by Maureen Wood
AUGUST 29, 1989 U.S. COURTHOUSE
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
United States District Judge Gerald J. Weber was a stern man with a dry sense of humor. Many described him as a “character,” larger than life. He served as chief judge for the district court from 1976 to 1982. His most notable decision was Gerald Mayo vs. Satan and His Staff. In this case, a man attempted to sue Satan and his staff for causing him “misery and unwarranted threat” and “depriving him of his constitutional rights.” The case was dismissed on a technicality.
Weber died from cancer in 1989, but it appears the judge doesn't know he's dead. Workers at the Grant Street courthouse have reported the judge's presence throughout the building, especially on the fourth floor. Cleaning crews have heard their names called out, only to find no one is there.
The elevator inexplicably stops on the fourth floor. The doors open and close, then it continues on to its destination. The faint aroma of cigar smoke lingers in the air. (The judge smoked six cigars a day despite the objections of fellow passengers on the elevator.)
There have been several reports of airy figures in black robes roaming the building. But what makes people think it is Judge Weber? An electrician was on the fourth floor working on a ladder when he was approached by a man in a black robe who said, “How's it going?” When he turned around to reply, the man was gone. The worker saw the robed phantom several more times that night. Finally, he became so disturbed by it that he reported it to the security guard. He was even able to identify him as Judge Weber from his portrait. Evidently the judge's dry sense of humor fell short on the worker. The man left the building, never to return again.
AUGUST 30, 1986 THE HAUNTING OF JACK AND JANET SMURL
West Pittston, Pennsylvania
In 1973, Jack Smurl; his wife, Janet; and their two daughters, Dawn and Hanna, decided to move into a duplex in West Pittston with Jack's parents. At first their ordinary household flourished. After renovating their new home, they finally settled in. Soon after, Janet gave birth to twin girls. Life couldn't be happier. However, things soon changed in January 1974, when, out of nowhere, the family began to experience a series of strange phenomena. Irremovable stains appeared on the carpets. New bathroom fixtures developed deep scratches. Although soldered several times, water pipes continuously leaked. And then one day the irritating events took a turn for the worse when their television spontaneously combusted. Soon after, Jack was attacked by something unseen. All this paranormal activity convinced the Smurl family that they were being plagued by a demonic presence.
Soon the word of the Smurl family haunting spread, and they were they subject of a media explosion. Some neighbors, after witnessing the phenomena for themselves, sympathized with the Smurls. Others accused them of falsifying the truth in order to make money on a book deal.
TERRIFYING TIDBIT
An exorcism is a ritual performed to drive out a demonic presence from a person, place, or thing.
One day, while in the basement, Janet heard her name called out. She responded, but no one was there. As if it had been invited in, the entity grew bolder. Dark shadows began to slither through the home. The children were tossed down the stairs. The family dog was repeatedly lifted and thrown against the wall. And loud scratching could be heard at all hours of the day and night.
No longer able to withstand the torment, in 1986, the Smurl family reached out to demonologists, Ed and Lorraine Warren. The Warrens investigated and believed the home contained four entities, one of which was pure evil. For a short period of time, holy water and prayer was the only thing that quieted the demonic presence. But soon, the Warrens realized that was not going to be nearly enough.
Evidently angered with the Smurls, the evil presence began physically attacking them. Some members of the family were bitten and their arms slashed. The Warrens called in the services of Father McKenna, who performed a total of three exorcisms. And although their torment seemed to end, it started up once again in December 1986. Finally, in 1988, the Church performed what would be the fourth and final exorcism. At last, the Smurl family was released from the darkness that had plagued them for over thirteen years.
AUGUST 31, 1888 JACK THE RIPPER'S FIRST VICTIM
London, England
Mary Ann Nichols was the first of many to be murdered by the serial killer, Jack the Ripper.
