32. “Youth Finds Odd Mummy in Wyoming,” Sheridan Press, 21 October 1932.
33. The Travels of Marco Polo translated from the text of L.F. Benedetto by A.C. Ricci (London, G. Routledge & sons, ltd. 1931), 283-284.
34. “Sunoco- Three Star Extra” (transcription, 3 March 1950), 2.
35. Ibid., 4.
36. Album 404 (?) Field Museum of Natural History.
37. E-mail from Edward Meyer, Archivist, Ripley Entertainment. Inc. to the author, 20 August 2003.
38. Ibid. Brown, “Pedro Mountain’s Mystery Munchkin.”
39. Blakiston’s Illustrated Pocket Medical Dictionary (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1952), 43.
40. National Institute of Mental Health.
41. Anencephalic Babies
42. Anencephaly
43. Lethal neonatal Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome
44. Telephone interview with Barry Strang, 22 June 2003.
(45). Wyoming Epidemiology Bulletin: Vol. 3, No. 1 and 2 (combined) January-June 1997.
46. Bonar “The Mystery of the Dwarf Demons.”
47. Sarah Emilia Olden, Shoshone folk lore, as discovered from the Rev. John Roberts, a hidden hero, on the Wind River Indian reservation in Wyoming (Milwaukee, Morehouse Publishing Co., 1923), 6-11.
48. “The Fairies” by William Allingham. Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
49. Maria Leach, ed., Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend (New York: Funk & Wagnalls Co., 1949-[50]), 635.
50. Shamanism, Dream Symbolism, and Altered States in Minnesota Rock Art. Kevin L. Callahan M.A. Department of Anthropology, University of Minnesota
51. E-mail from Dr. George Gill to the author, 21 August 2003.
52. E-mail from Dr. George Gill to the author, 18 June 2003.
53. E-mail from Dr. George Gill to the author, 17 June 2003.
54. E-mail Lee Underbrink to the author, 16 September 2003.
55. Bashor, “Were TWO Pygmy Indian Mummies Found in the Pedro Mountains in 1932?”
Chapter 6: A Horror in the Heights
1. “Baltimore Steel Industry Called Goal of Reds,” The Evening Sun (Baltimore), 11 July 1951.
2. Letter from F.P. O’Neill, Reference Librarian, Maryland Historical Society to author, 30 November 2002.
3. “Fear in The Night: Phantom Prowler Terrorizes O’Donnell Heights Residents.” The Sun (Baltimore) 25 July 1951.
4. Ibid.
5. “O’Donnell Heights Greets Roof-Climbing Phantom,” The Evening Sun (Baltimore), 25 July 1951.
6. Ibid. “Fear in the Night.”
7. Ibid.
8. Ibid.
9. Ibid.
10. “O’Donnell Heights Greets Roof-Climbing Phantom.”
11. “‘Phantom’ Hunters Fined $10 Each,” The Evening Sun (Baltimore), 26 July 1951.
12. “Phantom’ Looms Atop School; Police Find Ventilation Pipe,” The Sun (Baltimore), 27 July 1951.
13. Ibid.
14. Ibid.
15. Ibid. “Fear in the Night.”
16. Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man (New York: Random House, 1980), 332.
17. Robert E. Bartholemew and Erich Goode “The Mad Gasser of Botetourt County,” Skeptic, Vol. 7, No. 4, 1999.
18. Phone interview with Mrs. Adeline Buskirk, 10 December 2002.
19. Jane Bromley Wilson, The Very Quiet Baltimoreans (White Mane), 49.
20. David J. Skal, V is for Vampire (New York: Penguin Books 1996), 62.
21. E-mail from William Michael Mott to author, 12 May 2003.
22. Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy (New York: Vintage Books, 1977), 188-192.
23. Charles Dickens, Pickwick Papers (New York: Signet Classics, 1964), 442.
24. E-mail from Richard D. Hendricks to author, 15 April, 2004. For more on Wisconsin weirdness visit the Weird Wisconsin web-site at
25. “The rooftop madman of Santa Fe.” Fortean Times 198 (2005), p. 4
Other Sources
Deborah L. Downer, ed., Classic American Ghost Stories (Little Rock: August House, 1990), 136-137.
Beth Scott and Michael Norman, Haunted Heartland (New York: Barnes & Nobles Books, 1985), 326-327.
“Neighborhood Threat”
“O’Donnell Heights,” undated promotional pamphlet.
