Joe Taylor's Death at the WV State Penitentiary

Cell Block at WV State Penitentiary, ca 1912
Source: WV History on View

The West Virginia State Penitentiary is one of the most haunted locations in the Mountain State, if the not the country. With a VERY long history of violence, including deaths from illness, suicide, murder, and execution, it's no wonder why many of the prison's former inmates are still sticking around...

There are plenty of ghost stories out there attached to the West Virginia State Penitentiary, and I've covered many of them here on Theresa's Haunted History. However, as part of my dedication to fully covering as much HISTORY as possible on these awesome spooky locations, every once in awhile, I like to share the non-paranormal stuff as well. I like to share the every day atmosphere of what it was like to live and work in these locations. I like to share interesting, and somewhat funny tales. And, I like to share the stories of those who called these places home...their lives and their deaths.

Today, I'll be sharing the story of Joseph 'Joe' Taylor, a middle-aged man from Putnam County who was a known dealer of illegal whiskey, an arsonist, and an all around bad dude. Despite being known in his hometown as a dangerous and hardened man, prison life proved just too much for Joe.

According to the (Point Pleasant) Weekly Register, Joe's legal woes go back to at least 1896, although I'm guessing he was already known to local law enforcement well before then. But, in November of that year, Joe had been on the lam. Not long before, he had been arrested for moonshining and taken to the Cabell County Jail, where he promptly escaped the next day. Joe had a change of heart, though and wrote a letter to Deputy Marshal D.W. Frampton, saying he wanted to surrender. 

Local papers didn't record whether or not Joe served any time for that infraction, or any other time before finally REALLY crossing the line in May of 1905.

Joe was still heavily involved in his bootleg whiskey business and living in Putnam County, WV. But, he had beef with another local family. William Larck/Lark/Larick and his wife, Alice lived about 4 miles from Winfield and were staunch members of the temperance movement. Early in May 1905, a member of the Larck family swore out a warrant for Joe Taylor for the illegal sale of whiskey. Deputy Sheriff C.A. Howell went to arrest Joe, but didn't actually take him into custody that evening, as Joe promised to appear before court on his own. Instead of showing up for court, however, several days later Joe showed up at the Larck family home.

In the early hours of May 25th, around 2am, seven shots were fired into the Larck home, where William and Alice lived with their 3-5 children (the number varies according to article). After the seven shots were fired into the home, an incendiary device was launched into the home, setting it ablaze. The family fled the burning home only to meet MORE gunfire. Mrs. Larck (one report says Mr. Larck, instead) was shot in the foot as she fled. Nearby neighbors, seeing the fire, started to arrive to help, and some of them swore they saw Joe running from the scene.

Joe couldn't be found, so bloodhounds were brought in, and the next morning he was found hiding in the loft/garrette of his own home. He was taken into custody, but talk of a lynching led authorities to take him to the jail in Charleston for his own safety. 

When Joe's trial finally concluded in August, it didn't end in Joe's favor. During the course of the trial, it came out that Joe had tried to bribe anyone and everyone he could. He tried to bribe Detective H.C. Smith to let him escape while held in Charleston. He tried to bribe Detective T.G. Cochran with $3000 to let him escape during his transport back to Winfield for trial. He also tried to bribe two 'friends,' Vess Burdette and Jerry Keen to say that they were with him on the night of May 24th. Vess and Jerry actually did show up to court to testify (they were promised $1000 each) but they got scared and left when they saw how upset everyone was over the attempted assassination of the Larck family and the act of arson that left them with their home completely destroyed.

Two people who DID testify on Joe's behalf were his aunt and his mother, who both claimed that he was home all night with them in the house they shared. As an added historical bonus, I did find a Taylor family living in the area on the 1880 census. 12 year old Joseph Taylor was living with his 80 year old grandmother, Frances Taylor, and her two daughters, Jennette and Leelie. It doesn't mention who Joseph's mother is, but I find it interesting they all have the same last name. It does sound like Joseph was borne to an unwed mother, who raised him with the help of his grandmother and aunt.

Anyway, their testimony did little to save him. After only 10 minutes of deliberation, the jury found him guilty on the charges of arson and attempted murder. Judge E.S. Doolittle sentenced him to a life sentence of hard labor at the West Virginia State Penitentiary in Moundsville. 

For awhile, it seemed like Joe had come to terms with his plight. He had a job with the Joseph Klees & Sons Pants Factory, who contracted out prison labor for the price of 62 cents per inmate per day. It was said Joe was a hard-worker, but that he was difficult to get along with. Still, he was in good health and otherwise seemed as okay as one who was to spend the rest of his life in prison could be.