Just after midnight on the night of her death, Mary Ann Nichols was seen at a local pub looking for lodging. However, without the funds to procure a bed for the evening, she was forced to venture out into the streets of London yet again, this time in search of customers willing to pay for her favors.
The next time Mary was seen was when her body was discovered in the entrance of a stable on Buck's Row. Constable John Neil was the man to sound the alarm of Mary's murder, and he bore witness to the horrific way in which she met her death. Found with her legs out straight and her skirt raised to her waist, Mary's abdomen had been severely slashed and ripped. Further inspection of Mary's body showed that her throat had been cut from ear to ear. The gash was so deep that vertebrae were nearly visible.
Although Buck's Row has evolved over the years, on numerous occasions, a ghostly, green apparition lying on the ground has been reported. The sightings match the exact spot at which Mary's corpse was found. As with many traumatic deaths, it seems that the soul of poor Mary Anne Nichols continues to wander this earthly plane in search of justice.
SEPTEMBER 1, 1990 THE WHITE LADY
Easton, Connecticut
According to locals as well as paranormal enthusiasts, Union Cemetery is a hot bed of paranormal activity. Reportedly, the spirit of a woman, referred to as “the White Lady of Easton,” haunts this graveyard.
In fact, one night, a Connecticut fireman traveling down the road adjacent to the cemetery nearly lost control of his vehicle trying to avoid the figure in white that stood smack dab in the center of the road. He slammed on his brakes, but to no avail. He hit it. Once stopped, he jumped out of his car to see what he'd hit, but to his amazement there was no one in the road, and there was no evidence to suggest he'd actually hit anything. Rattled, he bent to look beneath the car but could see no body, human or otherwise. Whatever he'd hit left little trace behind. There were no bodily fluids to indicate anyone or anything had been harmed. Apparently, the “victim” just vanished into thin air. On another night, famed ghost hunters Ed and Lorraine Warren heard a woman weeping while they were investigating the cemetery. With his video camera rolling, Ed captured what appeared to be the apparition of the White Lady of Easton. Later, while researching the history of the cemetery, they discovered that in the 1800s, a woman's body, a murder victim, was dumped nearby. They are now convinced that she is the White Lady.
SEPTEMBER 2, 1895 BELCOURT CASTLE
Newport, Rhode Island
Eccentric Oliver Belmont finished building Belcourt Castle in 1894.
He had such little regard for his neighbors that he built the estate with its back to them. This 50,000-square-foot estate had sixty rooms, one bedroom, and no kitchen. It is said that all of his meals were delivered from town. And the first floor, oddly enough, had been outfitted to house his beloved steeds.
Over the years, the mansion passed through several hands until the Tinney family purchased it in 1956. Harold Tinney and his wife, Ruth, moved into the castle with their beautiful antiques and reproductions. But are the antiques responsible for the haunting of the castle, or, is it the castle itself that is haunted?
The ballroom appears to be the heart of all the paranormal activity. Visitors have caught the movement of shadows out of the corner of their eye. Furniture has moved of its own accord. And once, when Ruth went to turn the lights on, a loud scream emanated from within the room, a scream that continued with each attempt to turn on the light. Finally, she decided to wait for her husband to arrive before trying again.
Certain items appear to be more haunted than others. Echoes of horrific screams have risen from suits of armor da
ting back to the 1500s. A statue of a monk has been the source of numerous sightings. A full-bodied apparition wearing a brown robe has been seen near the statue. And two chairs once used by kings have caused quite a stir. Many a male visitor who has tried to take a seat has either felt an odd pressure preventing them from sitting fully or has been altogether shoved out of the chair. Evidently the spirits inhabiting this castle have room for only one king.
