Cicada Used in 'Armed' Robbery

"Hands up!"

A giant, eerie creature with wings and menacing red eyes. At any other time, such a description found here on Theresa's Haunted History would probably indicate a post about West Virginia's infamous Mothman. However, on this particular Weird Wednesday, we're talking about something quite different, yet arguably, just as strange.

On June 4, 1987 two men in their 20s were accused of robbing the Cincinnati, OH restaurant, Grand Slam. They walked into the establishment and approached Marquisa Kellogg, a 22-year-old cashier. Instead of a firearm, or even a knife...the 'deadly weapon' of choice brandished by the alleged robbers was a big, nasty cicada. Yes, a cicada. 

Despite being a harmless insect, Marquisa fled in terror at having this thing thrust at her, which left the cash register unattended for several minutes while she composed herself. Upon returning to her post, she found the men (and their bug) gone, along with $25 in cash. Unfortunately, there were no security cameras there at the time, and no one saw the men take the money. To my knowledge, they were never identified. 

That summer, the 17 year cicadas were out in full force across the Eastern United States, including in Ohio, where local police would even claim that the insects were to blame for an increase in traffic accidents. In a later article by David Sarasohn of the Flint Journal, a rather tongue-in-cheek discussion emerged as to whether or not brandishing a cicada could qualify as a deadly weapon under the law, and thus, up the charges to first degree armed (winged?) robbery. 

But, is this story too weird to be true? Unfortunately, yeah...but there is a basis in truth to the whole tale, as Marquisa told a local newspaper in 2021. Decades after her story went viral, Marquisa was interviewed about what really happened that summer at Grand Slam. According to her, she and a friend were sitting outside the restaurant. She decided to play a prank on him, and grabbed a handful of cicadas that had accumulated there in abundance, and put them on him. Of course, he screamed and flailed around a bit, while Marquisa laughed. She then went inside to wait on two male customers. She knew these guys from the neighborhood, and considered them friends. While she was with them at the register, her friend from outside took that moment to exact his revenge. He rushed up to Marquisa and tossed a handful of cicadas directly at her FACE. 

Understandably, she booked it out of the way...and out of sight of the open register. When she returned, she noticed that the bills in the till were no longer straight and organized. She counted down her drawer and found that $25 was missing. The two customers swore they didn't take the money, and Marquisa was forced to call the police and make a report of a robbery. A poorly written police report (Marquisa believes the cop sold the story to the media) was picked up and published in newspapers across the country. 

As West Virginia and surrounding areas are currently dealing with our own cycle of cicadas, I can only hope that no one reading this takes a certain inspiration from the events transpired in Cincinnati back in 1987. These poor little creepy crawlies don't have much time here above the soil, so please don't implicate them into a life a crime, nor use them to terrorize your friends while they are at work. 

Stay weird, stay spooky, and watch out for those cicadas. And a big shout-out to the Facebook page, Historian of the Strange, where I first learned about this extremely interesting and bizarre story! 

The Bay City Times (Michigan)
06 June 1987

The Flint Journal (Michigan)
07 August 1987

The Times Recorder (Ohio)
16 June 2021

West Virginia Voodoo: Volume I

What do you think of when you hear the word 'Voodoo'? Chances are, your mind is transported to the deep south, around the bayous and swamps of Louisiana. Perhaps your mind goes straight to New Orleans, where even today there seems to be a voodoo shop on every block in the French Quarter. Love spells, curses, sticking pins into dolls, little bags filled with mystical ingredients to aid in protection, wild dancing to the beat of rhythmic drums...all of these things conjure up a stereotypical picture of what we think of the practice of voodoo. 

The mountains of West Virginia, while known for her own flavor of folk magic and practitioners, seems far removed from the mix of African and Caribbean traditions merged with Catholicism. However, as Black Americans began migrating north en masse around the turn of the 20th century, voodoo spread as well. 

After reading a book on New Orleans voodoo last year, I became interested in finding any references to the practice here in West Virginia. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find MUCH of interest (was really hoping for some zombies or some otherwise supernatural tales), but I did find several stories in local newspapers that I wanted to share. The first is from Huntington, WV:

The Daily Advocate (Greenville, OH)
16 March 1933

Mrs. Georgia Burks:

Mrs. Burks was born in Atlanta, GA, but found her way to Huntington, WV sometime prior to 1926. In 1933, the 38 year old Black woman was living with her husband, James. Unfortunately, her health had not been good for some time, and she passed away on February 28, 1933. That wouldn't be the end of her story, however. I'm not sure what prompted it, but about two weeks later, newspapers around the country began running a small article stating that Huntington police had begun an inquest into Burks' death and were awaiting results of an analysis of her stomach contents. Apparently, Mrs. Burks had died shortly after visiting with Robert Fojoe, a Voodoo 'doctor' from New Orleans. Fojoe claims he treated Mrs. Burks' illness with a grapevine tea. 