Chapter 7: The Lost Boys
1. William Morris, ed. American Heritage Dictionary (New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1969), 1384.
2. Mathur, Navdeep, “Revitalization: Newark’s Tale of Two Cities.”
3. “Milwaukee is most segregated city: U.S. Census Analysis — National Report,” Jet, Dec. 16, 2002.
4. Kelly Heyboar and Kinga Borondy, “20 years later, fate of 5 teens still a mystery,” The Star Ledger, 20 August 1998.
5. Ibid.
6. Ibid.
7. Ibid.
8. Tex Novellino, “Newark cops get a promise,” The Star Ledger, 15 October 1978.
9. E-mail from P. Antonacci to author, 19 June 2003.
10. Steven T. Walker, ”BAFFLING CASE OF 5 MISSING TEENS STILL UNSOLVED,” The Star Ledger 29 September 1991.
11. Ibid.
12. “The Jonestown Massacre” (Brighton: Temple Press Limited 1993), 26. Transcript of the Rev. Jim Jones’ last speech.
13. “Welcome to Union Station- Washington D.C.”
14. Lisa Peterson, “Newark cop’s search for vanished teens temporarily on hold,” The Star Ledger, 19 May 1995.
15. Walker, ”BAFFLING CASE.”
16. Sarah Moran, Psychics (Surrey: Quadrillion Publishing Ltd., 1999), 10.
17. Ibid., 42.
18. John Hassel and Lisa Peterson, “Cops digging again in case of five vanished teens,” The Star Ledger, 15 May 1996.
19. Lisa Peterson, “Psychic goes above, beyond to aid cops,” The Star Ledger, 16 May 1996.
20. Jo Stein, “Psychic tours Newark in mystery of missing teens,” The Star Ledger, 13 June 1996.
21. Ibid.
22. Walker, ”BAFFLING CASE.”
23. Kelly, Borondy, “20 years later.”
24. Ibid.
25. Ibid.
26. Ibid.
27. Jim Krane, “Charles ‘Chuck’ Conte, a tenacious detective,” The Star Ledger, 31 August 2000.
28. Walker, ”BAFFLING CASE.”
29. “UK Longest Missing person inquiry-20 years on”
30. Moran, 80.
31. Heyboar, Kelly and Kinga Borondy, “20 years later.”
32. Ibid.
33. Steven T. Walker, ”BAFFLING CASE.”
34. Ibid.
35. Ibid.
36. Ibid.
37. Heyboar, Kelly and Kinga Borondy, “20 years later.”
38. Mark Benecke Ph.D., “Spontaneous Human Combustion. Thoughts of a Forensic Biologist.” Skeptical Inquirer 22(2) (1998), p. 47-51)
39.
40. Oliver Cyriax, Crime: An Encyclopedia (North Pomfret, Vt.: Trafalgar Square Publishing, 1993), 101-102.
41. “Five teens still missing 20 years later,” The Times of Trenton, 24 August 1998.
42.
oiled Again! (New York: W.W. Norton & Company Ltd., 1989), 99-100.
43. Krane, “Charles ‘Chuck’ Conte, a tenacious detective.”
Chapter 8: The Bridge to Body Island
1. Nandor Fodor, Encyclopedia of Psychic Science (New York: University Books, 1966), 232.
2. Ibid., 374.
3. D. Scott Rogo, The Poltergeist Experience (New York: Penguin Books, 1979), 57.
4. Collin de Plancy, Dictionary of Demonology (New York: Philosophical Library, 1965) 25.
5. Carrier Dove (Oakland) July, 1886: 171. Reprinted from the New-York Daily Tribune, March 28, 1886.
6. Ibid.
7. Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Volume 10 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1989), 992.
8.
9. Ibid.
10. E. A. Wallis Budge, Amulets and Talismans (New Hyde Park: University Books, 1961), 360.
11. Manfred Lurker, The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Egypt (London: Thames and Hudson, 1984), 128.
12. Fodor, 48.
13. Ibid., 276.
14.
15. Rosemary Ellen Guiley, Harper’s Encyclopedia of Mystical & Paranormal Experience (Edison NJ: Castle Books, 1991), 607.
16. Raymond Bayless, “Ouija Boards: Dangerous Toys?” Probe the Unknown, July, 1975 vol. 3 no.3, 54.
17.
18.
19.
20. Mark Opsasnick, “The Haunted Boy of Cottage City: The Cold Hard Facts Behind the Story that Inspired the Exorcist,” Strange Magazine, No. 20, December 1998.