Until the night of February 11th, 1906.

At 2 am (there's a pattern here) Guard Maysfield was making his usual rounds throughout the cell block and found the approximately 36 year old Joe dead in his cell. Joe had taken his muffler, tied one end around his neck and the other to some wires in the ceiling, and lifted his feet up until he lost consciousness. Taylor had only been there 6-7 months. His family was notified of the death, but as of the last newspaper article available, no one had come forth to claim his body and he was presumably buried in the prison's cemetery. 

Thus ended the tragic tale of Joe Taylor. He was just one of many men who found themselves in a similar mental state of not being able to cope with the looming idea of a life in the WV State Pen. 

*Want MORE WV Penitentiary stories from Theresa? WV State Penitentiary Page*

Sources:

1880 US Census (Family Search)

The Weekly Register. 18 November 1896

The Fairmont West Virginian. 26 May 1905

The Weekly Register. 31 May 1905

Hinton Daily News. 21 August 1905

The Fairmont West Virginian. 21 August 1905

The Independent Herald. 15 February 1906

The Fairmont West Virginian. 30 April 1909

The Weekly Register. 23 August 1905

Pterodactyl: A Friday Funny

Source

A recent live-streaming of Wild and Weird Radio made me remember a rather strange incident that happened back in 2007. When you think about the gravity of the situation (how this young man could have really hurt himself or someone else and the idea that there may be some underlying mental health issues involved) it isn't really THAT funny, but the whole incident is absurd enough to classify it as a Friday Funny. Plus, I'll admit that when I did first hear this story, I may have laughed just a little too hard. 

Anyway...

The date was Thursday, December 27th, 2007. A 29 year old man from Wenatchee, Washington was driving northbound on Wenatchee Avenue around 11:30pm. According to witnesses, the man drifted into the southbound lane, drove for a little less than a block while on-coming traffic pulled over to accommodate him... and then crashed into a street lamp. 

Fortunately, there were no serious injuries in this single-vehicle crash, and after being treated at Central Washington Hospital, the man was released into police custody, where he was charged with negligent driving. When police asked what caused the man to drift into the wrong lane and ultimately crash, he would only respond with a one-word answer: pterodactyl. 

Obviously, the man was given a breath-alcohol test on the scene, but according to Sgt. Cherie Smith, there was only a minimal amount of alcohol in the man's system. I've never seen a follow-up as to whether a full toxicology screen showed anything else in his system, and the press seemed to have dropped the matter after the initial story. 

So what happened? Did this guy really see a pterodactyl, or was this just a spur-of-the-moment excuse for the accident? There were witnesses to the incident and no one else reported a long-extinct flying reptile, or any similar creature, either on the scene or in the general area that night. However...

Washington State does apparently have quite a few sightings of pterodactyls/pterosaurs, reported before AND after this event, especially in the vicinity of Olympic National Park, according to crypto-researcher Loren Coleman.  That's interesting, but I'm not sure it's enough to prove that this guy really did see a pterodactyl anywhere outside of his own mind. Happily, no one was hurt and this story became just one in a long list of head-scratching, chuckle inducing WTF moments. 

*As far as I can tell, this story first appeared 28 December 2007 in the  Everett Herald in an article written by Rachel Schleif...which is where the info came from. Stay spooky ya'll...and keep your eyes on the skies, EXCEPT while trying to drive! 

Wild and Weird Bigfoot Workshop 2023

In 2021, I participated in Wild and Weird WV's first ever Bigfoot Workshop at the Kanawha State Forest. It was a day filled with awesome information and learning new skills, delicious food, and fun hanging with friends. I had a great time, so when the 2023 workshop was announced, I signed up almost immediately! And, just like the last one, this was an awesome, educational experience...but with some added WEIRDNESS!

The day started off normally enough. Well, now that I think about it, it really didn't. Since I was late for the last event, I left super early. I stopped in at the KSF gift shop for some insect spray and a cold soda, and made my way to where I THOUGHT the shelter was. The signage for shelters in KSF is...lacking...so I started driving around, frantically, trying to find someone I recognized. Finally, I went back to the place I started and realized that I HAD been in the right place, but that the shelter was actually hidden down a path to the side, so that's why I didn't see it. I wasn't the only one who had trouble finding it, so I was still there in plenty of time. In fact, Joe (one of the main guys in charge!) had mysteriously disappeared and not yet returned. But, one of the park rangers was there to let us know that there was no power currently at our section. 