To further complicate matters, another man, a Mr. Henry Nickle, was also taken into police custody. He was charged with practicing medicine without a license for his role in treating Mrs. Burks. For whatever reason, newspapers felt that was the end of the story---I haven't been able to find any follow-ups. I assume, however, that no foul play was ever found in Mrs. Burks' untimely death. Her death certificate states that she died from pneumonia and was buried in Huntington's Spring Hill Cemetery. 

Obviously, there are a lot of questions left unanswered, beginning with motive. Why did Mrs. Burks seek the advice of a voodoo practitioner to aid in her illness? Had traditional medicine failed her, over and over again...or did she believe there was some supernatural cause to her troubles? Did she feel that someone had cursed her? And who the hell was Henry Nickle and what was his role in this whole situation? My quest for information on this case isn't over, and I will update if I find any additional details. Plus, our quest for voodoo in West Virginia isn't over either! Check back soon for more cases throughout the Mountain State! 

The Portsmouth Times (Ohio)
24 March 1933

Death Certificate for Georgia Jackson Burks

Weird Wednesday Christmas!

Charleston, WV Circa 1890
Source: My WV Home

Merry Christmas from Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State!

Since Christmas falls on a Wednesday this year, I thought I'd share a little Weird Wednesday newspaper clipping I found. On Christmas Day in 1888, the streets of Charleston, WV were the scene of something out of a movie. Twenty-year-old Fount Horner had a little too much to drink, found a club, and decided to run around, bonking everyone he came across.

Of those he knocked down, several were injured pretty badly. His reign of terror continued until he came across Edward Aims. Upon being struck by Fount's club, Aims pulled out a knife and stabbed him, killing him. As per procedure, Aims was arrested but let go shortly after. 

This seems like a pretty big news story, especially for West Virginia's capital city in 1888. However, to the best of my ability, I have not been able to find ANY information regarding this incident other than the following newspaper clipping. The clipping I've provided below comes from the Wheeling Daily Intelligencer, but the same article appeared in newspapers across the United States for days and weeks following Christmas. The only change in wording is the headline, and the spelling of Edward's last name, showing up as Aimes, Aims, and Ames. I can't find any information through any of those spellings, and there is no listing for Fount Horner's death at the Vital Statistics website. 

Hopefully, this all means that the story is a holiday work of fiction. Sensationalized, and downright made-up stories were not uncommon during this time period and were a way to keep readers interested and buying papers....and perhaps renewing subscriptions into the new year! I'll keep an eye out for any follow-ups to this story, but I'm pretty sure I've hit a dead end. It does, however, serve as a great reminder to stay vigilant of one's surroundings, especially during festive occasions and crowded locations. You never know what dangers lurk. 

Stay safe and stay spooky this holiday season! 

The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer
26 December 1888

Weird Wednesday: One Stubborn Elephant at Lake Shawnee

Photo by Theresa, 2024

A couple of weeks ago, I got the opportunity to tag along with WV Unseen Paranormal to a location that I had wanted to investigate for a LONG time! On May 31st, we made the trek to Mercer County for a private investigation of the former Lake Shawnee amusement park. At this time, instead of dedicating a new blog post to the experience, I'll just be giving my current Lake Shawnee post a much-needed update. However, I DID want to add a few new blog posts featuring some additional research---including today's Weird Wednesday about a rather unique traffic situation. The road running past Lake Shawnee has a long history of traffic accidents, many fatal, and while compiling some of these, I stumbled across this story in the Friday, March 25, 1949 edition of the Raleigh Register, a newspaper out of nearby Beckley, WV:

STUBBORN ELEPHANT BLOCKS TRAFFIC IN LAKE SHAWNEE AREA

By the Associated Press

BLUEFIELD-"What's the traffic jam about?" a motorist asked.

"There's an elephant blocking the road," another replied.

"I ask a civil question and what do I get? A blankety-blank silly answer," fumed the first motorist.

But it really was an elephant that had traffic blocked along U.S. Rt. 19-21 near Lake Shawnee, according to a story told here today. 

W.R. (Pete) Cooke of Bluefield, assistant to the Mercer County superintendent of schools, said he was at the scene. Cooke related that:

One day earlier this week, an elephant somehow broke out of one of the trucks of a circus that was headed North from Florida winter quarters.

The elephant took a stubborn stand in the middle of the road and refused to budge, even for his trainer.

Traffic was held up nearly an hour before a farmer broke the blockade with cornbread.

The farmer brought to the scene some cornbread left over from his noon meal and used it to lure the elephant slowly back into the truck. 

(This isn't the only Weird Animal story from Lake Shawnee I've found recently. In April, I included an article about a rain of frogs on the Lake Shawnee property in a post about Fortean Falls from around West Virginia!)

