The Woo-Woo of Warren County

Naturalist and writer turned Fortean researcher Ivan T. Sanderson has found a home on this blog before, thanks to his personal brushes with The Weird.  One such occasion, which was also witnessed by two of his friends, took place at his home in New Jersey.  On April 13, 1968, a local newspaper, the “Blairstown Press,” published a letter from Sanderson giving details about the incident.  The letter begins with Sanderson describing his interest in local history and the stranger side of life, then segued into his desire “to speak of even more out-of-this-world things”:

There is one that has sort of popped back again recently through a chance remark that one of us happened to make when Raldo Mattioli, a most progressive staff writer for your opposite number over the river--the “Easton Express”--was visiting us.  Being a good reporter in the proper sense, he picked on this and made it his lead to a story he wrote on us.  This gave us rather a shock, but simply because we handle so many curiosa that any personally experienced one of this nature tends to get lost in the shuffle.  The “story” is as follows; and this is where we would like to ask your readers’ help.

In mid-June of 1965, three of us rolled into my place in Polkville at dawn.  We had driven all night from Washington, D.C., where we had been for several days on business.  This business was the news business.  Both my friends were longtime, professional newsmen.  Tom Allen, Senior Feature writer for the Sunday “New York News” for ten years, and Walter McGraw, audio (meaning using tape for interviewing) reporter for Westinghouse Radio and TV, the AMA (American Medical Association), and the Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare, and the Federal Government, among other things.  Such boys are really hardboiled cookies and not to be fooled by any kind of “kookery.”

It was one of those almost mystically beautiful mornings, with the birds singing, the frogs froggin, and insects “insecting”--I suppose you would call it.  As we had an enormous load of equipment--tape recorders, film cameras, cases filled with office equipment, typewriters, and all the other assorted junk that working newsmen have to lug around--I drove up around the house to the back lawn.  Backing into the back door makes life so much easier when unloading such a load.  Also, it just so happened that all three of us have what I can only describe as “sensitive backs” due to “incidents” in what is now called WWII.  We put down the back flap of the station wagon and started to unload.  But the morning was so absolutely glorious, with its clean fresh Warren County air, and the rising sun, and the boids and the bees and the frogs and so on, that we just sat on the flap and breathed.  Tom Allen had just remarked upon this glory compared to the rat-race in the capital when….

Absolutely without warning of any kind that we could detect, every bird, frog, insect, and all else alive just simply, absolutely, and completely “dropped dead” as it seemed.  The resulting silence was so absolute it would have scared even an Eskimo on a still night on an arctic icecap, where the absence of sound is so profound that it almost hurts.

We all looked at each other for a few seconds.

Then it came.......WOOOOoooooo-WOOOoooo-WOOOooo…..three times in quick succession. Then a pause; then again three; and so on for about seven minutes.

I've searched for and collected animals all my life all over the world, and I'm not given to panic; nor am I either impressionable or much impressed by any "unexplained", but I can tell you that that vast, enormous, terrific noise which welled up from the Walnut Valley sent the proverbial cold shivers through my spine and, as we used to say in the old country, "with bloody knobs on". But the thing that impressed me most was that it apparently had the same effect on my two colleagues--hard boileder, hardnoseder, and more sceptical than whom I have never met. Besides, both are Vets and both happen to have quite some experience with wildlife as well.

This event had several aspects that I will elaborate upon, in a minute, but I must tell you what happened with us.  Here we had probably the best and most elaborate recording equipment then available and two real experts in its employment whose whole life depended upon “grabbing the mike” as they say when an unexpected event took place.  Yet the three of us just stood with our mouths open, gaping and turning our heads from side to side.  None of us so much as thought of flipping open the battery-recorder and throwing just one switch.  But how often does one fail to do the right thing in an emergency?  How many times have you kicked yourself, saying:  Why the heck didn’t I take a photo of that?  This seems to be a universal trait; but professional reporters have trained themselves to try and overcome this reaction--or lack of it.  Yet, here we were, three very longtime pros, just standing there with our mouths open!

This was a purely psychological reaction.  What might be called the intellectual one came later, but too late.  It probably hit me first because of my lifetime in the field studying animals.  In fact, so extraordinary were some aspects of this sound and its “behavior” that I completely forgot the tape recorders and just about everything else.  The reasons were as follows.

First, I had never heard any noise or sound like this before in my life.  Second, the only times when I have heard ALL noises made by all types of animals stop suddenly and at the same instant like that, has been before major earthquakes--and I have witnessed half a dozen of these all over the world.  Third, the sheer volume of sound was absolutely unbelievable; in decibels I would say that it equaled a four-jet plane taking off, as registered from about a quarter of a mile.  Fourth, it seemed to start somewhere up about the region of the Blairstown-Millbrook Rd., but in a couple of minutes if not less it was manifestly west of us, which put it over (or beyond) Hainesburg; and in another couple of minutes the calls were definitely coming from the direction of Columbia and the Gap.  This is about 12 miles in a maximum of four minutes--probably less, because even an experienced radio man’s timing goes all off in an emergency.  But most of all there was both an echo AND an answering call of exactly similar nature from, apparently about west of Bangor, across the river!

