Fun with Possession

I've always wanted to do this. Unfortunately, any time I've stumbled or fallen in front of other people, I've been so embarrassed I couldn't think straight---so there's a very real possibility that I would totally forget about this.  But---I guess I could stumble on PURPOSE, lol. #KeepPossessionFunny

Throwback Thursday: 2016 Mothman Photos

On November 20, 2016, a man driving down Route 2 in the Point Pleasant area spotted something strange in the trees. He pulled over, grabbed his phone, and snapped several pictures. 

The cryptozoological and paranormal world was delighted when a local television station, WCHS, ran the story the next day. Although he turned down an on-camera interview with reporter Fallon Pierson, the man who took the photos shown above swore that they were not doctored in any way.  And, due to the close proximity of Pt. Pleasant, WV and the fact that the creature looks slightly humanoid with long legs bent at an angle, many assumed that Mothman had returned to the area, almost 50 years to the day of his original sightings in Pt. Pleasant.

It's really fun to think that West Virginia's most famous cryptid has made a return and the proof was caught on camera. However, almost immediately, some very knowledgeable people presented some logical explanations. For example, many believe that this is a large bird of prey, possibly a type of owl. The 'legs' that make the creature appear humanoid are actually caused by a snake being held in the bird's talons. 

To me, that explanation makes the most sense...but there's another theory that emerged that I actually find kind of comical---intriguing, but definitely amusing to look at!  That theory states that the man who captured the anomalous photos managed to capture a rare moment when a bald eagle (or similar bird) was flying upside down!  There have been documented cases of eagles briefly flying in this manner, as evidenced by the photos below by Pam Mullins.

No matter what caused these strange photos, it was definitely a really fun thing to see covered by the local news, who also consulted Jeff Wamsley at the Mothman Museum and other Pt. Pleasant locals and visitors for input.  ( The video segment can be found here on YouTube .) I certainly followed the story as it was developing at the time, but never got around to blogging about it, until now. The reason why I chose now as the right time was because for some strange reason, this past week or so, I have stumbled across those photos above no less than 5 times! I thought that must be a sign to finally give this crazy, wacky story a place of its own at Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State! Stay spooky, stay weird, and keep your eyes to the skies---you never know what you might see!

Richard T. Cooper's Otherworldly Art

According to HorrorPedia, Richard Tennant Cooper was an obscure British artist whose metaphorical phantasmic paintings show the negative effects of both disease and medical cures on the human body. Born in 1885 and leaving this life in 1957, there isn't a whole lot known about Cooper, but he's left behind a legacy of REALLY creepy paintings with a paranormal element.  

I've chosen to highlight this particular watercolor completed around 1912.I can't figure out if it has no title, and just a description...or if the description is just a really long title, lol. Either way, the painting is known as "A sickly female invalid sits covered up on a balcony overlooking a beautiful view, death (a ghostly skeleton clenching a scythe and an hourglass) is standing next to her.”

I specifically chose a painting with a tuberculosis theme to it because of the idea that the disease itself has such a link to paranormal phenomenon. Over the years, TB, or consumption, was mistaken for vampirism, such as with the case of Mercy Brown. And, as many paranormal enthusiasts will attest, Kentucky's Waverly Hills, a former TB hospital, is one of the most haunted locations in the country.  Before the discovery of penicillin as an effective way to combat TB, a common 'treatment' at Waverly Hills and other TB sanitariums was giving the patient plenty of fresh air. Large balconies filled with patient beds were a staple in these places, despite the outside temperatures.  Cooper seems to have beautifully, and creepily, captured a young woman waiting for the inevitable death sentence that so often accompanied a TB diagnosis in those early days.

To see more of Cooper's work, please check out the HorrorPedia article linked above. 

Real-life balcony. Source

Keeping a Journal

In general, journaling has a ton of benefits. It's a great outlet for one's creativity and even has some therapeutic properties. It's also a great way to organize thoughts and keep a written record of things to remember.  And that's why I HIGHLY recommend journaling as a first step to anyone who is experiencing paranormal activity!

Journaling is really important if you're dealing with potentially paranormal events, and especially if you plan on calling in a paranormal investigation team to help you sort things out. But WHY is it so important? There are plenty of reasons why journaling is a good idea, but there's two main reasons I want to focus on---documentation and analysis.

