Moonville Tunnel

Near Zaleski, Ohio
39.307273,-82.322445

The Legend:

A brakeman haunts the tunnel

Haunted Place-Haunted Train Tunnel-Moonville
Ghost hunting for a haunted place? Here’s a haunted place in Ohio to check out. . .

No trains have passed through the towns of Hope, Moonville or Ingham for well over twenty years but nearly hidden behind years of thick forest growth, the old Cincinnati and Marietta Railroad tracks still run noiselessly through this section of southeastern Ohio. But the locals here in Vinton County say the railway tracks aren’t the only remnants of the iron furnace days still hanging around. In fact,  stories tell of a railway brakeman that haps by the old Moonville Tunnel in the dark of night. Countless witnesses state they have seen a man dressed in engineer clothing and carrying a lantern. Some have even taken pictures at the tunnel when no one is around, only to find the image of man standing at the far end when they process the images.
Moonville Ghosts-The Background Research

So were there actually any deaths in or near the tunnel which would add any credence to the ghost of  the Moonville Brakeman? Actually, there have been more than a few deaths near the tunnel. Here are just a few. Check out some of them below:

I counted over 25 deaths near Moonville between 1859 through 1986 due, in part, to the railway. These do not include deaths due to “natural” causes, for example, Cliff Coe (who was one of the family members of the original landowners) died of a heart attack inside the depot in May of 1899. Or the many Coe children who did not make it past the typical childhood diseases for their time. There are certainly many more that I could not substantiate through newspaper accounts, personal archives of community members or other legitimate sources.

Included:
Jumping the Train
1876- 13 year old Henry Shirkey tried to jump a train in 1876 and his left leg was crushed just below the knee. (Vinton Record, 17 Feb 1876).

The McArthur Enquirer, of last week, says: As we go to press this (Thursday) afternoon we learn that Henry Shirkey, the youngest son of John Shirkey, of Vinton Station, was severely injured by jumping from a box car of a freight train going West about one-fourth of a mile west of Vinton Station, at a quarter past 4 |o’clock on Wednesday evening, and died 20 minutes before 6 o’clock this (Thursday) morning.  (Athens Messenger, 2/17/1876)
 

1880 – James Hood dies jumping off the train near Moonville:

James Hood, aged about thirty, a resident of Zaleski, while returning from Athens on the fast line on Friday, attempted to jump oil the train one quarter mile east of the depot, and opposite his home. In doing so he was thrown about twenty feet against a post, and his neck broken. He has been in the habit of jumping off trains at this point in order to save walking back from the depot. He leaves a wife and three children. (Athens Messenger, May 20, 1880)

1907  – Allen Albaugh dies jumping a train

Luhrig, O., Sept. 4.—The badly mangled body of Allen Albaugh, a middle aged miner of this place, was found under some underbrush near Moonville Saturday . . . .  Albaugh, accompanied by his brother got on a passing train and started for Zaleski.. It is supposed that he staid on the train until a tunnel was reached, and that he was knocked off in some manner. When the body was found, one hand was cut off.. . (Athens Messenger and Herald, September 1907)
Mike Shea Relates it this way in August of 1961 – Allan Albaugh was drinking and hopped a train at Zaleski with a jug of whiskey. No one heard from him. They found him dead this side of Ingham near Bear Hollow. Mike Shea smelled him one day and Frank McWhorter and a one eyed fellow found him when attracted by the smell. He was full of maggots, been dead several days. Mike Shea, 1961

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Brakemen falling under wheels -

1859 Unknown Brakeman

Brakeman on the Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad fell from the cars and was fatally injured. “ . . . Due to “too free use of liquor . . .”(McArthur Democrat, March 31, 1859)
1873 McDevitt

A brakeman of the accommodation named McDevitt was caught between two colliding platforms and had both legs and one arm horribly mangled. . . McDevitt survived his injuries only a short time. The deceased we learn was about 21 years of age, and leaves u widowed mother . . . (Athens Messenger, July 17, 1873)
1876 – Michael Molboro

Michael Molboro is killed on the Marietta and Cincinnati Line. Eight years later his brother, Thomas, a brakeman is killed on the same track. (Vinton Record, 14 February 1884 via hidden ohio map and guide)

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Walking the tracks -

1873 Unknown Woman killed on Tracks

1873 While we delayed for a few minutes at Moonville on last Monday we heard reference to the instant killing of a woman in the deep cut near that town the day previous by the morning express. . . (Athens Messenger, October 16, 1873)

1905 Mrs. Patrick Shea killed on Tracks

1905 Mrs. Patrick Shea (in her eighties and a grandmother of Michael Shea) was walking the Moonville to Hope and while crossing the trestle was struck by a train. Her leg had to be amputated and she died from the shock. Recalled by Michael L. Shea.

Amos Kennard

Amos Kennard by accident, stepped in front of a train -Recalled by Michael L. Shea.

1912 Charles Ferguson

Charles Ferguson -struck by train. He was waiting to cross the railroad tracks when the train broke in two. One part passed him and without looking, he stepped on the crossing and was struck by the second part. Recalled by Michael L. Shea.

1920s Rastus Dexter

Miner who was killed near the tunnel by the train.

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Train wrecks.

 1880 Frank Lawhead, Engineer Killed in Train Wreck

Near King’s station in this county on Thursday last, Engineer Lawhead and Charles Krick, fireman, both of Chillicothe, were instantly killed by collision of freight trains, which, we are told, was the result of a mistake of train dispatcher. The trains were totally wrecked. . . (Athens Messenger, Thursday November 11, 1880)

1938 Charles Landrum, Engineer Killed in Train Wreck

A heavily loaded Baltimore & Ohio Railway double-header freight train crashed into a faill of rock at 111:57  p.m. Monday night killing the engineer on one of its two engines. The mishap occurred six miles cast of Zaleski between Hope and Moonville . . . (The Portsmouth Times, December 27, 1938)
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So who is the real Moonville Ghost?