The Raleigh Register
25 March 1949

The Wild Man of Mason County

Robert Hannaford
Self Portrait as a Wild Man

It has been a minute, but I wanted to bring you all another Wild Man Wednesday blog! This particular wild man doesn't appear to be a Bigfoot or Sasquatch, but an actual human. Still, the story is pretty interesting!

Back on October 27, 1897, the Point Pleasant newspaper, The Weekly Register, ran not one, but TWO small pieces about a Wild Man who had been seen for awhile in an area of Mason County called Coal Hollow. Coal Hollow was a local hunting area known for an abundance of rabbit and squirrel. For several weeks, at least, area residents would see a very large man. When approached and questioned, he refused to talk. And, when spotted, would disappear back into the dark ravine. 

Residents speculated as to who this strange man may be, and it was largely believed that he must be an escaped lunatic OR a member of a group of escaped highway men from Meigs County, Ohio. Whoever is was, he was blamed for setting a series of mysterious and destructive fires at area farms. 

Fast forward almost three years later to June 6, 1900. The Weekly Register posted another article about a wild man in Mason County. Described as having hair 5 feet long, and arms 5 feet long, and wearing an old pair of boots, this particular wild man may or may not be the same one seen in 1897. This time, the unkempt stranger was being seen along Mission Ridge, near West Columbia. That's about 35 miles from Coal Hollow. 

And, unlike the Coal Hollow wild man, this particular wild man DID speak. Believed to make his home in the nearby caves, when hungry, the man would come to local farms and order the women-folk to prepare him a meal. 

One house he sought sustenance from was the Edwards residence. He was given an adequate lunch, but the wild man insisted that he be allowed to sit at the table and dine with the family. He stated that he was good enough to eat with President McKinley himself. Mr. Edwards didn't agree, and a verbal altercation broke out. That fight devolved into a physical altercation, and no more was mentioned about the Mason County Wild Man. At least...not that I've found yet, but the hunt continues!

So, what do you all believe? Was this an escaped asylum patient, or even a criminal on the run? Were these two incidents, three years and 35 miles apart, even the same person? Let me know in the comments what YOU think! 

The Weekly Register
27 October 1897
Page 4

The Weekly Register
27 October 1897
Page 1

The Weekly Register
06 June 1900

Wayne County's Mystery Animal

Wayne County News
2 January 1936
Source: Wayne County News Archives FB

MYSTERY ANIMAL KILLED AFTER ALL-DAY CHASE

Wayne County's mystery animal is dead!

The animal which has harassed residents of Grant district for more than six years was killed December 24 after an all-day chase by Will Spry of Milum Creek. Mr. Spry shot the animal in the shoulder after it had fallen into the creek when the ice broke in crossing.

More than a dozen men and several dogs chased the animal. It was discovered by Milton Nelson, who chased it with his dog all day. Other men and dogs joined in the chase but the dogs would quit when they got near the animal, except Rouster, Mr. Nelson's dog, which stayed in the chase the entire day.

Early in the chase the animal ran the ridges but in the evening, when the animal became tired, it dropped down to the creek level. 

Other men in the chase where Sammie Nelson, Norman and Boyd Finley, Fletcher Spry, Keither Caldwell, Charley Maynard, Ballard Finley, Max Lester, Noah Nelson, Carlos Nelson and Lindsey H. Perry, Jr.

It was not learned what kind of animal it is, but it was described by those in the chase as being about five feet in length, with the height of a sheep and feet and legs larger than those of a fox hound. Its weight was estimated at 75 pounds. It has a nose sharp and and long like a fox and its tusks are 1 1-2 inch in length. The animal is heavily furred, and tinted brown and gray. 

The animal was fond of pigs and sheep and several farmers have reported loss of their domestic animals during the past year or more. 

Several people saw the animal during recent years and it became almost a legend in that section of the county.

The animal, it was reported, is being mounted and will be on display in Wayne in the near future. 

Theresa's Note: I found this story in the January 2, 1936 edition of the Wayne County News, which was posted to the awesome Facebook page, Wayne County News Archives at the Wayne Public Library. The headline caught my attention immediately, because ya'll know I love me a good mysterious animal story! 

I was further intrigued when I tried to find out some additional information on the story and found the legend of the Booger Cat, posted to Wayne County History Portal website. The article states that during the early 1930's, the residents of southern Wayne County, especially around the area where Cabwaylingo State Park was currently being built, were being harassed by some weird animal that was eating up their livestock. A group of about 20 men finally hunted the creature down and shot it, but still could not figure out exactly what it was---it was black, had a bushy tail, and sported a snout like a dog's, only shorter. They sent the creature off to Charleston to be identified, where experts came to the conclusion that it was a...grey wolf.  The only problem was that grey wolves were allegedly extinct in that area. Could a small population still have been living deep in the dense forests of Wayne County for over a hundred years, mostly undetected? It is said that even after this creature was shot, other sightings of a similar animal continued. Perhaps the Mystery Animal shot on Christmas Eve was one of the last remaining relatives in a small family of wolves living in the area. 