Documentation:  The human memory is not that great. Not only do we tend to easily forget things, but we tend to not remember things very accurately. And the more time that passes between the actual event and when you try to recall it, the fuzzier the details are going to be. So, writing everything down as soon as possible gives you the best possible chance for accuracy. Further, if you're experiencing paranormal activity on a fairly regular basis, you might not be able to remember the details for every single event. If you have a paranormal investigation team come to your location to check out the claims, this is absolutely crucial. With journaling, you are able to give them a more complete look at what is going on and how often it is going on. Which, leads to the next major benefit of journaling: analysis.

Analysis: So, you've got your written record of what is going on. What are you going to do with it? Keeping a journal can actually help you and anyone else you call in come to some conclusions. You might start seeing some patterns emerge. Perhaps activity increases during certain times of the year or only at certain times of the day. An investigator can use this information to plan on the best possible date and time for an investigation. Perhaps you notice that potential poltergeist phenomenon is preceded by the sound of a train whistle---you or a paranormal investigator can use that information to see if the activity is correlated, either as being a naturally explained result of a train going by, or perhaps some paranormal reason.  In order to best see patterns emerge, there has to be enough good information included in each journal entry.

What to Include:
1. Date and exact time of experience.
2. How long the experience lasted.
3. Who witnessed the activity.
4. Who else was present, but did NOT witness the activity.
5. Exact location of the activity.
6. Weather conditions.
7. Explain what you SAW in as much detail as possible.
8. Explain what you HEARD in as much detail as possible.
9. Consider adding a drawing of anything you saw.
10. What did you SMELL, if anything?
11. How did the activity end? Did you see/hear the conclusion to the event, or did you leave the area?
12. Did you try to interact with the activity? If so, what was the result?
13. What did you do to try to explain/debunk the activity?
14. How did you FEEL---before, during, and after the activity?
15. Has the location changed physically lately...moved furniture, renovations, etc.?
16. Have there been any visitors to the property lately---anyone that doesn't live/work/etc. there?
17. Have there been any major personal changes, such as new job, new baby, divorce, etc.?
18. Include anything else that you feel may be relevant to the activity.
19. If you've done any research on your own, consider adding documentation of that to your journal.

A few extra things to keep in mind when journaling your paranormal experiences:

1. Each person who has witnessed the activity should provide their own journal entry.

2. Each person should write up their experience BEFORE discussing the event with any other witnesses.

3. Journaling doesn't have to be done in a standard notebook. If you're more comfortable, you can keep your notes type-written on your computer (just make sure you have a back-up saved) or if you prefer, you can even keep audio notes with a voice recorder or voice recording software.

4. Children who witness the activity can journal, too! They can draw pictures of what they experienced, and/or you can transcribe for them if they are too young to get their thoughts written down. Just be careful to avoid leading questions and influencing the child's experience with your own thoughts.

5. Most importantly, document the event(s) as soon as possible after they occur! The fresher they are in your mind, the more accurate your information is likely to be. You can always go back and add additional details later as they come to you.

Please see this blog post from Antietam Paranormal for more great tips on why and how to document your paranormal experiences! 

Keeping a Paranormal Journal 

Book Review: Wild & Wonderful (and Paranormal) West Virginia

Title: Wild & Wonderful (and Paranormal) West Virginia
Author: Denver Michaels
Published by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (February 18, 2017)
Amazon Ordering Information

I get giddy whenever I come across an interesting new book on West Virginia's paranormal history. Therefore, when I saw a review of Denver Michaels' Wild & Wonderful (and Paranormal) West Virginia, I decided to skip the wishlist and just go ahead and order my copy.  As an unexpected, yet VERY cool surprise, when I ordered my hard copy from Amazon, I was given a free ebook copy, as well!

Because of that free gift, I have managed to finish the book and prepare this book review before my print copy has even arrived.  Although it was packed with information, it was a quick and engaging read; I easily tore through it in an evening and was not disappointed!