Our best guess it is none other than Frank Lawhead. The timing and the description from pictures and sources seems to fit.
He died in 1880 and before the first sighting:

The ghost has been seen since 1894. In fact, a write up in the Chillicothe Gazette states:

1895 A ghost (after an absence of one year) returned and appeared in front of a freight at the point where Engineer Lawhead lost his life. The ghost is seen in a white robe and carrying a lantern. “The eyes glistened like balls of fire and surrounding it was a halo of twinkling stars” – Chillicothe Gazette, 17 Feb 1895

 He fits at least one of the descriptions:

He has been described as:  1) Man wearing an engineers cap and suit walking near the far end of the tunnel. There are also pictures taken in the tunnel to substantiate this – see below. If so, it could be either Frank Lawhead killed in 1880 or Charles Landrum killed in 1938. Since the ghost has been seen since 1894, it is most likely Frank Lawhead.

2)  Also described as  a black figure standing nearly 8 feet tall with a white beard, fiery eyes glistening like balls of fire and a lantern. Rastus Dexter could fit this description if he was a couple feet taller. He was a black miner in the community (Bill Ross, a local to Moonville related this in 1959 – Tom Dexter (Rastus’ father) was a slave in Virginia and ran off during the Civil War and settled near Waterloo Forest on what is now know as the Dexter Farm. However, the timing is off for Rastus. The ghost was first seen 26 years before he was killed by a train.

3)  People have heard trains, felt “strange” in the tunnel. One couple on our tour said the girl felt something touch her shoulder when they were there once.

Source: http://www.hauntedhocking.com/Moonville_Tunnel_Brakeman.htm

Stage 28 Universal Studios

It has withstood fires, earthquakes, the birth of talking pictures and the ever-increasing encroachment of studio tours. But Universal Studio’s Stage 28 is best remembered for one very famous star’s performance in a classic film. The star was Lon Chaney, and the film was “Phantom of the Opera.”

While many studio stages have been home to some of Hollywood’s most popular motion pictures, Stage 28, or The Phantom Stage as it is better known, stands alone in Hollywood history because no other stage on any studio lot has ever been named for one particular picture. Even the other Universal stages where they filmed such classics as “All Quiet on the Western Front,” “My Little Chickadee,” “Dracula,” “Frankenstein” and “The Wolf Man” never received such a familiar denomination.

Just when The Phantom Stage got its name is unclear. Old-timers at Universal don’t have an explanation, and film historians, even the former head of the studio’s research department, cannot give a definite date to the naming of this famous stage. The best guess is that it was first called The Phantom Stage during the making of that classic picture. This theory is supported by Charles Van Enger, the cameraman for “Phantom of the Opera” who stated in a 1973 interview that, “we always referred to it as The Phantom Stage during production. As far as I know that’s where the title came from.”

Like no other before it

But the stage itself is the thing that makes a Hollywood legend. Prior to its construction in 1924, the stages used for early Hollywood productions were simply raised platforms built outside, with a muslin covering which could be pulled over the set to defuse the glare. By 1916, many of these outdoor stages were being replaced by stages built out of glass and wood, protecting the performers and the sets from rainy weather, but which were far from comfortable during the summer months. Fully enclosed stages began cropping up on studio lots by the early 1920′s, several of which are still standing.

When Universal announced their plans to film “Phantom of the Opera,” the biggest challenge to Universal’s construction department was how to erect a stage that could house a complete replica of the interior of the Paris opera house. No existing stage in Hollywood could handle this enormous set, so Universal built the first steel and concrete stage in Hollywood (the stage measures 360 feet long and 145 feet wide). After the concrete foundation was poured, the Llewellyn Steel Company started construction on the steel frame.

The walls and roof were covered with corrugated metal (which still serves as the outside shell of the stage today), and the whole outside was covered with wood. The largest order for lumber, a total of 175,000 feet, was placed with the Hammond Lumber Company of Los Angeles. Taking advantage of the free publicity, Universal made sure each truck dispatched from the lumber yard carried a banner proclaiming, “the largest shipment of lumber for the upcoming production of Phantom of the Opera.” The interior of the stage contained scenelofts, trapdoors and other mechanical equipment found in an opera house, which not only lent a touch of authenticity, but allowed the filmmakers to stage a true opera. While many historians thought only the interior of the opera house was filmed on The Phantom Stage, according to cameraman Charles Van Enger, the sets for the Grand Staircase and the giant statue of Apollo that adorns the roof of the opera house were also filmed on this stage. Eleven sculptors and scenic designers were hired to create the various statues and decorations that adorn the Grand Staircase and the opera boxes.

The chandelier, which the Phantom cuts loose upon the unsuspecting audience, was an exact replica of the one in the Paris opera house. Weighing in at 16,000 pounds and measuring 40 feet in diameter, the chandelier was an impressive sight and, no doubt, probably caused a few extras in the audience to question the strength of the chain holding it in place (the set could seat up to 3,000 extras). When it came to filming the crash of the great chandelier, Universal was obviously not thrilled with the prospect of letting a very expensive set decoration be destroyed, not to mention the potential hazard to the extras seated below. Cameraman Charles Van Enger solved the problem by having the chandelier lowered to just above the extras’ heads. When the cameras started cranking away, at a very slow speed, the chandelier was pulled back up to the ceiling. The shot was reversed in the developing lab so that when it was projected at the proper speed, the chandelier appeared to come crashing down upon the audience, yet the extras and the huge ornament emerged without a scratch!

Both the opera house and the Grand Staircase sets were photographed in the two-strip Technicolor process. Many of the ballet scenes were photographed in this recently developed technique, but, unfortunately, these scenes were discarded during the frantic editing sessions which took place in order to meet the deadline of the New York premiere on September 6, 1925.

