A Ghost a Day Page 20

  The next morning a messenger arrived. Lord Rossmore was dead. Sir Jonah was stunned. After all, he had seen him the night before and he looked in perfect health. He pressed for details and discovered that Ross-more's servant had heard a mournful sound emanating from Lord Ross-more's bedroom. He threw open the door and hurried in, discovering his master in great distress. Lord Rossmore died shortly later, at 2:30 a.m.

  Sir Barrington later documented this encounter, writing, “Lord Rossmore was dying at the same moment I heard his name pronounced.” What was the strange cry he had heard? His Irish staff advised him that it was the howl of the banshee. The eerie shriek haunted Sir Jonah all the rest of his life.

  TERRIFYING TIDBIT

  According to Irish folklore, a banshee (woman of the fairies) is a female spirit whose wailing foretells death in a house.

  AUGUST 7, 1631 ANNE WALKER

  Durham, England

  The ghost of Anne Walker, seeking justice, reached out from the grave to get it. In 1631, a widower by the name of John Walker enlisted his relative Anne to keep house for him. Not long after, John seduced her. When she became pregnant, he devised a plot to be rid of her. John convinced Anne to go away with a pitman from Lancashire, Mark Sharp, who, John told her, would see to her care. She would stay in seclusion and be cared for until the baby was born. Trusting her relative, she packed her belongings and left with Mark.

  Soon after, John's neighbor, John Grahame, while working by candlelight in his mill, received the fright of his life. The air shifted, his blood ran cold, and the hairs on his neck prickled to attention. To his horror, the ghostly apparition of a woman stood before him, blood pouring from gashes in her head. She told the terrible tale of her demise, giving her name, the name of Grahame's neighbor, John Walker, and the plot her cousin had devised with Mark Sharp. Sharp had lured her to a secluded ravine near the Old Mill Wood and, using a collier's pick, had ended her life as well as the life of her baby. She also named the location where Grahame would find Sharp's blood-soaked socks and the murder weapon and the coal pit where her body could be found.

  Before disappearing, Anne made Grahame promise to alert the authorities. He agreed. But when he went home, fearing people would believe him mad, he put her spirit out of his mind. Refusing to be ignored, Anne appeared once again. This time she vowed to haunt him for eternity unless he informed the law. The next morning, keeping his promise, Grahame alerted the authorities. Anne's remains, the murder weapon, and the bloodied socks and shoes were all found just where she'd said.

  In August 1631, John Walker and Mark Sharp were arrested and tried for young Anne's murder. Judge Davenport, who presided over the court, sentenced them the same day. Both men were executed. This haunting proves that even in death a woman scorned is a force to be reckoned with.

  AUGUST 8, 1797 THE VEILED LADY

  Turin, Italy

  In 1797, a rather brash artillery lieutenant by the name of Enrico Biandrà was visiting a coffee house when he noticed a very attractive young lady wearing a thin black veil over her face. He approached her, and they spoke. From her accent, it was obvious that she was of foreign descent. After some pleasant conversation, she asked him to escort her home. They parted in front of the San Lazzaro Cemetery. Over the next few days, she visited him at his apartment. After one such visit, she asked once again to be escorted home. This time on their way home, they passed through the San Lazzaro Cemetery. As they were walking, the veiled lady stopped by a grave. She pointed to the tombstone, smiled at Enrico, and faded into the atmosphere. The grave was that of Russian princess Barbara Beloselski, who had died in 1792 at the age of twenty-eight, five years earlier.

  The spectral princess appeared several time through the years, and her description given by her new lovers was always consistent with Biandrà's account. Some thirty years after the Biandrà encounter, her grave was moved to another cemetery, but still the sightings continued. In the 1970s her grave was moved again to make way for apartment buildings and a park. And although she has been seen from time to time, we do not have many details of the encounters. Today, we hear little of the veiled lady, making one think that she has finally found her true love.