Joe Perdue

Eventually, everyone found there way to the right place, and thanks to a small, portable generator, we were able to successfully get through a small video presentation of some awesome evidence that the Wild and Weird High Strangeness Collective had collected over the years. Joe and Ron both spoke on a variety of topics related to the Bigfoot field, teaching about proper evidence collection, best equipment to use and how to use it, and even delving into the stranger aspects of Bigfoot data. A special treat was Glenn Adkins from the Ohio Squatch Project giving a short presentation, sharing his expertise, and bringing plenty of his world-famous Squatch Sticks to sell!

A thunderstorm popped up, which caused a few presentations to have to stay under the shelter, including making our own plaster casts, but in the long run, it may have actually been a good thing. After a good rain, it cleared up and the group went out on a short hike to just learn some things to look for. My back was hurting super bad, but I was determined to make it out there. I made it about halfway before I started having a panic attack, afraid I'd get out there, but not make it back. So, I turned around and walked back to the shelter that was closer to the trail. I sat awhile to wait for the group to come back. I hadn't been sitting there too long, when I looked up and Joe was booking it towards the shelter at a full run. I thought for sure someone was injured, but he just yelled, "found tracks," and kept going, headed to our shelter for the casting supplies. 

I decided I didn't come this far NOT to see actual Bigfoot prints in KSF, so I forced myself to make it down the path to where everyone was. Sure enough, they had found several prints in the creek area. Since there really wasn't much I could do, except stand, I went BACK to the other shelter to sit for awhile. At one point, I heard what I swear were footprints right beside me, and thought the group was coming back. I started to turn my head, and thought I saw something white run across the path. But, no person was there and it was quite awhile until the rest of the team came out in two groups. 

(Oddly, it was right about the time heard and saw something, that my grandma passed away in hospice. I didn't find out until I left the park and returned to a location where I could get cell service and noticed I had a ton of missed texts telling me.)

Ron Lanham

After the second group had settled back in at the base shelter, we realized that they had quite a unique experience. While coming back down the trail, a large rock had been 'thrown' at them. By that time, it was getting on in the day, and time to start getting ready for dinner, which consisted of hamburgers, hotdogs, chips, Joe's famous slaw and chili and a special treat of Dutch babies for dessert. But, while waiting for dinner to cook, we all had a good scare---a large tree nearby bit the dust. As it fell, it sounded exactly like gunshots going off---gunshots too close to have been coming from the firing range. That was pretty unnerving, but kind of exciting at the same time. Was it just simply a tree, damaged by the earlier storm, falling down, or was it just part of the larger, weirder picture?

Unfortunately, I realized that I had JR's wallet, and he'd need dinner soon, so I didn't stay for the night hike (I probably couldn't physically handle it anyway, lol). I headed back to the apartment and didn't hear much about how the rest of the evening went until that Thursday, when the Wild and Weird WV Radio live stream was devoted to the subject. That's when we all found out that even more strangeness was going on that night.

During the night hike, one of the participants who stayed by herself at the shelter heard what sounded like a larger animal prowling around, so she went and sat in her vehicle. There were some strange anomalies caught, some strange sounds heard, and as we found out, a number of people (including myself) had technical difficulties with their phones/cameras saying that their storage was full. And as a final goodbye to the park that night, one member noticed a strange, albino deer by the side of the road.

So yeah. It was a weird one, and what I've discussed is just brushing the surface. You're definitely gonna want to watch the Wild and Weird live-stream, as well as the Wild and Weird video, What Was in the Woods During the Bigfoot Workshop for a better understanding of what all went on that day.

Glenn Adkins

Overall, it was a hell of an experience! Even without all the crazy stuff we experienced, it was a great event. Participants were given flashlights, notebooks, pens, and an awesome art print by the late, great Wayne Barnes. We were treated to top-notch information from some of the best researchers/investigators in the field and given the opportunity for hands-on learning. We had a delicious dinner. And, best of all, we got to all hang out and talk about our experiences. It's always a really special time when you get to meet and learn from people with similar interests. Everyone was so kind and so accepting of the different theories and the different stories people had to share. It felt more like a family reunion  than a workshop of strangers, and that's one of the things I love about the Wild and Weird events. I laughed a lot and I learned a lot, and am now eagerly awaiting the next one!

If you'd like to get in on the strangeness, please follow Wild and Weird WV!

Yet Another Ghost App Ghost!