No victim of the coming of sound

Unlike the wood stages which could no longer be used after the birth of sound, The Phantom Stage got a new lease on life. The wood siding was stripped off, and the interior of the stage was padded to keep out unwanted noise while making talking pictures. It was about this time that the term “sound stage” became a part of Hollywood’s vernacular. The stage could now serve as either a theater set or filmmakers could use the back end of the stage to build other sets. For over 40 years the theater set on The Phantom Stage has been used in such Universal pictures as “The Raven,” “One Hundred Men and a Girl,” the 1943 remake of “Phantom of the Opera,” “Torn Curtain,” “The Sting” and numerous television shows, including the quickly forgotten series “Sixth Sense” (which heavily featured the famous stage throughout one episode), and most recently it was the home of “Sea Quest DSV.” Interestingly, Lon Chaney’s 1957 biographical film, “Man of a Thousand Faces,” used the stage extensively. Not only did it serve as several different theaters in the picture, but the re-creation of the famous un-masking scene was also shot on this stage. Some say it was rather prophetic that the first and last days of production of Chaney’s film biography were shot on the stage where he made one of his most famous pictures. But this famous stage was destined for some changes.

Changes and losses

In 1965, when Alfred Hitchcock used the stage for “Torn Curtain,” the chandelier was taken down for good and placed in storage at the studio’s prop warehouse, where it has since disappeared. Shortly after the chandelier’s removal, the audience seats, curtains and backstage materials were also dismantled, and a false floor now covers the vacant area where the audience seats used to be.

In the mid-1940′s, a plaque was placed on the stage commemorating the making of Chaney’s classic film. Chaney’s son Creighton, “Hunchback of Notre Dame” co-star Patsy Ruth Miller and several other co-workers attended the event, but unfortunately the plaque has long since disappeared. The plaque which is shown in the opening credits of “Man of a Thousand Faces” was merely a prop for the picture, although James Cagney and Dorothy Malone did place a commemorative marker on the stage prior to the first day of filming; but that, too, has disappeared. In the 1980′s, a painting of a rather poor version of Chaney’s now-famous Phantom make-up adorned the sides of the stage, and studio tour guides used to point out the famous stage to visitors, or occasionally take some lucky tour guests on the stage, depending on production schedules. The huge eucalyptus tree which had stood just outside one of the entrance doors to the stage since 1925 has recently been cut down to expand the tour facilities, and today The Phantom Stage sits next to the tour-related effects stages without so much as a whisper from tour guides about its famous lineage.

Despite the recent changes, The Phantom Stage shows no sign of disappearing. And if you’re lucky enough to visit this old venerable stage, find a secluded spot and listen. It’s been reported one can occasionally hear voices from the past. And why not? The Phantom knows a good place to haunt when he builds one.

Source: http://www.silentsaregolden.com/featurefolder2/phantomstagearticle.html

The San Diego Maritime Museum is a wonderful place to visit. With ships ranging from the 1914 Pilot Boat to the 1970s Russian Submarine, one can easily spend hours looking at the beautiful ships, exploring their decks and cruising around the bay on the ninety plus year old Pilot boat. Then there are those visitors who just never leave.

Some say that all ships are haunted. And the ships at the Maritime Museum are no exception. At least three ghosts are rumored to haunt the ships in the museum’s collection. Two can be found on the flag ship, the Star of India, and at least one more on the ferry boat, the Berkeley.

At least two ghosts reside on the Star of IndiaThe Star of India, one of the first iron ships, was first put into action in 1863 as the Euterpe from Great Britain’s Isle of Man, making voyages to India and back. This makes her the oldest active ship in the world. She made six voyages to India before in 1871 she changed job duties and began sailing emigrants to New Zealand, Australia, California, and Chile. The first ghost present on the ship is from this time period and involves a young teenaged stow away named John Campbell. Campbell snuck aboard in Glasgow in 1884 heading to New Zealand. He was trying to exchange a life of poverty for a live of adventure. Campbell was eventually found by the crew and naturally put to work. Sadly on June 26th, 1884, Campbell fell from the main mast and was severely injured. Upon landing he broke both his legs and went unconscious. Three days later he passed away, thankfully never regaining consciousness, and was buried at sea. Now the young stow away can be found playing around the main mast on all the decks of the ship and even occasionally hiding in the various chests and areas of the cargo hold. Visitors have also reported feeling a cold hand touch them when they stand near the main mast.

From 1871 to 1898, the Euterpe made several voyages carrying emigrants to several places around the world. During this time period in 1894, Archibald Campion even charted her for a polar expedition. But eventually, she was sold.

In 1898, the ship was sold to the Alaskan Packers and was used to sail fishermen from the Bay Area of California to Alaska, returning with canned salmon. She was renamed in 1906 to the Star of India. The second ghost on board comes during this time period, and resulted when a Chinese sailor got caught in the chain room while the anchor was being raised. The noise of the rising chains and anchor was so loud that his cries for help went unheard as he was crushed by the enormous chains. Eerie cold spots are now present near the chain room where the sailor met his untimely fate.

By 1923, the Star of India was way out dated and her owners moved on to more modern sailing ships. She was bought for $9000 by several San Diego citizens who planned to restore her. Sadly money combined with the Great Depression and World War II delayed any restoration plans. She was used briefly to stage a showing of The Pirates of Penzance and for a brief period was used as a floating brothel by her caretaker. As a result it wasn’t until 1976 that her restoration was finally finished and she was able to sail again. Now she resides with the San Diego Maritime Museum and sets out to sea at least once a year.

The entire atmosphere of the Star of India seems charged and many other minor ghostly phenomenons have been reported over the years. Outlines on beds have been seen where no one is sleeping. Pots and pans seem to move on their own in the kitchen and even the smell of freshly baked bread has wafted out of the room. The Maritime Museum even holds special nighttime Halloween ghost tours every year.

The Star of India sailing ship is docked at the Maritime Museum of San Diego. 1492 North Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101.

