy walker. was a real dandy. he reportedly housed his mistress there for years. the house was apparently home to the howdy doody guy, the puppeteer frank paris. i don't think there are any allegations of howdy doody haunting the place. that would be the most freaking terrifying to me. but the ghost story about that place is that successive owners of that townhouse at 12 gay street in new york city has