21. “Mrs. Turley Appeals to High Court,“ St. John’s Herald, 15 February 1934.
22. Ibid.
23. “Mrs. Turley Will Stand Trial Soon,” St. John’s Herald, 8 February 1934.
24. Harry J. Anslinger, “Marijuana: Assassin of Youth,” The American Magazine, vol. 124 Number, 1 July 1937.
25. E-mail from Timothy Hodkinson to author, 13 November 2003.
26. E-mail from Helen of Troy to author, 13 November 2003.
27. E-mail from Stephen Jones to author, 16 November 2003.
28. Bill Sasser, “Herbert Singleton,” Raw Vision #40
29.
30. E-mail from Kevin Herridge of the Algiers Historical Society to author, 23 October 2003.
31. E-mail from Louise Punch of the Belle Chasse School to author, 21 January 2004.
32. E-mail from Captain K. L. Shaver to author, 20 December 2003.
33. Michael Newton, Still at Large (Port Townsend Washington Loompanics Unlimited, 1999) 167-168.
34. “$5000 Reward Who is Cleveland’s Dread ‘Butcher of Kingsbury Run’?” Official Detective Stories, November 1, 1937 Vol. IV, No. 12, p. 8.
35. James Jessen Badal, In the Wake of the Butcher (Kent Ohio, Kent State University Press, 2001), 174.
36. “Killers Ride the Rails,” The Spokesman Review, 30 July 1997.
37. Maria Leach ed., Standard Dictionary of Folklore and Mythology vol. 2 (New York: Funk and Wagnalls Company, 1950), 881.
38. Martin Ebon ed., Exorcism: Fact not Fiction (New York: Signet Books, 1974), 244.
39. de Plancy, 139.
40. Heinrich Kramer and James Sprenger (M. Summers edition), The Malleus Maleficarum (New York: Dover Publications, 1971), 130.
41. Malachi Martin, Hostage to the Devil (New York: Perennial Library, 1987), 436.
42. Donald Attwater ed., A Catholic Dictionary (New York: Macmillan Company, 1958), 390.
43. Martin, 436.
44. Robert E. Gard and L.G. Sorden, Wisconsin Lore (Madison: Wisconsin House Ltd., 1962), 13.
45. Robert Burton, Anatomy of Melancholy (New York: Vintage, 1977), first partition, 200.
46. Normand L. Hoerr and Arthur Osol, eds., Blakiston’s Illustrated Pocket Medical Dictionary(New York: McGraw Hill, 1952), 24.
47. Herman Melville, Moby Dick (Mahwah, NJ: Watermill Press, 1985),182.
48. African Americans With Albinism
49. Newton, 24.
50. David Max Eichhorn, Cain Son of the Serpent (Chappaqua NY: Rossel Book, 1985), 99.
51. E-mail from Terence Chua to author, 15, November 2003.
52. “Thames Torso Boy Was Sacrificed,”
Guardian Unlimited The Observer, 2, June 2002.
53. William Hjorstberg, Falling Angel (New York: Harcourt Brace & Jovanovich, 1978), 155.
54. Roger Ebert, “Angel Heart,” Chicago Sun Times, 6 March 1987.
55. Dennis William Hauck, Haunted Places (New York: Penguin Books, 1996), 195.
56. Robert Anton Wilson, Everything is Under Control (New York: Harper Perennial, 1998), 292
57. Philip The Imaginary Ghost. George Ritter Films Ltd. (?) Copyright 1974, Toronto Society for Psychical Research.
58. Iris M. Owen with Margaret Sparrow, Conjuring Up Philip (New York: Harper & Row, 1976), 15.
59. Philip the Imaginary Ghost (film)
60. Guiley, 444.
61. Iris M. Owen, 32.
62. Philip the Imaginary Ghost (film).
63. Charles Winick, Dictionary of Anthropology (Paterson, NJ: Littlefield, Adams & Company, 1964), 461.
64. Guiley, 616.
65. Alexandra David-Neel, Magic and Mystery in Tibet (New York: New York University Books, 1958), 292.
66. Ibid., 314.
67. Ibid., 315.
68. Ibid., 313.
69. Ibid., 315.
70. Ibid.
71. Carroll C. Calkins ed., Reader’s Digest: Mysteries of the Unexplained (Pleasantville NY: The Reader’s Digest Association, 1982), 176.