The Bewitched Hen of Roney's Point

 

A Leghorn hen like this one laid a really weird egg
in West Virginia! 

It's Weird Wednesday! It's also Witchy Wednesday! Today's blog is a 2 for 1 in witchy weirdness, with the tale of a Leghorn hen that laid a rather interesting egg, near Roney's Point, West Virginia in 1886! The following story can be found on page 4 in the Daily Register, a newspaper from Wheeling, West Virginia, in the March 31, 1886 edition. 

MYSTERIOUS WORK OF A HEN

She Lays An Egg That Contains Cabalistic Inscriptions

Col. Jacob Nunge has a very peculiar Hen's egg on exhibition at his place in upper Market Square. This piece of hen fruit is about an inch and three quarters in diameter one way, and a fraction over that the other, it being almost perfectly round. On the outer edge of the shell the surface is corrugated all the way around, while inside of this is another circle in which the letters T A M N I O I U in Roman letters are plainly visible. At one of the ends of the egg a figure "6" is also to be seen.

A white Leghorn, owned by Jacob Fisher, of Roney's Point, gave up this mystery on the 25th inst, but whether the hen was bewitched or whether she performed this little feat just to have some fun, cannot be told. Nevertheless the curiosity is there and anyone can go and see it. 

I'm honestly not sure what to make of this strange incident, but I can't help to think that this is the sort of thing that the famed Charles Fort, collector of bizarre and unexplained occurrences in the natural world, would have been proud to have in his collection. And, it happened right here in wild and weird (and of course, wonderful) West Virginia!

Want MORE weird animal stories? Check out my blog post, Weird Wednesday: Weird Animals Around Charleston!

Weird Wednesday: Animals Around Charleston

Back in the early days of the 20th century, Charleston, WV was kind of a weird place. I mean, it still is...but back then, it was much more common to see such interesting sights as a horse in pants or a trained bear, escaped from a local theater, wandering around the federal building. Luckily, these delightful tales were odd enough to warrant the attention of local newspapers, and are preserved for us to enjoy today. I found both of them while researching other spooky stories in the area, and while there's nothing really PARANORMAL about these tales, they're definitely strange, and deserve a Weird Wednesday mention!

From The West Virginian
30 August 1916

From The Charleston Daily Mail
24 August 1914

Charleston's Very Own Spirit Board

Nirvana Board. Patented by Elijah Bond, 1907
Source

One of the most controversial subjects in the paranormal field is the Ouija Board. Some people believe that the Ouija and other 'talking boards' or 'spirit boards' are a hotline straight to Hell and should be avoided at all costs. Others believe that these devices are merely a game, influenced by small, involuntary and unconscious muscle movements called the ideomotor effect or simply just an outright hoax by users. Still, others believe that the boards are like any other communication tool---use with caution and a healthy dose of common sense. For me personally, I have a love-hate relationship with Ouija Boards. I do believe that you're more likely to get a response through your own unconscious muscle movements, as opposed to actually contacting some being on the spirit world, and therefore, Ouija Boards scientifically are not part of my ghost hunting toolkit. However, that doesn't mean they are safe. If you're getting responses based on your own unconscious movements, then that means you're tapping into what you already know...or ASSUME you know...and you might be wrong, or you might not be able to deal with that knowledge being brought to the surface in such a manner. I've seen people get obsessed with the board, using it as a crutch to make important life decisions, and taking everything it says as gospel. Plus, there are several historical cases where 'Ouija mania' has led to some not-so-positive outcomes for all involved. So, I don't typically USE Ouija Boards.  But...

...they are so freaking beautiful! I absolutely love the aesthetics of the Ouija Board, a passion that makes itself known through my apparel and house décor. I also love the idea of collecting vintage Ouija and other similar boards and I love learning their history and connection to the Spiritualist movement. It was while reading about such that I learned that my very own hometown had a fascinating connection to the history of modern talking boards!  That's right; Charleston, West Virginia has secured its spot in the annals of Ouija history.  It all starts with a man named Elijah Bond.

Okay, actually it doesn't. As early as 1100 A.D., a similar method of 'planchette writing' had been used in China. In the 1880's, spiritualists and mediums, especially in Ohio, had revived the idea of a talking board and its use became a common component of seances. But, it WAS Elijah who is credited as being the first to take out a patent/trademark on a talking board, thus becoming the father of the modern Ouija Board. 

Elijah J. Bond
Source

Elijah Jefferson Bond was born on January 23, 1847 in Maryland. As a young man, he served in the Confederate Army, and then went on to law school at the University of Maryland, graduating in 1872. He married Mary Peters, also a Maryland native, and had one son, a boy named William Brown Bond. Sometime in early 1890, Bond, who was already racking up patents for various other inventions in addition to his work as a lawyer, had an idea to patent an improved planchette to be sold with a wooden board imprinted with letters of the alphabet laid out in a semi-circle. Around the same time, businessman Charles Kennard saw the opportunity to start manufacturing and selling his own version of these 'spirit boards' that were so quickly growing in popularity around the country. 