Throughout ten chapters, Denver Michaels manages to cram in stories about ghosts, UFOs, various examples of West Virginia's creepy critters, and all manner of Fortean phenomenon in the Mountain State.  Hometown favorites such as Mothman, Sheepsquatch, and The Braxton County Monster are featured, but some lesser-known weirdness is included as well. Creatures such as 'Vegetable Man,' The Grafton Monster, and the Snarly Yow make an appearance within the pages of this book.

Trying to take on ALL of the strange stories from within West Virginia would be impossible to accomplish in just one book, but I think the author does a fine job with touching upon some of the more interesting cases. However, I had two slight problems---the first being the fact that the author is not from West Virginia. Now, that in and of itself is not a problem.  Michaels is actually from Virginia and has stated that he has lived within an hour of the West Virginia border his entire life. The problem is, there were several instances where he relies heavily on sightings and stories that take place in Virginia and nearby states, and then sort of mentions that similar things have been reported or easily could have been found in West Virginia. It was nice hearing about bordering states' creatures, as I feel that gives the whole phenomenon a much broader context, but I would personally like more examples from here.

Secondly, and this is probably biased---but I felt like the whole section on hauntings was really glossed over. Only a handful of popular locations, many of them pay-to-play sites, were mentioned, with not a whole lot of history, evidence, or even reports of activity to accompany them. Again, I completely understand that trying to include a comprehensive selection of haunted sites from West Virginia would be impossible in one book, but since ghosts and hauntings are my personal favorite aspect of the paranormal, I was a little disappointed.

However, there was one aspect of the book that I was REALLY pleased with seeing. The author tackles the intriguing question of WHY. Why is West Virginia such a hotbed of paranormal activity? Why do we seemingly have such a high number of ghosts, UFOs, creatures, and other strange phenomenon?  I won't give too much away, but students of West Virginia history and/or ghost lore are probably familiar with some of our Native American legends and the fact that West Virginia is a state born out of a bloody Civil War. Could our violent past and history of strange inhabitants be the cause of today's sightings?

Overall, this was a really good book. It was well-written and flowed nicely, giving a good cross-section of West Virginia weirdness. I'd definitely recommend a copy of Wild & Wonderful (and Paranormal) West Virginia to anyone who loves a good dose of the unexplained.

*More Book Reviews*

The Haunted Cowee Tunnel and the Fugitive Ghost

My usual routine is to research a topic and write a blog about it. That blog then gets shared on Facebook, Twitter, and maybe one of the other social media platforms I play around on. However, there are times when just the opposite happens---I'll be inspired to write a blog post AFTER posting the information on Facebook.  And, that's the idea behind today's blog, lol. 

It all started with a video from one of my favorite YouTube explorers, The Carpetbagger. In one of his travels, he tells the story of the haunted Cowee train tunnel near Dillsboro, North Carolina. I've embedded the video below for you to watch, but the basic gist of the tale is both sad and horrific. 

On December 30, 1882, work was being done to dig a tunnel for the Great Smokey Mountain Railway, just outside Dillsboro, North Carolina. The digging was the work of an African-American chain gang, many of the group having been sent to prison over incidents of petty theft. To access the tunnel, the group had to take a boat across the Tuckasegee River from their camp on the other side.  On that fateful day, 19 men would never see the other side of the river alive again.  

The boat began to fill with water, and the men panicked. The more they panicked, the worse conditions got, and the boat quickly capsized. For 19 of the men, chained together, this was a death sentence. Tangled together, they sank to the bottom of the icy river.

Not all lives aboard the boat were lost, however. Anderson Drake was a black overseer who wasn't attached to the chain gang. Not only was he able to swim to safety, but he also managed to jump back into the river and save the life of a white guard named Fleet Foster.

Now, one would think that Foster would be grateful to have been pulled from the clutches of icy death, but it would seem that he felt offended that his life was in the hands of a black man, and a criminal at that. So, later that evening when his wallet went 'missing,' and the prisoners searched, it was found among the possessions of Drake. Drake, who should have been hailed as a hero, was severely beaten and had his sentence extended.