72. Jon Krakauer, Into Thin Air (New York: Villard, 1998), 252.
73. Dion Fortune, Psychic Self-Defense (York Beach ME: Samuel Weiser Inc, 1999), 53.
74. Ibid.
75. Matthew Bunson, The Vampire Encyclopedia (New York: Crown Trade Paperbacks, 1993), 254.
76. Fortune, 52.
77. James Thurber, The Thurber Carnival (New York: Harper & Row, 1931), 83.
78. David-Neel, 313.
79. Mick Holien “Florence Murders: officials release sketches,” Headwater News of the Rockies, 15 November 2001.
APPENDIX I
Entries from the logbook of the bark Atlantic.
Wednesday, May 23rd 1866
Fine weather and breeze from S.E. cruising in different directions. Employed bundling bone. 4 P.M. squally furled light-sail. At sunset short sail. Head by the wind on port-tack. 6:30 P.M. James M. Foster while leaning against a cask by the fore swifter was stabbed and lived about five minutes afterwards. John Siars standing near him at the time, said that he saw James Brown 9the cook) do the deed. Put Jas. Brown in double-irons, in the forehold. After being put in irons, he (Jas. Brown) said that [crossed out] to Mr. McKennie (3rd officer) in my hearing, that it was him (the cook) who stabbed Foster. Did it with a sheath knife ground sharp with two edges. After stabbing him he threw the knife overboard. At daylight—the I. of Rodrigue—E.N.E.- 30 miles dist. Steered for it. Strong breeze and squally from S. 12 M. Sandy I. E. the reef 1 mile off.
Thursday, May 24th
Fine weath. and breeze from S. 2 P.M. ship abreast the town. Capt. Wing took a boat and went in. 4P.M. sent in two boats with the corpse. 7:30 boats came off. Steered W.N.W under short sail. M.P. fine weath. At daylight steered W. with fresh breeze from S.S.E.
Ends squally.
Lat. By Obs. 19.40 S.
(New Bedford Whaling Museum ODHS #797)
APPENDIX II
James Brown’s letters
James Brown’s hospital file contains several appeals to President Grover Cleveland in which he describes the murder as an act of self-defense. He also refutes a newspaper story that claimed the captain had been killed. These may be rough drafts or letters that were never sent and are not dated. The spelling and punctuation are copied from the original.
To your Excellency President Cleveland of the United States of America. I am compeled to appeal to you. On April 1866. I was arrested on the high Seas in the Indian Ocean in the Bark Atlantic from New Bedford State of Massachusetts. We were on a whaling cruise along one of those islands which had been once under the French Empire Roundridge [Rodriquez]I had been the cook of her under Captain Wing from Bedford and he was also one of the owner of the Atlantic. When a whale ship sails from Bedford they always take provisions for three years not exceeding four on these conditions the captain was very close with his provisions and the men generally applied to me for more food. But I could not supply their wants for the captain would not permit me. To your Excellency President Cleveland my reply to James Faster[sic] was that captain [word scratched out] Wing had told me that he had been down into the forecastle and he saw meat bread molasses and other things on the forecastle floor He also told me that he had ordered you to clean the forecastle after we left Trustteen [?] ground on our way to Cruiseseet [?] He found provisions wasted by you which could have supported you for two weeks. While we were on the ground of Cruiseseet you went to the captain and made another request for moore foods. He have told you that he would see. You know that I cannot do what I wish this Bark is his and I have to obey him what the steward gives me to cook for you you always get that and if you were not so ignorant you could see for yourselves that it is the captains doings and not mine In the first place the Bark is his and he came out to make money and not to lose. He has claims that you wasts his provisions and I should not give you so much for you do no eat it when he gives me commands to make an addition to you food, I will do so with pleasure. You all held me responsible for the captain’s deed I have been taught to obey my superior. To your Excellency President Cleveland. James Faster said to me. I will also make you obey me I then said to him it will be a very cold day. [scratched out] Thereunder he struck me with a belaying pin on the back of my head. I fell to the deck when I got up he struck me again. I saw the blood runing on my shirt I said to him what do you mean He then struck me third times I then stabbed him with my knife. I was then put in irons and the next day the captain had the carpenter made a coffin and the deceased was buried on the island of Roudriedge [Rodriguez?] for we were cruising along that island the Bark sailed close to it and the deceased was sent in the boat to the island to be buried When the boat returned Captain Wing made sail for the Mouritious [Mauritius] where the American consul was But he was not there at that time for he was in the United States and I was sent to
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