On October 30, 1890 the Kennard Novelty Company was incorporated. The true story as to how the Kennard Novelty Company came to be, and who ACTUALLY invented the modern Ouija Board is almost as controversial as the Ouija Board's use today. Different sources tell slightly different stories, and even back in the early 1900's, there was a lot of in-fighting and claims being made and challenged. But, I think I've got enough details sorted out to give a fairly accurate picture. (Please be sure to see the additional reading and resources at the end of the blog for more info!) Anyway...

Harry Welles Rusk was named president of the company. He had graduated law school with Elijah Bond. William Maupin was also brought on board and just happened to be married to Bond's niece. So, Bond already had at least two fairly close connections to the company when he became involved. Although by most accounts he was never listed as a formal member of the Kennard Novelty Company, the patent for his talking board (no. 446,054),  filed for on May 28, 1890 and granted on February 10, 1891. Elijah was listed as the inventor, and the assignees were Maupin and Kennard. 

Page 1 of Nirvana Talking Board
Patent 63360

Page 2 of Nirvana Talking Board
Patent 63360

In addition to the patent, Elijah Bond is also responsible for giving the modern talking board the name of 'Ouija Board!' Elijah's sister in law, Helen Peters, was a medium, and during one of her sessions, asked what the board wanted to be called. She was given the answer of 'ouija.' When asked what the word meant, the board spelled out 'good luck,' which some interpret as the spirits/board wishing the Kennard Novelty Company good luck in its business endeavors! However, good luck was not in the plan. I won't get into in this blog, but the Kennard Novelty Company kinda fell apart, and different members split off, some opening up competing talking board companies. What was left of the original Kennard Novelty Company was changed to Ouija Novelty Company, with Kennard no longer a part of his own company. With all that drama, Elijah Bond seemingly slipped out of the talking board industry to continue his work as an attorney and inventor.

But then in the early 1900's, Elijah left Maryland and came to Charleston, West Virginia. For whatever reason, he was once again hit by the talking board bug, and decided to branch out on his own with a NEW trademarked board. On June 18th, 1907, he was granted a patent (63360) for the Nirvana Talking Board. 

By today's standards, the wooden board is fairly shocking to look at, as its emblazoned across the top with a large swastika and the word 'Nirvana.' But, being in a time before the Nazis perverted this ancient symbol, it was seen merely as a symbol of eastern mysticism. Elijah incorporated a new company, the Swastika Novelty Company, headquartered at his home/office at 146 Court Street in downtown Charleston. (This address no longer exists, but if we go off of modern numbering, it was probably right around where the Charleston Federal Center, on the corner of Quarrier, is located.) Unfortunately, the board was only manufactured for a few short years, making it a rare and very sought-after collectible today. 

Elijah would make his way back to Baltimore, Maryland some time later. In 1919, he suffered what was labeled as a 'stroke of paralysis.' His health further declined until his death on April 14, 1921. He was buried in and unmarked grave at Green Mount Cemetery in Baltimore. Thanks to the efforts of Robert Murch, this burial plot was rediscovered in October of 2007. Murch worked with cemetery officials and eventually surviving family members to get permission to erect a fitting monument to Elijah and his contributions to history of the talking board. With the help of Tegeler Monuments and a host of donators, an awesome talking board tombstone was dedicated on July 12, 2008. 

Elijah J. Bond was only in Charleston, West Virginia for a few short years, but during his time here, he invented and manufactured a piece of talking board history. While he may have only intended his invention as a fun novelty, his contributions have had a significant impact on the Spiritualism movement, and have given Charleston another reason to celebrate its weird history. Stay spooky!

Elijah J. Bond's Tombstone
Source

Sources and Further Reading:

Museum of Talking Boards: History

Ouija Wikipedia

Elijah J. Bond Biography from WilliamFuld.com 

9 Oldest Ouija Boards in the World

Ouija Boards ARE Dangerous

The Southside Bridge Hanging Man

Photo by Michelle Krone--Source

It's been a loooong time since I did a Weird West Virginia Wednesday, but thanks to this past Saturday's ghost tour/hunt with the Charleston Ghost Tour Company, I was inspired to bring it back! Way back in 2012, I was introduced to a very strange piece of Charleston's public art. I was taking a Historic Preservation class through WVSU, which met at the haunted Capitol Theater and was taught by Dr. Billy Joe Peyton. One class meeting involved taking a historic walking tour throughout downtown Charleston, and as we were talking about the Southside Bridge, it was pointed out to us that there was a creepy little addition to the building beside the bridge: The Southside Bridge Hanging Man!

The building in question, One Bridge Place, was originally built in the 1890's and served as the warehouse for the Lewis, Hubbard, and Company Wholesale Grocery. Today, the building is home to various offices, but has also become an integral part of Charleston's art community. Back in the early 1980's, the building went through renovations, which involved the painting of a large mural on the south side of the building, facing the bridge.