Source: http://www.weirdca.com/location.php?location=33

Villisca Axe Murder House:

History:
The Villisca Axe Murders occurred in June 1912 in the southwestern Iowa town of Villisca. The six members of the Moore family and two house guests were found bludgeoned in the Moore residence. All eight victims, including six children, had severe head wounds from an axe. A lengthy investigation yielded several suspects, one of which was tried twice and acquitted. The crime remains unsolved.

Details:
The Moore family consisted of parents Josiah, aged (43), Sarah (39), and their four children: Herman (11), Katherine (10), Boyd (7), and Paul (5). An affluent family, the Moores were well-known and well-liked in their community.[1] On June 9, 1912, Katherine Moore invited Ina (8) and Lena (12) Stillinger to spend the night at the Moore residence. That evening, the visiting girls and the Moore family attended the Presbyterian church where they participated in the Children’s Day Program, which Sarah Moore had coordinated. After the program ended at 9:30 p.m., the Moores and the Stillinger sisters walked to the Moores’ house, arriving between 9:45 and 10:00 p.m.

At 7:00 a.m. the next morning, Mary Peckham, the Moores’ neighbor, became suspicious after she noticed that the Moore family had not come out to do their morning chores. Peckham knocked on the Moores’ door. When nobody answered, she tried to open the door and discovered that it was locked. Peckham let the Moores’ chickens out and then called Ross Moore, Josiah Moore’s brother. Like Peckham, Moore received no response when he knocked on the door and shouted. He unlocked the front door with his copy of the house key. While Peckham stood on the porch, Moore went into the parlor and opened the guest bedroom door and found Ina and Lena Stillinger’s bodies on the bed. Moore immediately told Peckham to call Hank Horton, Villisca’s primary peace officer, who arrived shortly thereafter. Horton’s search of the house revealed that the entire Moore family and the two Stillinger girls had been bludgeoned to death. The murder weapon, an axe belonging to Josiah, was found in the guest room where the Stillinger sisters were found.

Doctors concluded that the murders had taken place shortly after midnight. The killer or killers began in the master bedroom, where Josiah and Sarah Moore were asleep. Josiah received more blows from the axe than any other victim; his face had been cut so much that his eyes were missing. The killer(s) then went into the children’s rooms and bludgeoned Herman, Katherine, Boyd, and Paul in the head in the same manner as their parents. Afterward, the killer(s) moved downstairs to the guest bedroom and killed Ina and Lena..

Investigators believed that all of the victims except for Lena Stillinger had been asleep at the time of the murders. Investigators also believed Lena attempted to fight back. She was found laying crosswise on the bed, and a defensive wound was discovered on her arm. Furthermore, Lena was found with her nightgown pushed up to her waist and no undergarments on, leading to speculation that the killer(s) sexually molested her (or attempted to do so).

Investigation:
Over time, many possible suspects emerged, including Reverend George Kelly, Frank F. Jones, William Mansfield, Loving Mitchell, and Henry Lee Moore. George Kelly was tried twice for the murder. The first ended in a hung jury, while the second trial ended in a verdict of not guilty. Other suspects in the investigation were also exonerated

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villisca_Axe_Murders
Official Site: http://www.villiscaiowa.com/

The Pascagoula Abduction occurred in 1973 when co-workers Charles Hickson and Calvin Parker claimed that they were abducted by aliens while fishing near Pascagoula, Mississippi. The case earned substantial mass media attention, and is, along with the earlier Hill Abduction, among the best-known claims of alien abduction.
The UFO EncounterOn the evening of October 11, 1973, 42-year-old Charles Hickson and 19-year-old Calvin Parker — co-workers at a shipyard — were fishing off a pier on the west bank of the Pascagoula River in Mississippi. They heard a whirring/whizzing sound, saw two flashing blue lights, and reported that a domed, cigar-shaped aircraft, some 30 to 40 feet across and 8 to 10 feet high, suddenly appeared near them. The ship seemed to levitate about 2 feet above the ground.

A door opened on the ship, they said, and three creatures emerged and seized the men, floating or levitating them into the craft. Both men reported being paralyzed and numb. Parker claimed that he had fainted due to fright. They described the creatures as being roughly humanoid in shape, and standing about five feet tall. The creatures’ skin was pale in color and wrinkled, and they had no eyes that the men could discern, and slits for mouths. Their heads also appeared connected directly to their shoulders, with no discernible neck. There were three “carrot-like” growths instead – one where the nose would be on a human, the other two where ears would normally be. The beings had lobster-like claws at the ends of their arms, and they seemed to have only one leg (Hickson later described the creatures’ lower bodies looking as if their legs were fused together) ending in elephant-like feet. Hickson also reported that the creatures moved in mechanical, robotic ways.

On the ship, Hickson claimed that he was somehow levitated or hovered a few feet above the floor of the craft, and was examined by what looked like a large football-shaped mechanical eye, about 6 to 8 inches in diameter, that seemed to scan his body. Parker claimed that he could not recall what had happened to him inside the craft, although later, during sessions of hypnotic regression he offered some hazy details. The men were released after about 20 minutes and the creatures levitated them, with Hickson’s feet dragging along the ground, back to their original positions on the river bank.

In a later interview over 20 years after the initial incident, Parker’s story became much more elaborate. Here Parker confessed to lying about fainting in sight of the creatures. He claimed that he was in fact conscious when the creatures took him on board the craft and led him into a room at the other end of a hallway to the left of the craft’s entrance. He claims he was laid down on a sloped table and examined by a ‘petite,’ evidently female, being. Though he was paralyzed, he was able to observe the being inject a needle into the base of the underside of his penis. The being later communicated with him telepathically, suggesting that he had been taken for a reason. While he was not able to define it, Parker felt a sense of imminent harm. Nevertheless, he was led back outside the craft and deposited back into his original position unharmed. He then claimed that 19 years later, he came in contact with the same craft again. This time he voluntarily walked aboard the craft and met with the same female being that had examined his body in 1973. He claimed he had a conversation with the being, in English, in which she communicated to him a religious message. She informed him that they shared the same God, that the bible was an authentic text, and that her species wanted to live on earth but could not due to humanity’s tendency towards war and destruction.