A few days later, the bodies of the 19 men who perished were removed from the river and buried in a mass grave near the site. Work continued on the tunnel, but the story does not end here. Many believe that to this day, the Cowee train tunnel is haunted. Even in dry weather, the tunnel is prone to vast amounts of moisture dripping from its ceiling and sides. Visitors attribute this to being the tears of the 19 deceased men. Also attributed to the men are the frequently heard voices and screams, crying out from the area around the tunnel.

Some even say the tunnel is cursed, possibly by Anderson Drake in response to his harsh treatment. Over the years, the tunnel has seen cave-ins, derailments, and other horrific accidents. But the weirdest ghost story associated with the tunnel wouldn't surface until decades after the incident.

When the movie, The Fugitive (1993) was being filmed, CGI technology was not what it is today. So,

to achieve the best possible shot for the iconic prison bus vs. train scene, a REAL bus and train wreck was staged on scene near Dillsboro, NC...only about a mile or so away from the haunted Cowee train tunnel!  After filming wrapped up, the remnants of the wreck were simply left on the side of the road, much to the delight of film buffs, urban explorers, and YouTubers. You can still visit the area and get up close and personal with the abandoned movie props....but that's not the most interesting part of this whole scene.

Allegedly, when that shot was being filmed, someone (or someTHING!) managed to show up on camera that shouldn't have been there. If you look closely at the part when Harrison Ford is looking up from inside the train crash, you can see what appears to be a face of a man, wearing a hat, peering down into the camera. This anomaly was confirmed by a member of production in an 'extras' interview, which can be viewed on YouTube.  He says that no one could identify the man  at the time and that his image was digitally removed from the DVD copy of the movie. You can still see it on VHS copies and throughout YouTube, with much speculation as to whether or not the image was a ghost.  Some say that he was probably a fireman on set that accidentally got caught on film.  Others believe he is a ghost associated with the Cowee Tunnel, located just a mile or so away from where the filming took place. Take a look at the footage from the link provided and let me know what YOU think!

Extra Links and Reading:
YouTube footage--DVD Interview and Ghost Scene from The Fugitive
Smoky Mountain News Article by Garrett K. Woodward
Atlas Obscura: The Fugitive Train Wreck
Dave Tabler article from Appalachian History
The Carpetbagger YouTube Channel

Life on the Edge: A Friday Funny

Poor Gary! I hope your weekend will be better than Gary's! Happy Funny Friday, everyone...and if your area is expecting snow tonight and tomorrow, stay safe and warm. 

The Talking Tree of Paducah, Kentucky

I've really enjoyed sharing some strange and unusual vintage newspaper articles lately! Today's post features an article from the Paducah, Kentucky area. It seems that the farm of William Albert is home to a very special talking tree---one that keeps telling anyone who will listen that "there are treasures buried at my roots." The article states that a group of citizens tried to investigate the unknown voice, but there is no mention of anyone trying to dig up the tree and see if there really WAS treasure! 

This article was posted 6 February 1905 in the New York Times. 

Weird Art Wednesday: Franz Sedlacek's Gespenster Auf Dem Baum

Austrian artist, Franz Sedlacek, led a seemingly normal life for the most part. He was born in 1891, went to college, served in WWI, finished school, got married, and had a couple of daughters. However, he belonged to an artistic movement known as New Objectivity, which, according to Wikipedia, was quite similar to Magical Realism. And, its easy to see from much of his artwork that something was a little....different...in his creativity.

Sedlacek wasn't always a painter. In fact, he was trained as a chemist and started his art career drawing humorous cartoons, which led to a stint in graphic art and design. It wasn't until later that he would concentrate on oil painting, and would create some REALLY awesome and REALLY strange paintings.

Out of Sedlacek's spookier works, I felt an immediate draw to this painting, completed in 1933. The name of the painting is Gespenster Auf Dem Baum, which translates to The Ghosts on the Tree.

Sedlacek is said to have died in 1945 when he 'disappeared' in Poland while serving in WWII, although he wasn't legally declared dead until decades later. You can read more about Franz Sedlacek on his official website.

Detail of 'ghosts'

The River of Evil Spirits

Kanawha River at Pt. Pleasant---Source

I have lived my whole life within sight of the mighty Kanawha River. Approximately 97 miles long, the Kanawha River stretches from Gauley Bridge in Fayette County to Point Pleasant, where it then meets the Ohio River. And, all my life, I've heard 'outsiders' absolutely BUTCHER the pronunciation, lol.