  AUGUST 9, 1812 THE CHASE VAULT

  Oistins, Barbados

  The Chase family vault is in the cemetery of the Christ Church Parish on the island of Barbados. Built in 1724 for James Elliot, this twelve-by-six-and-one-half-foot underground tomb was never used by him. In 1807, records show that one Thomasina Goddard, in a wooden coffin, was interred there. A year later, the vault came into possession of the wealthy and influential Chase family. Thomas Chase, patriarch of the family, was well known for his quick temper and his vicious cruelty.

  In February 1808, Thomas's two-year-old daughter, Mary Ann, was interred in the vault. Four years later, his other daughter joined her sister. Unlike Goddard, they were both buried in lead coffins. Barely a month later, in August of 1812, Thomas Chase passed away to the delight of many. When they opened the tomb, both of his daughter's coffins had been moved, but Goddard's was undisturbed. They were righted and the tomb was sealed.

  Over the next seven years the vault was opened three more times and each time, the coffins were found in disarray.

  Finally, the governor, a man named Lord Comberermere, ordered a complete investigation and personally viewed the vault. Unable to explain the movement of the coffins, he ordered the bodies righted and placed a fine layer of sand on the crypt's floor. The door was then cemented and the official seal was applied.

  In April 1820, the governor and his staff assembled at the vault and inspected the seal. It was still intact. Without hesitation, he ordered the tomb to be opened. Workmen broke the seal and moved the heavy slab from the entrance. Shock spread through the assembled crowd. Just as in all the previous times, the caskets were tossed all over the vault. Even more mysterious, the sand that was scattered on the floor showed no signs of human activity, nor were there signs of flood or earthquake.

  The governor had had enough. He ordered the bodies to be removed and reburied elsewhere in the graveyard. The tomb was abandoned and is still empty today. No other problems were ever reported. It seems that the rest of the family is better off being separated from the likes of Thomas Chase.

  AUGUST 10, 1901 PALACE OF VERSAILLES

  Paris, France

  In August 1901, two English women, Anne Moberly and Eleanor Jourdain, were visiting the Palace of Versailles. During the afternoon, after touring the palace, they set off to visit the Petit Trianon, another house on the property. Unfamiliar with the surroundings, they soon got lost. As they wandered about, something didn't seem right. Anne began to feel depressed. The scenery changed. Peasants, a farmhouse, a gazebo, and people in period dress appeared. Anne and Eleanor crossed a bridge, finding the house. After the tour, they returned to Paris.

  Sometime later, they were discussing the trip when Anne showed Eleanor a sketch of a woman she had made at Petit Trianon. Eleanor was surprised because she had not seen the woman in the sketch. Furthermore, when they compared notes there were more discrepancies in their observations of that day. Intrigued by the mystery, they returned to Versailles. Upon their return, they found no bridge, no farmhouse, and no gazebo, at least in 1901. The women learned that they were visiting Versailles on the exact day that the palace was sacked during the French Revolution. And the woman that Anne had sketched was none other than Marie Antoinette. It appears the two women had somehow slipped back in time.

  TERRIFYING TIDBIT

  Events of the past stored in the physical environment are known as place memory. An area high in quartz, due to the mineral's ability to amplify energy, is believed to contribute to this phenomenon.

  AUGUST 11, 1914 HOUGHTON MANSION

  North Adams, Massachusetts

  The Houghton Mansion, now a Masonic Temple, was once home to the first mayor of North Adams, Albert C. Houghton, a man who was forced to endure a series of tragic events in a span of eleven days that most peop
le never encounter in their lifetime.

  On the morning of August 1, 1914, John Widder, Houghton's chauffeur, was driving Albert and his daughter Mary and two friends, Dr. and Mrs. Sybil Hutton, to Vermont for a leisurely day. As the Pierce-Arrow rounded the mountain road, Widder came upon a work crew. He swerved around them. Unfortunately, when he did, he hit a soft shoulder, and the automobile rolled over three times. Everyone except Mrs. Hutton was thrown from the car. The men suffered minor injuries, but Mrs. Hutton died immediately from the car rolling over on her. And Mary, suffering substantial injuries, including a crushed face, died on the way to the hospital.