Hickson and Parker contact policeBoth men said they were terrified by what had happened. They claimed to have sat in a car for about 45 minutes, trying to calm themselves. Hickson drank some whiskey. After some discussion, they tried to report their story to officials at Keesler Air Force Base, but personnel told them the United States Air Force had nothing to do with UFO reports (Project Blue Book had been discontinued about four years before), and suggested the men notify police.

At about 10:30 p.m., Hickson and Parker arrived at the Jackson County, Mississippi Sheriff’s office. They brought the catfish they’d caught while fishing; it was the only proof they had to back up their story. Sheriff Fred Diamond thought the men seemed sincere and genuinely frightened and he thought Parker was especially disturbed. Diamond harbored some doubt about the fantastic story, however, due in part to Hickson’s admitted whiskey consumption.

The “Secret Tape”
Diamond interviewed the men, who related their story. After repeated questioning, Diamond left the two men alone in a room that was, unknown to Hickson or Parker, rigged with a hidden microphone.

As Jerome Clark, writes, “Sheriff Diamond assumed that if they were lying, that fact would become immediately apparent when the two spoke privately. Instead, they continued to talk in the voices of the terribly distressed.” (Clark, 447) This so-called “secret tape” was held on file at the Jackson County Sheriff’s department, and has since earned wider circulation amongst UFO researchers and enthusiasts. Parker, who seemed particularly shaken, spoke repeatedly of his wish to see a doctor. A partial transcript of their interrogation and of the “secret tape” is available; immediately below is part of the conversation on the “secret tape”, as transcribed by NICAP:

CALVIN: I got to get home and get to bed or get some nerve pills or see the doctor or something. I can’t stand it. I’m about to go half crazy.
CHARLIE: I tell you, when we’re through, I’ll get you something to settle you down so you can get some damn sleep.
CALVIN: I can’t sleep yet like it is. I’m just damn near crazy.
CHARLIE: Well, Calvin, when they brought you out-when they brought me out of that thing, goddamn it I like to never in hell got you straightened out.
His voice rising, Calvin said, “My damn arms, my arms, I remember they just froze up and I couldn’t move. Just like I stepped on a damn rattlesnake.”
“They didn’t do me that way”, sighed Charlie.
Now both men were talking as if to themselves.
CALVIN: I passed out. I expect I never passed out in my whole life.
CHARLIE: I’ve never seen nothin’ like that before in my life. You can’t make people believe-
CALVIN: I don’t want to keep sittin’ here. I want to see a doctor-
CHARLIE: They better wake up and start believin’… they better start believin’.
CALVIN: You see how that damn door come right up?
CHARLIE: I don’t know how it opened, son. I don’t know.
CALVIN: It just laid up and just like that those son’ bitches-just like that they come out.
CHARLIE: I know. You can’t believe it. You can’t make people believe it-
CALVIN: I paralyzed right then. I couldn’t move-
CHARLIE: They won’t believe it. They gonna believe it one of these days. Might be too late. I knew all along they was people from other worlds up there. I knew all along. I never thought it would happen to me.
CALVIN: You know yourself I don’t drink
CHARLIE: I know that, son. When I get to the house I’m gonna get me another drink, make me sleep. Look, what we sittin’ around for. I gotta go tell Blanche… what we waitin’ for?
CALVIN (panicky): I gotta go to the house. I’m gettin’ sick. I gotta get out of here.
Then Charlie got up and left the room, and Calvin was alone.
CALVIN: It’s hard to believe . . . Oh God, it’s awful… I know there’s a God up there…
Seeing that the police were skeptical of their story, Hickson and Parker insisted that they take lie detector tests to prove their honesty.

Publicity
Hickson and Parker returned to work the day after the encounter (Friday, October 12). They did not initially discuss their purported UFO encounter, but coworkers noted that Parker seemed very anxious and preoccupied. Within hours, Sheriff Diamond telephoned the men at work, stating that news reporters were swarming in his office, seeking more information about the UFO story. An angry Hickson accused Diamond of breaking his confidentiality pledge, but Diamond insisted he had not done so, and that the case was too sensational to keep quiet.

Hickson’s foreman overheard Hickson’s side of the conversation, and asked what had occurred. Hickson related his story to the foreman and to shipyard owner Johnny Walker. After hearing the tale, Walker suggested that Hickson and Parker contact Joe Colingo, a locally prominent attorney (who was Walker’s brother-in-law and also represented the shipyard).

Colingo met the men, and, during their conversation, Hickson expressed fears about having been exposed to radiation. Colingo and detective Tom Huntley then took Parker and Hickson to a local hospital, which lacked the facilities for a radiation test. (Clark’s book does not make clear if Huntley is a police detective or a private detective.)

From the hospital, the men went to Keesler Air Force Base, where they were examined extensively by several doctors. Afterward, reported Huntley, Parker and Hickson were interviewed by the military intelligence chief of the base, with the “whole base command” observing the proceedings. (Clark, 448)

Colingo drew up a contract to represent Hickson and Parker. However, nothing came of this, and Hickson would later have nothing to do with Colingo, charging the lawyer with base financial motivations: Colingo, said Hickson, “just wanted to make a buck.” (Clark, 449)

Within days, Pascagoula was the center of an international news story, with reporters swarming the town. Professor James A. Harder (a U.C. Berkeley engineering professor and APRO member) and Dr. J. Allen Hynek (an astronomer formerly with Project Blue Book) both arrived and interviewed Parker and Hickson. Harder tried to hypnotize the men, but they were too anxious and distracted for the procedure to work—Parker especially so. Hynek withheld ultimate judgment on the case, but did announce that, in his judgment, Hickson and Parker were honest men who seemed genuinely distressed about what had occurred.