So just where does this strange name come from?

The Delaware Indians called the river Kan-a-wha, or the "place of white stone." However, the local Shawnee people had a slightly different word with a much different meaning. They called the river Ken-in-she-ka. Translated, it meant "the river of evil spirits!"

Source

The Kanawha River we know today is much, much different than the river encountered by the first white settlers in the area. Until fairly recently in history, the Kanawha River was impossible to safely navigate by boat. It wasn't until the 1840s that work began to make it navigable. And, it would be decades after when the first locks and dams began appearing, finally opening up river to larger boats and barges.

Aside from the fluctuating water levels, large boulders, and other hazardous conditions, the Kanawha River was known for whirlpools. These whirlpools are represented in a fascinating piece of local archaeology--a petroglyph known as The Water Panther Stone.

The Water Panther Stone was entered into modern record in 1963. It was found near Leon (Mason County), on the property of the Burdette Family. Originally being cut from a nearby creek bed, the family had been using it as a stepping stone to mount horses. It was later donated to Pt. Pleasant's Tu-Endie-Wei State Park, where it is still on display. Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to make out the image on the stone, but the photo above shows the carving enhanced with white powder.

According to legend, the petroglyph is believed to be part of a Shawnee altar stone, created by the Water Panther Clan. The tail of the creature represents the Kanawha River whirlpools. With that tail, the Shawnee believed the Water Panther would drag the evil spirits down to the bottom of the river.

One theory as to who or what these evil spirits may have been comes from another Shawnee legend: The Mysterious Azgen Tribe. You can read more about the Azgens at the link provided, but in summary, the Shawnee didn't permanently settle much of the land south and east of the Ohio River because they believed the land belonged to a ghostly race of 'Moon-Eyed People,' today known as the Azgens. Were these the evil spirits that inhabited the Kanawha River, or are these all just colorful legends to describe a once dangerous and non-navigable river?

Further Sources:
Kanawha River Wikipedia
History and Government of West Virginia, by Virgil Lewis

BOOOOO-bies!

In general, I  prefer clever, subtle, and even dry humor. But, sometimes I want something just totally sophomoric and hilarious. I'm pretty sure I have the brain of a 12 year old boy...and if you do too, then  you'll  probably enjoy today's Fright Night Funny as much as I did!

Rejetos Jichancas: The Weird Women of West Virginia University

It's Weird Wednesday time and to celebrate March being Women's History Month, I wanted to share with you a collection of photos from the WV History on View website. These photos were recently posted on the awesome Facebook page, West Virginia Heritage, and show a group of female students at West Virginia University.

According to the WV History on View site, this all-female student group formed in 1908 and called themselves the Rejetos Jichancas. Translated as The Gypsy Rejects, membership into the group was highly prized, yet shrouded in mystery. Origins of how/why the group formed are unclear, very little information is known about them, and no group photos appeared in the West Virginia University yearbook past 1928. And, apparently, the group also chose to keep their individual identities a secret! At the very least, they sure knew how to take a creepy group photo!

I hope you enjoy this photo collection of West Virginia's Weird Women! If you'd like MORE vintage photography from the Mountain State, be sure to check out the links to WV History on View and West Virginia Heritage above. Stay Weird, ya'll!

1911

1912

1913

1915

1919

1920

1923

1925

1927

1928

Matrixing the Man in the Rock

Matrixing. If you've done any reading/research into the paranormal in the past 10-15 years, you've almost certainly heard this term being thrown around, especially when it comes to analyzing potentially paranormal faces/apparitions appearing on still photos and video. But what exactly IS matrixing?                                                                                                                                                         Matrixing is a term popularized by Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson of The Atlantic Paranormal Society, known more commonly as the stars of SyFy's Ghost Hunters.  However, I prefer to call the phenomenon by its slightly more scientific name:  'pareidolia.'