SEPTEMBER 3, 1777 COOCHES BRIDGE
Newark, Delaware
The site of the only skirmish with the British on Delaware soil took place at Cooches Bridge. Two miles south of the bridge, on August 30, 1777, the engagement between 700 colonials and the British forces that had landed at Turkey Point in Maryland ensued. Outnumbered by the Redcoats, the Americans pulled back. Under the command of General William Maxwell, 100 handpicked marksmen were tasked with lying in wait for the advancing British forces. Although horribly outnumbered, their mission was to create a diversion, buying time for George Washington's troop to flee Philadelphia. On September 3 the men waited in the dense brush for the Redcoats to advance. As they approached the bridge, the militiamen made a stance against the British on Cooches Bridge. Soon their ammunition was depleted, however, and the Americans retreated. Yet it seems that not all of the marksmen left the bridge that fateful day. Legend has it that during the battle one militiaman's head was blown off. And in the dim light of a moonless sky, he can still be seen walking the bridge in search of his head.
SEPTEMBER 4, 1840 OLD PRESQUE ISLE LIGHTHOUSE
Presque Isle, Michigan
Old Presque Isle Lighthouse is said to be haunted by the ghost of George Parris, the former property keeper. The lighthouse was in service for only thirty-one years when it was abandoned. In 1977, George and Lorraine Parris moved into the small keeper's house where they looked after the grounds and provided guided tours to vacationers. In 1979, the Coast Guard removed the wiring in the lighthouse, yet when George died in 1991, a mysterious light began to appear in the tower — or not so mysterious according to Lorraine. She believes that George is still there. Sailors, pilots, and many others have seen the eerie light in the tower of the lighthouse. The Coast Guard investigated it further and couldn't find any worldly cause for the light. George makes himself known in other ways as well, according to his wife, who continued with her duties after his death. When he was alive, he made her bacon and eggs in the morning. And after his death, there were many times she was awakened by the smell of bacon cooking, always to find that no one was there. “I knew it was him,” she said.
SEPTEMBER 5, 1922 THE WINCHESTER HOUSE
San Jose, California
This Victorian mansion located in downtown Santa Clara, California, is surrounded by legends of hauntings and the results of a wealthy woman's paranoid fears of the paranormal. Sarah Winchester, the eccentric Winchester Rifle heiress, built the mansion after she'd met with Boston medium Adam Coons. During their session, the medium confirmed Sarah's worst fears. Coons told Sarah that her husband's, as well as her daughter's death from tuberculosis were in fact the result of a curse. He believed that all the souls that had been killed by a Winchester rifle were out to get revenge. And Sarah was next.
As a way to put an end to the curse, Coons directed Sarah to move out West where she should build a home for the spirits. As long as the home was being built, she would be safe. A fearful Sarah soon moved to San Jose, where she acquired an eight-room farmhouse. She then began building a mansion. Its construction went on twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and it would continue for thirty-eight years. Today this 160-room mansion has 40 staircases, 950 doors, 10,000 windows, and 47 fireplaces. The list of oddities for this mouse maze of construction goes on and on.
One of the most peculiar rooms is the séance room. It is in this room that Sarah is said to have held nightly séances, seeking construction advice from the spirits who lost their lives to the Winchester rifle.
Visitors and tour guides of the mansion have reported the inexplicable eerie sound of organ music. Doorknobs have turned of their own accord. Strange lights have been witnessed illuminating the darkened hallways. And along with the frequently heard unexplainable voices, some visitors have described the sudden appearance of an ectoplasmic mist. It appears that Sarah, who died at the mansion at age eighty-three, still fearing the ghosts of the victims of Winchester rifles, is afraid to leave this earthly plane.
TERRIFYING TIDBIT
Ectoplasm is believed to be caused by the manifestation of spiritual energy.
SEPTEMBER 6, 1978 THE HAUNTED MIRROR
St. Francisville, Louisiana
The most well-known ghost at Myrtle's Plantation is that of a young, blond girl named Chloe, but even more strange is the haunted mirror hanging in the hallway. According to legend, Chloe was frolicking down the stairs when she stopped to glance at her reflection. At that very instant, she was shot and killed by an unknown assailant. It is said that the mirror captured her spirit, and there it will remain until the day she looks upon the face of her killer.