Tiring of the publicity, Hickson and Parker went to Jones County, Mississippi (about 150 miles north of Pascagoula), where both men hoped to find relief with family members. Parker was eventually hospitalized for what Clark describes as “an emotional breakdown.” (Clark, 449)

In an interview several years after the claimed UFO event, Hickson speculated that Parker fared worse after the encounter because he had never previously experienced a profoundly frightening ordeal. While Hickson described the UFO encounter as the most terrifying event in his life, he also noted that he had seen combat in the Korean War, and that he thus had some familiarity with a terrifying experience. The younger Parker, on the other hand, had never suffered through a terrifying encounter, let alone a bizarre confrontation with something that was not even supposed to exist.

On September 9, 2011, Charles Hickson died at age 80, but never backed off the alien abduction story despite ridicule.

Polygraph
As noted above, both Parker and Hickson volunteered to take polygraph exams to prove their stories. In the end, only Hickson did so, and the examiner determined that Hickson believed the story about the UFO abduction.

Aviation journalist and UFO skeptic Philip J. Klass argued that there was reason to question the reliability of Hickson’s lie detector exam, writing,

The polygraph test was given to Hickson by a young operator, just out of school, who had not completed his formal training, who had not been certified by his own school and who had not taken a state licensing examination. Furthermore, that the lawyer for Hickson and Parker – who also was acting as their “booking agent” – had turned down the chance to have his clients tested WITHOUT CHARGE by the very experienced Capt. Charles Wimberly, chief polygraph operator from the nearby Mobile Police Dept. Also, that the lawyer did not contact other experienced polygraph operators close to Pascagoula. Instead, the lawyer had imported from New Orleans – more than 100 miles away – the young, inexperienced, uncertified, unlicensed operator who, by a curious coincidence, worked for a friend of the lawyer!
Subsequent investigation by Joe Esterhas of Rolling Stone uncovered some additional information, leading to increased skepticism about the abduction claim. The supposed UFO landing and abduction site was in full view of two 24-hour toll booths, and neither operator saw anything that night. Also, the site was in range of security cameras from nearby Ingalls Shipyard, but the cameras did not capture anything unusual that night.

Aftermath
Map showing coastal route US 90, connecting Pascagoula with Ocean Springs, Mississippi.Parker has avoided most public attention since the event. Hickson appeared on Dick Cavett’s talk show in January 1974, and speaks at occasional UFO conferences; he has co-written a book about the event with William Mendez titled UFO Contact at Pascagoula (1983, reprinted 1987).

In 2001, retired navy chief petty officer Mike Cataldo revealed that he observed an unusual craft at dusk on the same date. While travelling with crew mates Ted Peralta and Mack Hanna on U.S. Route 90 from Pascagoula to Ocean Springs, an object like a large tambourine with small flashing lights approached from the northwest and crossed the freeway, before hovering over the treeline and disappearing. As he approached his home in St Andrews, Ocean Springs, the craft made a second appearance at lower altitude.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascagoula_Abduction

The Ohio State Reformatory (OSR), also known as the Mansfield Reformatory, is a historic prison located in Mansfield, Ohio in the United States. It was built between 1886 and 1910 and remained in operation until a 1990 federal court ruling (the ‘Boyd Consent Decree’) ordered the facility to be closed. While this facility was used in a number of films (including several while the facility was still in operation), TV shows and music videos, it was made famous by the film The Shawshank Redemption (1994) when it was used in the large panning scene and for the Warden’s office.

In the following video, see what lurks within it’s walls…

Werewolves…

They’ve been the subject of legends for thousands of years, but how much do you really know about werewolves? Take a closer look at the origins of this mysterious beast.
By Tom Crawford

Legends of Shapeshifting

What exactly is a werewolf? In modern film and literature, they have been portrayed as creatures summoned by the moon and stoppable only by the silver bullet. But that is just one aspect of a larger collection of rich legends.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the werewolf legend is that it exists in almost every culture. That is, the idea of a man turning into a feared beast is common throughout the world. But the beast is not always a wolf. Instead, it is usually whatever animals are feared in that particular region. For example, there are legends in India that involve men who turn into tigers and in Africa the legends tell of men transforming into ferocious hyenas. In Europe, where wolves are the predominant predatory animal, the legends are of men transforming into wolves.

The Devil Made Me Do It

While there are hundreds of variations to the European legends of men turning into wolves, all of these legends share some common elements. Among the most prominent, is the belief that a werewolf is a servant of the Devil. In Medieval Europe, it was believed that a man became a werewolf by making an unholy pact with Satan himself. The Devil would grant a man the power to transform into a wolf in exchange for doing the Devil’s bidding and terrorizing churchgoing villagers. Additional powers would be granted if he recruited others to become werewolves.

Because of the werewolf’s believed association with the Devil, the Medieval Catholic Church condemned these creatures. Anyone suspected of being a werewolf was promptly burnt at the stake. This belief led to the unfortunate deaths of countless innocents who, much like in the Salem witch trials, were executed for being something they were not.

My, What Big Teeth You Have

A common element of the traditional legends that differ a bit from our modern understanding is the physical appearance of the werewolf. In modern folklore, a werewolf generally transforms into a half-man, half-wolf beast during a full moon. This creature is usually extremely monstrous looking and is very distinguishable from a common wolf. But, in traditional legends, werewolves looked like other wolves. In fact, the only trait that distinguished them from real wolves were their human eyes.

More Than Meets the Eye

The transformation of a man into a wolf is probably one of the most interesting aspects of the legends. In films such as “An American Werewolf in London” or “Silver Bullet”, the full moon is a key factor in this change. That’s no surprise since there are very few Hollywood movies today that don’t portray the full moon as the trigger for a man’s metamorphosis into a wolf.

Surprisingly though, the full moon is rarely mentioned in traditional tales. In the majority of legends, to turn into a werewolf a man had to strip naked and put on a belt made of human skin given to him by the Devil. He would then rub wolf bane and deadly nightshade all over his body and stand in a magic circle while chanting a spell. This series of events would result in one mean and vicious werewolf.