Pareidolia comes from the Greek words para (meaning faulty, wrong, instead of) and eidolon (meaning image, form, or shape). Merriam-Webster defines pareidolia as "the tendency to perceive a specific, often meaningful image in a random or ambiguous visual pattern."  In laymen's terms, it means the tendency to see faces, animals, and other familiar images in random patterns. Have you ever gazed up at the clouds and thought they looked like bunny rabbits? You've experienced pareidolia. Have you ever sworn your bathtub has 'seen things, man?' You've experienced pareidolia. Have you ever taken a Rorschach inkblot test? Well, you get the picture. 

Many photographs that claim to contain evidence of ghostly or supernatural figures can be explained by pareidolia. If you're unsure whether or not a spooky face could be attributed to pareidolia, try to change up your perception. Turn the photograph upside down. Examine each half of the figure by itself and compare; are there any signs of symmetry (or lack thereof)? Does the image still make sense as a figure when looked at a piece at a time? What happens if you enlarge (or shrink) the photo? Does the image distort to the point where it is no longer recognizable as something familiar?

By definition and popular usage, the term pareidolia is used most often to describe visual phenomenon. However, any of the human senses can be perceptible to pareidolia. We might interpret two unrelated scents as being another scent altogether. As we listen to potential EVPs, we might take missing sounds and even whole syllables not heard by our ears and have our brain fill in to make recognizable words. As a result, a good tip when analyzing EVPs is to NOT tell others what YOU hear, at least at first, and let them listen without bias.

Pareidolia falls under the larger umbrella of the phenomenon of apophenia. Apophenia is defined as "the spontaneous perception of connections and meaningfulness of unrelated phenomena." It was coined by German neurologist and psychiatrist Klaus Conrad, whose research focused on the finding of abnormal meaning or significance in random experiences by psychotic people.                                                                                                                                                                                                The human brain is hard-wired to make sense out of stimuli. We want to find patterns and correlations in an otherwise chaotic world, and there's not too many things more confusing and chaotic than trying to make sense out of the paranormal! It may also be an evolutionary issue. If we can spot facial features of hidden predators, we have a greater chance of survival. Similarly, could we be applying that same principle to our interactions with the unknown?

Whatever the reasons behind the phenomena may be, apophenia and pareidolia are two issues that every paranormal investigator and researcher needs to be familiar with. Luckily, there is no shortage of articles and examples available out there to illustrate just how fascinating these concepts can be.

A great local example of matrixing, or pareidolia, is Fayette County's "Old Rock Head." This unique cliff face (pardon the pun) can be found on Route 21 at Honey Creek, right near the Chimney Corners area, where the Route 60 intersection is located. It doesn't take too much of a stretch of the imagination to see the outline of a man's face in profile, coming out of the rock.  Oddly enough, this isn't West Virginia's only rock face! While its much harder to access and, in my opinion, MUCH harder to see, there's a nearby cliff where, in 1901, railroad workers in the area claimed to see the image of President McKinley appear. Their superstitions of this death omen were realized when news that the President had been shot arrived shortly after. Please see President McKinley's Death Omen blog entry for more info! 

Photo from WV History on View

Photo by Robert W. McKinnon, courtesy of WV History on View

*Bonus Vocabulary Lesson!*

Simulacrum: "An image or representation of something." Simulacrum is sometimes confused with pareidolia, but unlike pareidolia, which happens naturally, simulacrum is when someone intentionally designs something to look like something else. While the rock formation above occurred accidentally, this example in Jackson County, WV, was carved to look that way by Otis Shinn. More information available in this Gazette article.

Madness and Mistaken Identity at the Weston State Hospital

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, also known as the Weston State Hospital, has been a fascination of mine for years. Obviously, I'm a sucker for the paranormal aspects of the old haunted hospital, but I enjoy the non-spooky history as well. I'm in the process of documenting as many former patients as I can find, and sharing their stories. Through this, I'm hoping to have a strong database of potential ghost suspects, but more importantly, I feel that these people deserve recognition. They deserve to have their lives remembered, and not just be a statistic. 

One such person with a pretty strange story to be told is a Croatian immigrant named George Marzic. His story appeared in numerous newspapers at the time, but this transcription comes from the 29 December 1936 edition of the Charleston Daily Mail: 

BROTHER THOUGHT BURIED SIX YEARS AGO FOUND ALIVE

CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY IS REVEALED AT WESTON HOSPITAL

Woman Finds Relative Is In Institution, Recovering; Dead Man Is Unknown; Records Found in Error

Benwood, Dec. 29 (UP)---Mrs. Amanda Kurl learned today that the "brother" she buried six years ago is alive and well.  