  The day after the accident, unable to live with his guilt, John Widder committed suicide in the Houghton's barn by shooting himself in the head. Ten days after the accident, Albert C. Houghton was found dead. Although no one is certain why Albert died, many believe his grief was so palpable he was unable to endure it any longer, and he just gave up.

  Today, many visitors to the mansion have encountered the spirits of Mary, John, and Albert. Mary's presence is often felt in her bedroom. It seems she has a favorite chair that she likes to sit in. During an investigation by the New England Ghost Project, temperature gauges were placed around the room and one in her chair. And although the temperature in the room was eighty degrees, the thermometer placed in Mary's chair dropped to fifty-two. And once, during a paranormal conference held at the mansion, one man asked for proof of the spirit's presence; moments later, his more than three-hundred-pound body was lifted and glued to the wall, his toes brushing the floor, as his wife looked on in horror. It just goes to show you, when visiting a haunted location be careful what you ask for — you just might get it.

  AUGUST 12, 1886 FAYETTE COUNTY COURTHOUSE

  Uniontown, Pennsylvania

  There is something strange about the basement of the Fayette County Courthouse. Even the bravest employees dislike the idea of going into the cellar, especially alone. “It always feels like somebody's watching you,” one clerk said. Unusual noises and dim lighting is enough to give anybody the chills, but it is the reports of ghosts that send shivers up their spines. From eyewitness accounts collected through the years, three specters seem to be inhabiting the basement: an employee of the district attorney's office who was murdered there, a suspect who was allegedly beaten to death during an interrogation, and a convicted murderer named Monaghan. In 1886, Monaghan was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of his cousin, a bank robber. According to court records, he stole his cousin's loot and then murdered him. He professed his innocence, but justice prevailed. He was hanged from the clock tower.

  From 1795 until 1914 many other criminals met their maker from the “gallows” of the clock tower. During one of these hangings, a convicted man was hanged five minutes early, before he could make his death statement. But with his last breath he put a curse on the tower. Since that day, no matter how many times the county has attempted to repair it, the four clocks of the tower are always five to ten minutes off. It seems that the old saying that “time waits for no man” doesn't apply to the Fayette County Courthouse.

  AUGUST 13, 1831 THE MANSION OF TORTURE

  New Orleans, Louisiana

  The presumed epitome of high society, Lalaurie Delphine, owner of the Lalaurie mansion on Royal Street, was reputed to have an evil side. But it was her cook who would finally put an end to her cruel ways. Chained to the kitchen floor, the cook started a fire, attracting the attention of the local fire department.

  When help arrived, they were horrified with what they found. The firefighters discovered punishment rooms with victims of macabre treatment still chained inside, barely alive. For her own amusement Lalaurie had cut off ears and various body parts of her slaves. Some poor souls were disemboweled. Others had their eyes and mouths sewn shut. With the discovery of her cruelty, Lalaurie was forced to flee New Orleans.

  In the years since, during renovations, workers have discovered numerous skeletal remains in the mansion's floors and walls. And these poor souls who perished at the hands of Delphine still haunt the mansion. The clanking of chains being dragged down the steps has been heard. Agonizing screams and groans radiate from the attic. And one visitor of the mansion awoke with a start to find hands encircling his throat. He claims that while he was being strangled the spirit of a black woman appeared and came to his rescue. His protector removed the offender's hands and then both spirits disappeared.

  The haunting, it seems, is not confined solely within the mansion's walls. Passersby of this three-story mansion have witnessed a young black girl jump to her death. Sadly, she is believed to be the ghost of a slave who escaped her chains, choosing to end her life before her insane mistress could end it for her.