Hey, ya'll! Here we are, halfway through 2023 and fraudulent ghost app photos are still popping up on social media. Apps that have a database of ghostly images, which one can easily pop into any of their own photos, were popular ten years ago...and apparently are once again fooling paranormal enthusiasts. 

The image above was recently posted on the Facebook page, Disbelief Paranormal Official, noting that the source credit goes to the site, Ghosts of London. According to the caption: This photo was emailed to me by my son, who took this whilst standing in my living room. There is nothing in this corner other than the picture on the wall. I took some more pictures of that corner but I do not see anything in them at all. Now I’m a little freaked out! I truly do not understand this.

As soon as I saw this come across my scrolling, I recognized it immediately. This particular photo, including the living room background, goes back to at least 2017, but the 'ghost' is a bit older. It can be found prominently on display on the opening screen of one of the OG ghost hoax apps---Ghost Capture, by Ghosts Aren't Real. I've included a photo of the menu screen with the image in question circled in red. 

The closer we get to Halloween, the more and more these fraudulent ghost photos will appear on various social media platforms. Remember to stay vigilant, do your research, and when in doubt, seek it out! And, as a quick reminder, remember to be kind. Many people who post these types of photos are being fooled by friends/family, or see it posted, and share it without doing their due diligence. Be kind and TACTFULLY educate them. If they refuse to accept the truth, at least you tried. 

Happy Haunting, friends!

TALA Tales: Too Much Fiddlin'

Bill Hensley, Mountain Fiddle Player
(NOT Insane)

My last several stories from the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum have focused on some interesting causes for admittance, based on the infamous info-graphic (found HERE). There are quite a few strange reasons why someone would find themselves as a patient at West Virginia's most infamous hospital for the mentally ill, but one reason I didn't find was: Too Much Fiddlin'.

Okay, actually too much fiddlin' IS one of the reasons, but in that case it had a different meaning! What we're talking about today is a man named James Conart from Wetzel County who went insane after getting a little too engaged in playing the actual fiddle at local dance. 

While playing the fiddle for a dance in Pine Grove during the summer of 1909, it is said that Conart suddenly became demented and had to be taken to the Wetzel County Jail at New Martinsville, where several days later, Justice Gordon deemed him insane and sentenced him to the state hospital at Weston (also known as the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum). But it wasn't just fiddle playing that seemed to agitate Conart's disordered thinking. The newspaper article about his incarceration also stated that he constantly asked anyone and everyone for some cider, but when it was brought to him in hopes of settling him down, he refused it.

Music absolutely has a way of affecting us in a variety of ways, and I can see where someone, already fragile, may become so obsessed with sawing the strings that their mind takes a temporary break from reality. However, I can't help but wonder if there was some other reason behind this man's condition. Did he see his sweetheart dancing with another at the dance? Was he already exhausted and stressed from other things going on in his life? Or was he just simply a mentally ill individual who finally snapped? Unfortunately, as of yet, I've been unable to find any follow-up on Conart and his condition, but as always, I hope it had a good outcome. 

Update September 2024: 

Thanks to an article from the Point Pleasant Register that I stumbled upon by complete accident, I was able to uncover some more information. James Conart is actually James Cozart, with a Z! According to that article, Cozart's affliction began due to his fiddle playing at a Fourth of July celebration. He began playing at 10am and went to midnight during Pine Grove's Independence Day celebration, and then kept it up for two more days. This was thought to have turned his mind, as he became violent.

With a correct spelling of his name, I was also able to find an unfortunate update to this story. James Cozart passed away on July 2, 1917 while still at the Weston State Hospital. He died of exhaustion from acute mania. He was only 45 years old. Ironically, he was taken on to Wetzel County and buried on July 4th. His mania began with the Fourth of July, and it ended on the same day, eight years later. 

Clarksburg Telegram
July 15, 1909

 

The Point Pleasant Register
21 July 1909

James Cozart's Death Certificate
WV State Archives

Charleston's Clicking Ghost

Charleston, WV ca 1920
Source: WV History on View

I love a good, local ghost story! Today's tale comes from the September 5, 1920 edition of the Charleston Daily Mail, and shares the experiences of one family living in a two-story home in the city. Unfortunately, there are no names, addresses, or any other clues to help figure out WHICH house is being discussed. All we know is that in addition to the family, the home contained a 'clicking' ghost.

The family had moved into the home several years prior, and weren't there very long before they noticed a strange phenomenon. Day or night, whatever the season, they'd hear strange noises coming from various points throughout the house, including the living room, dining room, upstairs and downstairs halls, and even the bedrooms. But, this noise was unlike the normal noises made by settling homes, experiencing shifts in temperature and humidity. This noise was a very distinct 'click,' not unlike someone snapping their fingers. 