The almost incredible story of the "death" and the "burial" of George Marzic, 52, ended with the realization that Marzic still lives and that the identity of the man buried under his name in 1931 may never be known.

Marzic, a Croat, was sent to the state hospital at Weston, W.Va., in 1929.  On May 9, 1931, hospital officials notified Mrs. Kurl her brother had died.

The body was brought to Benwood for burial.

Marzic's friends went to his bier and wept.  Some were amazed because George did not "look like himself" but they dismissed it with "well, he has been sick a long time."

Did Not Doubt Identity

"I was sure it was George," said Mrs. Kurl.  "His face was a little thinner, I thought, but I had no doubt." 

Mrs. Kurl paid $237 to a Benwood mortician. And on the day of the funeral she went to St. John's Catholic church and wept while a priest celebrated requiem mass. 

Several days ago, Mrs. Kurl was notified by officials of the state hospital that her brother had recovered. She was dumbfounded as she read a letter from Dr. J.E. Offner, hospital superintendent, which said in part:

"Only recently this patient's mind has cleared and he now claims to be George Marzic. We are now almost thoroughly convinced that the man Marzic is living."

Mrs. Kurl disbelieved until friends investigated and proved beyond doubt that her brother still lives.

Tests Are Made

Nick Rumora wrote to George Marzic at the Weston State Hospital, asked him a number of personal questions in the Croatian language. Marzic replied---in the Croatian language.

Mrs. Kurl remained unconvinced. 

Police Chief Pat J. Scully, Rumora, Antone Fabyanic, lifelong friends of Marzic, went to Weston.  They walked into the hospital unannounced.

Someone called their name. It was Marzic.

When Scully informed Mrs. Kurl of this, she was convinced. 

Scully said hospital officials could not explain the error and could learn nothing of the identity of the man who was buried. Marzic, it is said, will remain in the hospital until doctors make sure his sudden recovery is not temporary.

Still Legally Dead

George Marzic is legally dead, according to reports in the division of vital statistics of the state health department.

A report that Marzic died May 9, 1931, is on file in the division's offices, but the bureau has a rule that detailed information cannot be given out except upon payment of a 50 cent fee for making out a certified copy.  For that reason, other details in the bureau's possession could not be learned.

"Never heard of it," said M.D. Carrico, member of the state board of control, when informed that Marzic is actually alive now, despite the reports. Dr. C. Denham was superintendent of the institution in 1931. 

Theresa's Note: What is even more interesting about this case, is that when you go to the WV State Archives' website, George Marzic still has his 9 May 1931 death certificate on file! It makes me wonder what actually happened to George...and whether or not he did die in 1931. 

Friday Night Funny: Haunt Problems

We all get frustrated with our jobs sometimes...even ghosts! And I KNOW we all have felt like, one time or another, that whatever we did, we just were NOT getting through to someone! 

I hope this this little Friday Funny will bring a smile to your face---and possibly spark some interesting discussion. As a paranormal investigator, I've sometimes dealt with clients who experience the world in ways far differently than how I do. What sort of challenges and what sort of data can we benefit from when working with clients who may be sight or hearing impaired, or who may not be neurotypical?

Head on over to Theresa's Haunted History's Facebook and let me know your thoughts! 

Paranormal Inactivity

Hey, everyone! I hope you're having a fabulous March so far! I know today isn't a Friday Night Funny night, but I thought this little cartoon was an appropriate thing to share. I haven't been keeping up with this blog or my social media sites like I had planned, and I sincerely apologize for the lack of new content. Please bear with me as I try to get back in the swing of things. Once again, I'm going through a phase of motivation issues, lol. But, hope is on the horizon. I've got a couple of investigations coming up, and with nicer weather, I hope to get out of the house a little more and share some of my spookier travels with you. Take this post as a sign that I'm headed back in the right direction. Stay spooky, ya'll...and keep an eye out for plenty of new content coming soon!