Our timing may, as I say, have been way off, because the whole thing was so shocking that none of us even pulled out our stop-watches, though all of us had one in our pocket on a chain.  (This is standard equipment for radio persons.)  It could have been of much shorter duration, but it certainly could not have been any longer.  The point I am trying to make is that 12 miles in even four minutes is 180 m.p.h.  What animal, I ask, can travel at that speed?....

I should point out that we don’t know, of course, if this “Thing” did travel that far in that time.  Nevertheless, it could not have been a land animal, and especially a Gray Fox which, as several experienced local hunters and woodsmen have pointed out, does make a “who whhooing” noise sometimes--at least so it is believed.  Of the angle of travel we are quite sure as all three of us cupped our hands behind our ears which is standard practice for pinning down direction.  This angle, from where we stood, was no less than, believe it or not, 180 degrees!

Then again, the echoes absolutely confirmed that the darned thing--the first and loudest one--was over our ridge and in, or beyond, Walnut Valley.  There would have been no ring-back if it had been close enough to be in our little valley; and you can get a pretty close estimate of distance by the time of an echo, as in thunder.  This time lag decreased until the thing was due west (i.e., the closest) to us and then increased again as it went south.  In other words, it was a noise so enormous that, at a minimum of five miles, it made our eardrums ring!

However, the most incredible aspect of this whole incident was that the birds, frogs, and insects stopped all their noise, and suddenly, all together, BEFORE the first call, or whatever it was. What is more, they remained absolutely silent until at least five minutes after the two callers appear to have met and gone on south together, their calls blending and then getting fainter and fainter! Thousands of animals don’t behave like this except in some very exceptional circumstances. And, what circumstances in this case but the forthcoming WOOOoooo-WOOOoooo?

So out-of-this-world was this experience that the three of us talked about it all day and finally decided that it was just too way-out even for me to mention.  However, I did make a lot of somewhat discreet inquiries of every and all the experienced naturalists that I knew, from Game Wardens to scientific collectors; but, apart from the Gray Fox belief, none had anything even near a suggestion after he had heard a playback of a recording we made immediately after the incident on which we gave an imitation of the sound.

Then came Raldo Mattioli with his story and, no sooner does it hit the stands, than the phone calls start coming in.  As it happened, I was talking to the combined Warren County PTAs (Parent-Teacher Associations) in Belvidere that evening and the matter came up there as a result.  About five minutes after I got home that evening the phone rang and a citizen of Belvidere was on the line.  (I’ll give you his name next week, if you want it, and if he gives me his permission.)  And this is what he had to tell us.

He pinned down the date pretty well because he was married seven years ago and was then still a-courting.  One fine summer night he was so courting on a lovers’ lane up the mountains west of Bangor.  The lane was in the woods and there was only star-shine, there being no moon that night.  Suddenly, as he tells it, just this same enormous, ghastly, hair-raising sound rang out right ahead of the car.  The gentleman tells me that, although an ex-Navy man and having seen much war-time action, he had never been so scared in his life, and he said that he still does not like to talk about it.  So scared was he at the time, he said, that he was sort of paralyzed and to the extent of simply being unable to switch on the car lights.  He estimated that whatever made the noise could not have been more than twenty paces ahead up the road.  It continued to “WOOOoooo-WOOOoooo” just as ours did at regular intervals and then took off and faded away.

But more followed.  This gentleman told me that a couple of years later he was helping as a volunteer to do some digging for a school project in his township and at a lunch-break got to talking of funny things hereabouts, and no less than three others finally admitted that they had heard, and even “encountered” at close range, the same thing.  One, whose name I have, and whom I happen also to have met personally, has been a very keen sportsman-hunter all his life in the area and is definitely not given either to tall tales or, more so, the jitters; but he also just does not like to talk about it.

So what do we make of all this?  I have my ideas, but then, my ideas tend to be taken with more than just one grain of salt, so I shall continue to keep my mouth shut for now!  What I want is your ideas; and, more so, any similar accounts that any of you might be prepared to give me.  Your names will not be published unless you give express written permission.  However, your names I would like, in confidence as I would be most grateful if I could meet you--also in confidence and ask some questions that you may not have thought of.  I am very sincere in this request as this is a purely scientific enquiry.

And I am not suggesting GHOSTS.  I will have no part of such.

It is still a mystery what created the noises that Sanderson and the others heard, but whatever it was, I for one hope that I never encounter it.

Weekend Link Dump

 

Welcome to this week's Link Dump!

Meanwhile, the Strange Company HQ staffers are off on their summer camping trip.

The questions about how Neanderthals buried their dead.