While the family quietly engaged in reading or other activities, out of nowhere would come the clicking sound, arousing everyone's attention. However, this was always just one, lone, solitary click, and as much as the family strained to hear another, the next click never came sooner than 1-2 hours later, and always from a different part of the house. 

In terms of paranormal activity, these clicks were pretty mundane, and the family just accepted that they had a ghost, even commenting jovially on the subject. But, activity would take a slight upward turn during the summer of 1920. It was then that the family began using a previously unoccupied bedchamber. Apparently, this room wasn't exactly unoccupied, for it would seem that it was actually the personal space of the clicking ghost!

After moving into this room, the family noticed that while the clicks in the rest of the house were sometimes rather faint, the clicks coming from this room were consistently clear, sharp and crisp. They also tended to come more frequently, and occurred rather close to wherever the person was at in the room at the time. If they were in bed, the noise would come from around the headboard. If they were by the dresser, that's where the click was heard. 

The family insisted that these noises were not emanating from the walls, floors, or even ceiling. Rather, they seemed to be coming from right in the middle of the room, floating about 5 to 6 feet above the floor, further convincing them that the clicks were the work of a phantom guest snapping his fingers.

By the end of the newspaper column, the father of the family notes that the ghost, along as it keeps to just the snapping, is welcome to stay. However, if it starts pulling the bedclothes off, it better watch out!

My first thoughts in reading this were that the clicking noises sound a lot like poltergeist activity, but poltergeists tend to not stick around for very long and many times, the activity quickly intensifies until it reaches a head. This ghost just seemed most content to click or snap every now and again reside peacefully among this Charleston family, who fortunately, was more than willing to also coexist peacefully with their ghost! 

Charleston Daily Mail
5 September 1920

WV's Canyon Monster

Blackwater Falls State Park

This upcoming Saturday, I'll once again be joining Wild and Weird WV at the Kanawha State Forest for a hands-on Bigfoot workshop! (Click HERE for my blog on the 2021 workshop.) I'm looking forward to a day filled with food, friends, and fun, learning all about Bigfoot and how best to document any explorations into his existence. Therefore, I've spent the summer doing a lot of reading, watching, and listening to any and all media I can find concerning Bigfoot. But, I've yet to actually WRITE anything about Bigfoot...until now. I thought today would be the perfect time to share a little about West Virginia's Canyon Monster. 

Much of West Virginia has had its fair share of Bigfoot sightings and reports, but between 1960 and 1975, a major flap of encounters were coming out of Tucker County, located in the northeastern part of the state. Many of these sightings were located in or near the town of Davis, particularly an area near the Monongahela National Forest and Blackwater Falls State Park. The monster (or monsters) were named the Canyon Monster after the Blackwater Canyon, an eight-mile gorge containing the Blackwater River. 

Things seem to have gotten their start with an incident occurring during the summer of 1960. Several young men were camping in a wooded area just outside of Davis, when one of the guys was tasked with chopping some firewood. As he was working, he heard a noise and felt a jab to his ribs. Probably pretty perturbed that his buddies were messing with him while he was laboring over the firewood, he turned around and came face to face with what he described as a 'horrible monster.' Standing in front of him was a creature with "two huge eyes that shone like big balls of fire." The eyes were very far apart, and the creature, standing at least 8 feet tall, was covered in shaggy hair. 

We found these "Bigfoot" structures at Blackwater 
Falls State Park on vacation in 2020!

After staring at each other in shock for a moment, the creature ran off into the woods. The witness, although pretty shaken, decided along with his buddies that it would be better to go ahead and spend the night there, rather than try to trek out in the darkness. It's hard to say whether or not the young man's friends initially believed his fantastical story, but at first light, the group found large footprints in the mud, leading into the woods going the same route as the creature was reported to go. 

The same, or similar creature, was spotted around Parsons, WV that summer as well. And, even though sources say the 'flap' ended in 1975, the area around Blackwater Falls is STILL getting Bigfoot reports. In 2007, a footprint found off the Canaan Loop Road was investigated by Cliff Barackman and shown on the television program, Finding Bigfoot.

Blackwater Falls State Park and the surrounding areas are absolutely beautiful and tranquil, and I can see where Bigfoot would enjoy living in the area. If you or somebody you know has had a Bigfoot encounter in this area, I'd love to hear about it. Please let me know in the comments below, or find m over on Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State Facebook Page! 

Happy Squatchin'!