Can you see him up top?

Known locally as the 'San Francisco Mural,' the side of One Bridge Place resembles a row of colorful Victorian houses. The work is by artist Bart Davies, a graduate of Penn State's Fine Arts program. The project, which employs the use of trompel'oeil (to trick or deceive the eye) was started in 1983 and took about two years to complete.  

You have to look closely, but if you do, you can see that some of the windows are painted on and some are actual, functional windows. And if you look REALLY closely, you'll see that one of the faux windows holds a rather dark and macabre surprise. At the very top left, you can see what appears to be the shadowy figure of a person in the window. Look a little closer, and you'll see that there is a rope or noose coming from this figure's neck. As of this date, no one has publicly come out with a reason as to why such a creepy image was added to this otherwise bright and cheery mural. Of course, plenty of conspiracy theories abound. At the very least, the Southside Bridge Hanging Man is right up there with Mortar Man as a well-loved (albeit strange and kinda dark) piece of hidden public art, which has found a home in West Virginia's capital city! 

Close-up of the Hanging Man

Exorcism and Fried Chicken

 

Awhile back, this image was all over social media. A church near Bardstown, KY seemingly was advertising a public Satanic Exorcism, complete with all the fried chicken you can eat for 50 cents.  That sounds like a hell of a deal!  And let's be honest...at first glance, this image almost seems believable.  I can totally see this area hosting a large tent-revival type of church service, where faith healers smacked the demons out of the afflicted, and fried chicken was plentiful. 

But, sometimes things aren't as they seem. A quick reverse image search reveals the non-doctored, original version, which is from 1940 and can be found at the Library of Congress.

As you can see, the mundane phrase 'Church Picnic' was changed to the much more interesting 'Satanic Exorcism.' You can still get your unlimited fried chicken for 50 cents, though. The original photograph also gives us a slightly larger perspective. It appears that this advertisement for St. Thomas' church picnic was displayed at Hession Roofing Company, either on the actual store itself, or the owners' home.  In fact, in this ad from the early 1950's, the home featured looks almost exactly like the home in the photo!   One further thing to note, though.  St. Thomas in Bardstown, KY is a Catholic Church. I'm not a theologian, but I know enough about the Catholic religion to confidently say that church-sanctioned satanic exorcisms would not be a festive, public event. I can't, however, verify whether or not fried chicken would be an integral part of the process. 

I know it's been awhile since this photo originally started making its rounds, but I realized I never actually got around to blogging about it!  I still see it pop up every now and then, so it's a great reminder to not believe everything you see. There is a LOT of outright fakery, and a lot of misinformation being passed on as fact in the paranormal community. This photo probably started as a joke, without any malicious intent, but there are people who see this and automatically assume that it must be true. Always take a few minutes to verify information, especially if something seems too good to be true.  Happy Haunting! 

 

The Cyclops of Buzzard's Bay: Weird Wednesday

 Happy Weird Wednesday!  Like a lot of paranormal enthusiasts, I follow a lot of Facebook pages dealing with the strange and supernatural.  One such page is Blurry Creatures, a page dedicated to a podcast about cryptozoology.  Today, I ran across a newspaper clipping they had posted about a cyclops skull!  I noticed the article was from a West Virginia newspaper, The Wheeling Intelligencer, and got more excited than I should have. So, I consulted my trusty sources in a search for more information.

On the Chronicling America database of historic newspapers, I found a more in-depth article from the Wheeling Register, dated July 8, 1891. Unfortunately, the 'cyclops' in question was not found in West Virginia, but in Buzzard's Bay, Massachusetts, on the property of actor, Joseph Jefferson. Apparently, Jefferson had recently purchased the property as a summer residence, and when doing some alterations, found it necessary to remove a sand hill. Inside this apparent burial mound was a large skeleton, which crumbled to dust when the workmen tried to move it.  Fortunately, the skull of the taller than average skeleton remained intact and was brought to Mr. Jefferson. Mr. Jefferson was astonished to find that the skull did not have two eye sockets...but rather one large eye socket in the middle of its forehead, and thus concluded he now owned the skull of cyclops. Although he encouraged men of science to offer an explanation, Mr. Jefferson, being an actor, apparently was more excited over using the skull in an upcoming production of Hamlet than finding a scientific explanation for its existence. You can read the article in its entirety down below.  Happy Weird Wednesday! 

Buried Alive in Hampshire County, WV

Before the practice of embalming was widespread, the fear of being buried alive was a very real one for many.  This story comes from a February 12, 1885 edition of a newspaper out of St. Louis, Missouri, although the event in question takes place in Hampshire County, West Virginia.  I found it shared on the West Virginia Heritage, History and Memories Facebook page and it appears to have been originally shared on the Hampshire History Facebook page.  It was noted there that the young woman did survive, but other newspaper articles stated that it was believed she'd be a 'lunatic' for life.  