Man against Werewolf

Now, most of you are probably asking yourself, “What do I do if I happen across one of these werewolves?” In most movies, a silver bullet would do the trick. However, many of the legends predate guns, thus resulting in a variety of solutions. According to legend, the easiest way to stop a werewolf is to break the buckle on their belt (if he is wearing one). Doing so would immediately change him back. Chances are, though, you won’t be that lucky.

Fortunately, the legends have additional recommendations for stopping a werewolf. First, you should make a crucifix. Because the werewolf is a servant to the Devil, the sight of the crucifix should immediately transform him back into a man. If that doesn’t work and you know who the werewolf is, saying his baptismal name three times might also cause him to transform. A final option would be to wound the werewolf; this usually causes him to return to his human form.

If, after trying all of these methods, the werewolf still has not transformed back into a man, your best bet is to run for your life!

After looking closely at some of the more predominant elements of the traditional werewolf legends, it is easy to deduce that our modern werewolf myth is a unique and distinct blending of the vast regional stories and folklore surrounding these beasts.

Although many of these legends vary and are seemingly contradictory, one thing they all have in common is their unique influence on a fascinating and frightening folklore. They compose an intriguing collection of stories, legends, and tradition that have existed for hundreds of years and will continue to exist for hundreds more. While werewolves, in a physical sense, may not exist, their tales are likely to exist for as long as man does.

Source: http://www.ghostsource.com/field_guide/werewolves.php/

View all articles by GhostHalo Paranormal photography is an interest that had captured the attention of a growing amount of people in the last few years. If you find the idea of photographing ghosts or spirits interesting and you wonder how to go about becoming involved, there are a few simple things you should know.

First, one must go about finding a haunted site in which to take photographs. This is not very difficult. A good place to start may be exploring the local folklore. Most areas have traditional stories of ghosts and haunting, and many libraries or bookstores may carry books with additional information on these subjects. Also, most newspapers have pieces about these types of things around October 31. Searching paranormal themed websites can sometimes be helpful, but one must try to separate tall tales from the more accurate sounding stories. Police can actually be helpful as well, because they are usually able to distinguish hype and hoax from things that could actually be paranormal phenomenon. Certain places, such as battlefields, old graveyards, theaters, and universities are normally rumored to have regular paranormal activity.

TO PURCHASE EQUIPMENT FOR PARANORMAL INVESTIGATIONS, CLICK HERE!

Most photos of what is believed to be ghosts or spirits show them in the form of an orb. Orbs are circles or spheres of light that show up in some photos. Although they are normally white or gray, some orbs may show up in different colors. These are usually only caught on camera, and are not seen with the naked eye. Other forms of supposed ghosts or spirits that can sometimes be seen in pictures are ectoplasms or vortices. Ectoplasm is a cloudy spot that resembles smoke. A vortex is a wavy line or column or light.

Ghost photography can be challenging because some photography issues such as dust or moisture can cause a similar looking sphere on photos. Good quality cameras are much more reliable, and digital cameras tend to contribute more problems in this area. If you are not using a digital camera, try to find the highest speed, best quality film available. Slow speed films cannot adequately record fast moving objects.

Some people believe the myth that digital cameras are better for taking paranormal photos, but this is not the case. Digital cameras are not hyper sensitive to infrared, as some might believe. Camera makers actually block infrared with an internal IR cut filter so that digital pictures accurately reflect the scenes that photographers wish to capture.

To avoid potentially mislabeled phenomenon, there are a few things you can do. Always begin with a clean camera lens, and make sure that the strap of your camera stays away from the lens. It is wise to use your camera in other locations of a similar setting before trying to take pictures in a reportedly haunted area. Knowing how your camera performs in everyday locations can help you weed out strange things that may simply be a result of your camera’s quirks. Never try to catch paranormal activity on camera when the weather is less than ideal. Make sure the wind is calm, and there is no dust, rain, pollen, snow or fog.

Use a tripod with a remote control, or do your best to hold completely still when taking photos. On chilly evenings, be sure to breathe in or hold your breath when you take your photo. This eliminates any strange, “smoky” mists that might just be your breath. Of course, do not smoke while taking photos!

VIEW MORE GHOSTING EQUIPMENT AT GHOSTSTOP!

If you can take a photo without using your flash, this also helps eliminate strange lights caused by the camera. (On digital cameras you can use the ‘P’ feature.) Taking a few photos at a time can also help to give perspective and rule out things like dust, bugs, pollen, etc. If you have access to more than one camera, try taking pictures with multiple cameras. Additionally, always use the highest resolution possible. In order to do this, you may want to invest in some extra memory cards. Save your photos without compressing them so that they will be easier to analyze at a later time.

When you are using a digital camera, you should be able to enlarge the image and inspect it right away. In the case that you see something unusual, take more photos from different viewpoints and angles so that you will later be able to tell if it was a camera issue or truly paranormal activity.

Look carefully through all of your photos to make sure you have not missed anything. Careful inspection can yield great results and finds that may have otherwise been missed. If you have captured images on film, make sure you tell the developer that you would like all of your pictures returned to you, even those that are dark or abnormal.

Most people find that they capture the best images of paranormal activity at night. Some feel that this is because the darkness allows orbs to show up better in the photos. If you plan to go out for a photography session in the dark, it is wise to bring someone along. Also, always make sure it is legal for you to be on any property where you plan to take photos. Courtesy and etiquette in places like cemeteries is always appropriate and helpful as well. As long as it is done safely and intelligently, taking paranormal pictures can be a very interesting and exciting part of the world of photography.

Source: http://www.ghosthalo.com/articles/55/1/Getting-Started-With-Paranormal-Photography/Page1.html/

‘Get away from me you damned priest!’: Shocking documentary captures Vatican-approved exorcist working on ‘possessed’ womanColombian woman claims to have been possessed by demons since 1997
Father José Antonio Fortea is an expert on demonology and official exorcist
The Exorcist in the 21st Century follows priest as he works

By Phil Vinter

A young woman screams uncontrollably as a priest recites a passage from the bible in a final attempt to exorcise the devil which has possessed her for 15 years.