TERRIFYING TIDBIT
In 1605, John Dee, a well-known alchemist, used a mirror for scrying (a method of seeing the future). He is credited with foretelling the plot to kill King James.
Today numerous visitors to the plantation have claimed to see the little girl's ghost trapped within the mirror. She has been described as being about nine years of age and having blond hair. Sometimes her reflection is seen walking or kneeling on the stairs. Yet whenever they turn around to look at the staircase, no one is there. Quite often, the sound of a young girl singing or crying emanates from the mirror. The sad truth, however, is that the tragic event occurred many years ago, so it is possible Chloe will never get to look upon her killer and will forever be stuck in the mirror.
SEPTEMBER 7, 1989 THE DECAPITATED GHOST
Paris, France
Soon after a young couple moved into their new home on the south side of Paris, a headless specter made her presence known. Standing before them with her head in her hands, with blinking eyes and a moving mouth, she screamed at them to get out. She told the young couple they didn't belong there. At first, they thought they were crazy, but when the ghost returned for the next six nights in a row, the terrified couple ran to the safety of a motel. In their interview with Weekly World News, Louis Gaits and his wife Belinda told the reporter they intended on hiring an attorney to nullify their mortgage agreement. Although the real estate company refused to comment, a spokesman stated that the couple was well aware of the legends surrounding the 150-year-old home and were warned to take the information seriously. But who is this ghostly phantom? As reported by historian Guy Bujon, a seventy-three-year-old spinster named Catherine Didry was the victim of a brutal attack in her home in 1898, when she was raped and decapitated. Now her restless spirit is said to roam the earthly plane looking for justice. Unfortunately for future owners of this home, the atrocities done to Catherine Didry will forever remain unsolved.
SEPTEMBER 8, 1565 OUR LADY OF LECHE CHURCH
St. Augustine, Florida
The nation's oldest city, St. Augustine, Florida, is home to Our Lady of Leche Church. This peaceful, yet haunted, Spanish-style chapel is located in an area also referred to as “America's Most Sacred Acre.” In fact, on September 8, 1565, the first Catholic mass in the Americas took place at this beloved chapel.
But what of the hauntings? Many a visitor has witnessed the ghostly apparition of a nun kneeling in prayer who is said to dissolve into thin air when approached. She has also been seen walking around the mission's grounds. Could it be one of the multitude of nuns that are buried in the area surrounding the church? Many believe so. Has her devotion to God breached the barrier between life and death? No one knows for sure. One thing, however, is certain; many visitors to Our Lady of Leche Church offer up prayers of quiet reflection with the hopes that they too will be among the blessed few to be graced by her presence.
SEPTEMBER 9, 1983 THE ROCK-THROWING POLTERG
EIST
Tucson, Arizona
The torment of the Berkbigler family began in September 1983 when seemingly out of nowhere rocks began to be hurled at the family of five. It all started one evening around 5:30 P.M., when they first heard the sound of the stones being thrown from the roof and ran outside to investigate. At first, they thought it was a vagrant trying to scare them out of their new home. But no one could be found.
Soon tiring of the unexplainable phenomenon, they reached out to friends and family and finally the sheriff's department. They too became increasingly frustrated with the unseen culprit, especially since they and their vehicles too were pelted by the stones when investigating. And still, no perpetrator could be apprehended.
In November, Rick, the father, intent on finding answers, gathered a group of people to search the grounds while the rock throwing was going on. That's when things went from bad to worse. During the search one of the helpers was struck in the jaw by a rock. Hearing what they thought was movement in the brush, the men ran toward it. Just then, another rock was strewn, this time striking Rick's father in the head and knocking him unconscious. Fed up, the men picked up rocks of their own and began wildly throwing the stones at the bush. But when all was over, there was still no physical person found to explain the assault.