ALIVE IN HER COFFIN
A Dreadful Occurrence in a West Virginia Village--Morphia
Special dispatch to the Globe-Democrat

SPRINGFIELD, W.Va., February 12--A terrible affair has just come to light on the levels near Okonoko.  Mary Cox, a well-known and popular young lady, residing near the mouth of the Little Capon River, was taken violently ill.  The physician diagnosed the case as one of neuralgia of the stomach and prescribed morphia. A dose was administered at once, and another was left, with instructions to give it in twenty-four hours.  For some as yet unexplained reason the second dose was given in a very short time. In an hour or two after, the death of Miss Cox was announced and neighbors prepared the body for burial, and two days later the deceased was interred.  At the funeral one lady insisted that Miss Cox was not dead and begged that a physician be sent for.  That night the dogs of a man living near the graveyard stationed themselves near the tomb and kept up a persistent howling.  The neighbors talked, and the next day the grave was opened, when to the horror of all, it was found that the girl had been buried alive.  The coffin presented a terrible sight.  The lining was torn from the sides of the casket, the pillow was in shreds, and the poor girl had literally stripped the clothing from her body.  Her hands and arms were torn and bloody, the lips were bitten through, and handfuls of hair lay about.  The girl had come to, and evidently a frightful struggle to escape followed.  The affair fills the community with horror.

Theresa's Note: I found this story, word for word, in several other publications, including this one from the Rock Island (Illinois) Argus. I also did a little searching to see if I could find any evidence that Mary did go insane (and who could blame her after that ordeal?), but didn't find anything substantial.  I did find several articles mentioning a Mary Cox from Harrison County who was deemed 'insane' and died at the Weston State Hospital, but the age range doesn't match up.  Either way, its a frightening story that I'm sure left an entire community, not to mention a young lady, shaken to the bone. 

Charleston's Mortar Man: Weird Wednesday

My attempt at photographing Mortar Man

Along Capitol Street in Charleston, WV there sits a mysterious little man.  Every day, people walk right past the Mortar Man, never even noticing he's there.  But, to those who DO know where to look, Mortar Man has become a local celebrity....and a local legend.

For years, mystery shrouded the tiny figure.  Located 12 feet above the ground, tucked into a corner of brick between two buildings, and measuring in at only 2 inches by 4 inches, its no wonder that so many people never noticed the Mortar Man.  For those who did know of the tiny little figure, now referred to as West Virginia's smallest piece of public art, stories abounded as to how the figure got there, who created him, and of course...WHY.  Was Mortar Man some sort of protector or guardian?  Was he a supernatural creature?  Or was he just someone's idea of a joke?

Turns out, the Mortar Man is the creation of local sculptor, P. Joseph Mullins, best known for work on the Veterans Memorial at the State Capitol Complex.  30 years ago, Mullins was working on the facade of a historic building.  During a lunch break, he took some leftover building materials and sculpted the little fella.  Apparently it took three years before a police officer noticed the figure and people started wondering what the heck was going on! 

Much clearer photo, by Craig Poole

Over the years, Mortar Man has become a favorite with both locals and tourists who have heard of the strange little figure.  When renovations to the building led to the removal of Mortar Man, people threw such a fit that he was replaced.  At one point, someone even tried to steal him!

Luckily, Mortar Man is still holding his ground on Capitol Street.  Go to #108 Capitol Street.  To the left of the building, between its facade and the neighboring building, look straight up about 12 feet.  He's hard to see, but if you're lucky, you'll catch a glimpse of this magical little piece of art history, right here in the Mountain State!

Links for more information:
Mortar Man Facebook
Atlas Obscura
WOWK Article by Craig Poole

Theresa's Travels: The Museum of the Bizarre

It's been awhile since I've posted a Weird Wednesday blog and you can't get much weirder than the Museum of the Bizarre!

The Museum of the Bizarre, located in historic downtown Wilmington, N.C., was one of my favorite stops on our recent Wilmington/Carolina Beach trip.  For just a few bucks per person, my son, my boyfriend, and myself were able to spend an enjoyable hour or so perusing the oddities and other attractions that make up the Museum of the Bizarre.

I had first learned about the collection from Jacob the Carpetbagger, one of my all-time favorite YouTubers. Jacob posted a video about his travels to this unique Wilmington museum back in September of 2017...WELL before we decided to visit the area for vacation this summer.  However, when my boyfriend announced that he'd found us a great rental house in nearby Carolina Beach, I remembered the video and immediately put a stop at the Museum of the Bizarre on our itinerary!

Because I had enjoyed the video so much and knew this was a location I definitely wanted to check out, I didn't start reading the reviews from other visitors until after we had visited.  Don't get me wrong...the reviews aren't BAD, but a lot of people tended to focus on the size of the collection.  Admittedly, when we entered the museum, we were under the impression that there was going to be a lot more...so we were disappointed when we realized that the entire collection was just in the big room as you walk in.

