From the February 23, 1906 Brooklyn Daily Eagle:

“Babylon, L.I. — A story of a mouse dying from fright comes from the Godwin place, at West Islip, where a tiny mouse was for hours secreted in the hair of Miss Isabella Goodwin.

The young woman, a night or so ago, went out to feed the chickens, when the mouse, it is presumed, leaped from the measure into her hair. She knew nothing of the incident until the little animal became restless and jumped from its hiding place, late in the evening.

The next morning the animal was found dead on the rug in the room, and it is thought it died of fright, as there were no marks of violence and no indications of poisoning.”