  AUGUST 14, 1938 BEGGING FOR MERCY

  New Orleans, Louisiana

  In 1938, Reverend Howard Randle's philandering ways came back to haunt him. His wife, Lucinda, had always been a very jealous person. But then again, it appears she had reason to be. Not only had the good Reverend been spotted frequenting the local bordellos, but he apparently was deep into an affair with a young woman. His poor wife, tortured by her husband's infidelity, prayed for him to change. When he didn't, she did the only other thing she could do. She sought out the help of a local witch doctor, Dr. Rockford Lewis, who had a solution to put an end to Lucinda's anguish once and for all. She was to put a powder in his drink, and soon, her beloved would become impotent.

  The next morning, Lucinda did as the doctor prescribed. However, as soon as her husband began to drink the solution, the guilt was too much for her to bear. Lucinda, uncertain how her husband's body would respond to the potion and horrified at the thought that she'd been duped by the local witch doctor and that the concoction was in fact a poison, confessed all. But not only did she confess her sins, she pleaded with her husband to end her life. This way they could be together forever. Hand in hand, they walked out to their favorite spot on the levee. They took a seat on a bench, where Lucinda turned her gaze to the river and laid her head upon her husband's lap. Silently, he retrieved a knife out of his coat pocket, and when Lucinda's eyes were closed, he slit her throat.

  Unfortunately for the Reverend, the poison wasn't a poison after all. He later told the police the sad, sordid tale. And perhaps he prayed for his own demise, while he spent the remainder of his days behind bars.

  There are many who say that even today they can still see the apparition of the poor, tortured soul of Lucinda, as she strolls the river's edge, waiting for her husband's ghost to join her.

  AUGUST 15, 1693 DOG TOWN

  Gloucester, Massachusetts

  Dog Town, settled by sailors from Gloucester in 1693, was once a thriving town. During the War of 1812 many townsmen were killed. Since there were fewer men in town, many of the widows bought dogs for protection. Eventually they moved out, leaving the town to the dregs of society and the dogs, hence the name Dog Town. Prostitutes and witches soon inhabited it. Some wealthy men who went to Dog Town to avail themselves of its services never returned. The witches would also extort money and goods from people passing through the town, threatening them with spells if they did not pay. As the town began to decay and the houses collapsed, its inhabitants eventually took up living in the cellar holes. Finally the town was abandoned. Some years later, a wealthy businessman bought the town to preserve its remains. He researched the history of Dog Town and wrote a book. He eventually hired unemployed stonecutters to carve numbers into stones to preserve each of the cellar holes. He also had inspirational phrases, such as “kindness,” “spiritual power,” and others carved into the rocks. Many paranormal occurrences have been reported there. Seen by many as a dead zone, equipment fails and a deadly silence hangs heavy in the forest. With so much paranormal activity reported within Dog Town, one has to wonder if the witches still remain.

  AUGUST 16, 1977 THE KING

  Nashville, Tennessee

  Elvis Presley, the king of rock and roll, may be gone, but he's certainly
not forgotten. The king's ghostly apparition has been seen on numerous occasions. But it seems his spirit is just as busy in the afterlife as it was while he was alive. Although he's been known to frequent his beloved Memphis home, he's also been seen several times at locations he once performed at: the Las Vegas Hilton and a former RCA recording studio not far from the infamous Nashville Music Row, the same building where in 1956 Elvis recorded his hit single “Heartbreak Hotel.”

  TERRIFYING TIDBIT

  The last book Elvis ever read, the one he died reading, was none other than The Scientific Search for the Face of Jesus by Frank Adams.

  The building, now a television production studio, has encountered the unexplainable on several occasions. According to workers at the building, whenever Elvis's name is mentioned, things begin to go awry. Lights have blown out. Ladders have fallen over. Indescribable noises have emanated from the sound systems. Also, the ghostly image of Elvis dressed in white with sequins galore has been seen on several occasions. Elvis's ghost brings a new meaning to “the show must go on!”