And although I would have LOVED to see many more strange and unusual artifacts, I still had an awesome time.  The collection of strange and bizarre items housed at the museum is from the personal collection of owner, Justin LaNasa. As the story goes, when LaNasa, a local tattoo artist, was about to get married, his future bride gently suggested that his collection of anatomical specimens, taxidermy animals, horror movie props, etc. should be housed somewhere outside their home.  At the suggestion of a friend who owned the former serpentarium next door (which is now unfortunately closed down), the Museum of the Bizarre was born.  It opened its doors in April of 2015.

I think when you take into consideration that the items are simply the collection of one enthusiastic collector, the lack of size isn't an issue.  Plus, what the collection lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality!  Obviously, I'm a weird chick.  My boyfriend is a little more mainstream than myself, but he still appreciates unique history and offbeat attractions.  My son simply just gets dragged to wherever the rest of us choose to go.  Yet, we all found things in the collection that were of interest to us!

We accidentally caught the cursed clown doll in the Photo Op spot of the stocks!

I was drawn to the more 'spooky' attractions.  Housed in the collection were plaster casts of Yeti and Bigfoot footprints.  There was an old Bozo the Clown doll with a sign warning visitors not to look it directly in the eye because it was cursed.  We saw a mummified Chupacabra hand and the signal lantern involved in the famous Maco Lights haunting.  There was even a Ouija Board owned by Houdini.  I also thought the signs posted throughout the museum noting that this was a haunted museum, so don't be surprised if you heard any weird noises, were pretty awesome.

Aaron is a huge fan of Houdini, so he too enjoyed the Ouija Board, as well as the specimen of Alexander Hamiliton's hair.  Other notable exhibits included a crystal skull, shrunken heads, a two-headed calf, tons of movie props, a Hand of Glory, a Freemason alter, and a variety of stuff in jars, lol.  There was also an extremely large 'Fiji Mermaid,' which allegedly was found at nearby Ft. Fisher.

My son, Luke, for some reason, got pretty freaked out while we were there.  Luckily, for an extra couple of dollars, he was able to explore the Hall of Mirrors exhibit (mirror maze) and also play unlimited games on the floor projector.  There was comfortable seating to wait in while Luke played, FREE ice pops, and a small gift shop where I picked up a sticker and some postcards.  Several of the exhibits were interactive, and even though photography of the collection was largely prohibited, there were a few photo op spots where you could take pictures.

I wish photography of the exhibits was allowed, because there was some really cool stuff in there that I would have loved to share with you all---but check out the video below to get an idea of what's there.  Overall, however, this was a really cool little spot in downtown Wilmington, N.C. There is so much to see and do in the Wilmington area, especially if you appreciate things supernatural and/or strange, and a stop to the Museum of the Bizarre makes a great part of any day trip to the city. 

The Donkey Tree of Kentucky

Kentucky has a lot of weird trees! Last month, I posted about a tree near Paducah that kept trying to tell passersby that there was treasure buried at its roots. Today, however, is dedicated to the Donkey Tree, a cursed tree near Springfield.

Source

Like all urban legends, the story behind the Donkey Tree changes slightly depending on who is telling it. Along with the background, the consequences of visiting the cursed tree also change from person to person. But, here's the gist:

There was once a farmer who was especially cruel to his donkey, and would often beat the animal severely. One day, the farmer took it too far and beat the animal to death. Atop the site where the donkey died (or was buried) grew what is today known as The Donkey Tree.

Visitors to the spooky tree, which does closely resemble a donkey, believe that the tree is cursed. It is said that anyone who touches the tree will have bad luck. Some believe that touching the tree will result in the person being in an accident, and some even say that its a death sentence. On the flip side, putting an apple in the 'donkey's' mouth is considered good luck. If you do put an apple in its mouth and then leave, you'll find that the apple has mysteriously disappeared by the time you get back.

According to the Donkey Tree Facebook page, in October 2014, people began contacting the admins of the site to report that they were hearing the sounds of a child laughing or crying near the tree between the hours of 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. Even stranger, the Facebook page mentions that an abandoned car was found in front of the Donkey Tree in September of 2015. The car allegedly belonged to a YouTuber from Indiana who was visiting the area to shoot a documentary for his channel. No updates were ever posted, and I couldn't find any additional information on this case.

Having said that, if you're still brave enough to visit the Donkey Tree yourself, it's located on Valley Hill Road in Springfield, KY. Roadside America gives the following directions:

Directions:  From Springfield drive north on Hwy 55/Bloomfield Rd. Just past the nursery on the left, turn left onto Valley Hill Rd. The tree is on the left, just past the little one lane bridge.

*Kentucky has donkey trees...West Virginia has men's faces in rocks.  It's all thanks to the wonders of Pareidolia!  Learn more about pareidolia at the link provided!*

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