Bleeding Corpses

Painting titled 'Bier Right' (1879) by Jeno Gyarfa

Today's blog post is a quick little fright bite on some interesting folklore I read about awhile back!

Cruentation (or bier-right) was a ritual in which a suspected murderer was made to touch the corpse of his alleged victim. If the corpse began to bleed, froth at the mouth, or otherwise show unusual signs, it was determined that the accused was guilty. The idea was that the corpse retained the ability to hear and see for some time after death and could identify their murderer.

 
This practice was most widespread in England and surrounding countries from the 1100s up until the 1800s and was brought to Appalachia by early settlers. And although in most places, cruentation couldn't be used to legally convict a murderer after the early 1700s, there were still cases reported of its use in the United States up through 1869. Here, in the isolated mountain communities of Appalachia, the practice was used as least through the Civil War, and is discussed further in such publications as Laura Wright's Appalachian Curiosities.

With Appalachia being such an isolated area, as well as one of great superstition, it just made sense that justice was sometimes meted out without the aid of formal law enforcement, who may take days (if not longer) to actually come investigate. And in the place of any living witnesses, who better to identify an assailant than the victim, living OR dead?

There is actually some science behind cruentation. It is believed that the 'bleeding' was actually the release of purge fluid, which looks like blood. This is the by-product of the putrefaction process and drains from the body's orifices, including nose and mouth

I can't think of a more disturbing image than a bleeding corpse somehow having the sentience to identify his or her killer, but the trope of a ghost (or otherwise deceased person) playing an integral role in bringing their murderer to justice is a common one in folklore. Whether or not this practice was actually effective or as widespread as we'd been led to believe is a moot point. What's important is that it makes for one heck of a scary ghost story and a warning to would-be murderers that what is done in darkness will eventually come to light, one way or another. 

Appalachian Ghost Stories with Granny Sue!

I've always loved the work of Susanna 'Granny Sue' Holstein, the Appalachian story-teller and singer of traditional ballads!  Although I've followed her work online for quite some time, I'd never had the chance to see her in person...until last Saturday!

As part of the annual WV Book Festival in Charleston, Granny Sue presented a wonderful talk about some popular West Virginia ghost stories, some lesser-known spooky tales from our mountain hollers, and plenty of history and tradition.  She even sang several ballads to set the mood of an old-timey gathering.  Further, the stage was complete with some mood-setting chairs, tables, and some creepy old items that would later play a part in one of the stories told.

Among the many stories included in this particular program was the story of the Stocking Woman, a desecrated tombstone located in a Sistersville cemetery which is said to bring bad luck to all her touch her.  She relayed the story of Zona Heaster Shue, otherwise known as the Greenbrier Ghost.  She shared the saga of WV's last public hanging in Ripley. And, she told a couple of personal (and sometimes hilarious) 'ghost' stories, as well, which had me (and much of the audience) rolling.

Despite it being 9 am on a Saturday, and despite some of the controversy concerning a headlining guest of the festival, quite a few people made the trek out to the far end of the WV Coliseum and Convention Center to be a part of Granny Sue's audience.  Events like this warm my heart.  I absolutely love seeing so many people from so many different age groups and walks of life come together to appreciate a little dose of Appalachian culture.  Story-telling, especially the telling of ghost stories, is such an ingrained part of West Virginia's history and it is wonderful to not only see someone like Granny Sue working so hard to keep these traditions and folklore alive, but to see just how many people out there really appreciate this dying art form.  Over at Theresa's Haunted History Facebook page, I recently posted an article from the UK Telegraph about how social media is causing folklore to die out.  As long as there are people like Granny Sue out there, telling the stories, I think we'll be okay!

Anyway, after her presentation, Granny Sue went back to her table on the main festival floor, where she sold CD's of her work.  I took a detour and took advantage of the HUGE used book sale going on, and bought a couple of books of ghost stories and one about some local history.

I had an awesome time, and am so glad that I decided to get up early and drive into Charleston to see Granny Sue.  This was a FREE event and I hope in the future, the organizers of the WV Book Festival will continue to incorporate folklore, particularly ghost lore, in its programming!  And, although the event has now passed, you still have a couple of more opportunities this month to see Granny Sue:

She will be giving ghost tours in the Ripley area this coming weekend, October 11th and 12th as part of the city's Shocktober.  The cost is $10 and tours leave from the Jackson County Courthouse at 8 pm.  You can call 304-514-2609 to register.

You can also catch Granny Sue at Taylor Books in Charleston at 6 pm on Friday, October 25th.  She will be giving a presentation called These Haunted Hills: West Virginia Ghost Stories and Ballads. This event is FREE and open to the public!

Supernatural Superstitions!

As a paranormal investigator, I like to think of myself as being scientifically-minded. I strive to maintain a logical, objective stance on all things paranormal.  But, I'm also a West Virginia mountain girl! My family, who settled in the Irish Mountain area of Hinton, WV, came from a long-line of Scot-Irish, German, and Cherokee heritage. Ghost stories and superstitions made up a huge part of their lives and a huge part of their belief system. As the years go by, I'm trying to document as many of the old ghost stories and spooky superstitions that have been passed down to me since I was a small child. Here are a few of my favorite superstitions related to spooks and spirits.

*A person born with a caul over his face will have the gift of second sight, and be able to see and converse with spirits and ghosts.  My maternal grandfather was born with such a caul.

*The seventh son of a seventh son will also have increased psychic abilities and be able to converse with spirits.

*A person who never meets their twin will have psychic abilities.  My father, while not claiming to be psychic in any sense, had a twin sister who died as a baby.

*When a candle starts to flicker and there is no breeze or draft present, a spirit is near.  If the flame should turn blue or abruptly flare up, the spirit is strong...and very near.  If a candle lit during a religious ceremony unexpectedly blows out, an evil spirit is near.

*Never rock an empty rocking chair; you're inviting ghosts in.

*If you WOULD happen to encounter a ghost or spirit, ask the spirit "In the name of the Lord, what is it that you want?"  They have to tell you why they are there.

*Since animals can see ghosts and spirits, removing the inner eyelid from a dog and wearing it like a contact lens will give the wearer this ability as well.  For a more humane (and less disgusting) method, simply crouch down behind a dog, and look between its ears to see what it sees.

*If you hear your name being called and no living person is around, DO NOT answer!  It's a spirit with bad intentions.

*However, if you hear your name being called while you're asleep, it means you slipped too far into unconsciousness and too close to death.  The angels were calling you back.

*When someone dies, all mirrors and reflective surfaces must be covered with black cloth so that the person's spirit does not become trapped in those items.

*The funeral procession must take a different route home from the one they took to the cemetery so that the ghost of the deceased cannot follow them. 

*A bird in the house is an omen of an upcoming death. And speaking of death omens, West Virginia has a very strange story of a death omen foretelling the assassination of President McKinley.

So that's a VERY short list of superstitions that can be found throughout West Virginia and Appalachia! If you know of any others that deserve to be on this list, hop on over to Theresa's Haunted History Facebook and let me know!

*Updated January 2018*