It sounds like something from a horror movie, but this sinister scene is from a new real life documentary that highlights the extraordinary work of one of Europe’s only Vatican-approved ‘exorcists’.

Produced by Norwegian filmmaker Fredrik Horn Akselsen, the film entitled The Exorcist in the 21st Century follows Father José Antonio Fortea on his one man crusade to rid the world of demons.
Scroll down for trailer Devil woman: Constanza, who claims to have been possessed by the devil screams as one of Europe’s only Vatican-approved priests tries to ‘free’ her
The movie is released this month and the new trailer begins with the eerie sound of monks chanting as an anonymous, hooded figure wearing a long black robe mysteriously paces across the camera.

The mysterious man is Father Fortea who meets Constanza, a Colombian woman who claims to have been possessed by demons since 1997.

She says the Spanish exorcist is her last hope for ‘spiritual liberation’.

Adding: ‘I know that Father Fortea is a very wise person who knows demonology and exorcism.
‘I know that through Father Fortea I can be liberated completely.’

EXORCISM: LIFE IMITATES ART
José Antonio Fortea is a Spanish priest who specialises in performing exorcisms.

Father Fortea is also an expert on demonology – the study of satanic forces – having written a number of studies and novels on the topic.

While any Catholic priest or even layman can perform an exorcism, certain priests are specially trained in the art.

Although exorcisms may seem old-fashioned, in fact they became much more popular during the 20th century.

The success of horror films such as 1973 hit The Exorcist is thought to have fuelled the demonic boom.
In disturbing scenes the woman is shown screaming: ‘Get away from me you damned Priest’ as the clergyman tries to exorcise the apparent demon within.

Father Fortea says: ‘Exorcism is a fight between all the forces of light against all the forces of demons.

‘The demon inside the person can call more demons to go there to help him.

‘And at the same time the minister of exorcism can call the saints, call the angels.

‘There is a battle with the weapons of prayer.

‘There are a small number of exorcists, there are a small number of miracles. We are the proof that the kingdom of heaven has arrived.’

The trailer has already attracted huge interest on the internet, but some are casting doubt on the authenticity of the film.
Posting the video on online sharing site Digg, Meredith Woerner writes: ‘Is this the real deal? You be the judge — either way the fervor on display here is pretty chilling.’

The film is director Akselsen’s second documentary.

His debut film Treason and Sabotage premiered on Kosmorama International Film Festival in March 2010.

In addition to this, Akselsen is writing and directing three other projects, currently in development.
Demon slayer: Father Fortea says: ‘There are a small number of exorcists, there are a small number of miracles. We are the proof that the kingdom of heaven has arrived.’

Healing powers? The trailer has already attracted huge interest on the internet, but some are casting doubt on the authenticity of the film.

Video: http://theexorcistdoc.com/

Source:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2125768/New-documentary-shows-shocking-footage-Vatican-approved-exorcist-work.html#ixzz1riF2Fnyq

Alien Big Cats (ABC’s) also know as Phantom cat are large felines such as Lions, Tigers, Panthers and other species of Big cats which appear in regions outside their indigenous range (e.g. a Lions living in wildly in England).

Mainstream science and Governments tend to reject these cryptids exist due to lack of food and breeding population.

For more information on Big Cats:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felidae

Habit
ABC’s have been found in Britain, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Finland, Denmark, Eastern United States, Hawaii, and

Luxembourg.

They can survive in all most any climate as long as can hunt and eat native animals.

What to do if you come across an ABC
While chances are low you will come across a ABC it is good to know what to do DO NOT attempt to go near it, remember it’s a wild animal no different to meeting a lion on a African grassland.

DO NOT RUN away it may chase you just back away slowly always keeping your eyes on it. Call your local animal control and/or the police and report it ASAP when you a safe distance away.

ABC’s around the world:

Great Britain
Britain seems to have the most ABC’s sightings having hundreds of sightings yearly since the mid 1700′s. In 1988, the Ministry of Agriculture took the unusual step of sending in Royal Marines to hunt ABC’s after an increase in the number of mysteriously killed livestock, and subsequent loss of money by farmer. Several Marines claimed to have seen the cat fleetingly but none were killed.

In 2003-2004 the British Big Cats Society recorded 2052 sightings in the UK.

A famous British ABC’s is the Beast of Exmoor.

Australia
Australia, (My home country), has the second most reported ABC’s sightings, the earliest sightings being over a 100 years ago. Many cougars have been sighted in Western Australia since 1979, and in 1981 a $20,000 reward was offered for the capture of a cougar in Western Australia, dead or alive. The reward has never been claimed so far. ABC’s tend to live in mountain ranges and hinterlands (Blue Mountains and Gippslands) and a large colony are known to live just outside of the western suburbs of Sydney.

I myself have seen one (a large black cat about 2 meters long) around my hometown of Kendall (390km (242mi) north of Sydney) but sadly he was shy, often running away – I haven’t seen him since 2009.

Famous Aussie ABC’s are:
Gippsland phantom cat
Blue Mountains Big cats

USA
United States has the many confirmed ABC’s living in remote parts of just about most states most notable in the Southern States

In California, Phantom black “panthers” have been reported across the state more so in the north of the state. There is a lot of misidentifying of native cats in Mississippi and Florida often making ABC’s sightings false and unreliable in these areas.

Hikers in northern Delaware forests have to be careful as a pride of African Lions are known to live there numbering about 15 according to reports and there have been unsuccessful attempts to remove them.

Others
Denmark, the Netherlands and Luxembourg have had a few ABC sightings in the last 10 years but after police investigation it has been found that the ABCs were unusually large house cats.

Source: http://www.paranormalboards.com/blog/alien-big-cats/