I never thought I'd see "Ulysses S. Grant" and "erotic vampire novels" in the same headline, but I guess it's just that sort of world.

The Knights Templar and Jesus' bones.

An 18th century abduction "under color of law."

In praise of the Etch A Sketch.

Britain's first book-of-the-month club.

The classic movie that may have been responsible for several deaths.

A newly-decoded Babylonian hymn.

How Napoleon spent his years in exile.

An aristocrat who was "Good for nothing and lived like a hog."

Why weddings have flower girls.

The mysterious death of "the only midget ever to play baseball in the major leagues."

The war between an Empress and a Queen.

A murder victim haunts the site of his death.

A historic library battles hungry beetles.

In case you're wondering what scientists do with all that sweet grant money, they have now proved that sloths break wind.  You're welcome.

The couple who survived 118 days on a rubber raft.

Meet Pepper, the virus-hunting cat.

The last soldier killed in WWI.

A new study about Easter Island.

An East India Company laborer goes from rags to riches.

A visit to Chatham Royal Dockyard.

A "wicked little thermometer."

A hotel where stray cats find a home.

The American Revolution and the Beeline March.

The 19th century craze for stupid (and dangerous) hoaxes.

Decoding a mysterious medieval tale.

Tortoises have feelings, too!  So, show them a bit more courtesy.

A 1678 crop circle.

Murder by cuspidor.

That's all for this week!  See you on Monday, when we'll investigate a Weird Sound in the Woods.  In the meantime, here's another Blast From the Past.

Newspaper Clipping of the Day

Via Newspapers.com

I suppose all I can say is, some mighty weird things happen at funerals.  The “Democrat and Chronicle,” August 15, 1901:

Larned, Kan., Aug. 14.--A bolt of lightning saved a child from premature burial at Hanston, twenty miles from this city. The 5-year-old daughter of Samuel McPreaz, a rancher, apparently died on Saturday morning. Funeral services were arranged, the body prepared for burial, and no one noticed a sign of life remaining in the little body. Yesterday the funeral services were held and the procession started to the cemetery.

A storm was gathering at the time. On the way to the cemetery a bolt of lightning struck the hearse, burst open the metallic coffin in which the body was incased, knocked down both horses and stunned the driver. When the frightened mourners reached the hearse the little girl was sitting up crying for her mother. 

For a few moments the persons who witnessed the occurrence were too frightened to move, but finally the little girl was taken up and driven back to the house as fast as possible. Her parents believe the bolt was sent as a miracle and the people of the vicinity speak in whispers of it.

Physicians declare the little girl was in a cataleptic condition and the shock revived her, but many residents believe she was dead and came back to life. Telegrams from Hanston say she is recovered and feels no ill effects from being incased in the coffin for twenty-four hours. The lightning destroyed one side of the hearse and melted a portion of the coffin. Persons living in the vicinity of Hanston, who were in the funeral procession, tell many strange stories in connection with the occurrence. Some of them say that just the flash of lightning a peculiarly soft, mellow light appeared in the sky, which was so pronounced in its difference from sunlight as to attract attention and occasion comment, and that while the atmospheric conditions were being discussed the clap of thunder and the flash of lightning riveted their attention upon the strange scene which followed.

It is also said that the lightning, after passing through the metallic coffin, passed along the running of the hearse and burned the ends off the leather traces so that when the horses struggled to their feet they were unhitched from the vehicle that contained the broken coffin and the resuscitated child. What is thought to be one of the strangest features of the occurrence and which strengthens the belief of those who contend that it was a manifestation of the divine power, is that nobody was killed or even seriously hurt by the lightning. 

Mr. and Mrs. McPreaz are well-to-do ranch people, who live in the vicinity of Hanston. They have three other children, two girls, and a boy. They were raised in the Catholic faith, but have not been attendants at church for several years, as there is no Catholic congregation in that neighborhood. Mrs. McPreaz has been prostrated since the return from the cemetery, almost hysterical at times, and it is feared her mind is affected.

The Poltergeist of Cambridge Castle

Cambridge Castle, 1730

Simon Ockley was Professor of Arabic at the University of Cambridge from 1711 until his death in 1720.  In 1718, he was briefly imprisoned in Cambridge Castle for debt, where his enforced stay was enlivened by the company of what we would today call a poltergeist.   Our sole source for Ockley’s brush with The Weird are from a series of letters he wrote to a “Dr. Keith” about the experience:

CAMBRIDGE, MAY 6th, 1718.

Sir,

I do not remember myself to have been worse in my whole lifetime than I was on Sunday last when to mend the matter I was plagued all night with a Caccodæmon that infests our castle after a very strange manner. He did not suffer me to get one wink of rest till after broad daylight, and not much then, for he is verily as troublesome in the day as the night at certain times.

I know these things are exploded as mere Chimeras in this (si Dus placet) discerning age; but they must give me leave to trust to my own experience rather than to their Cui bonos.

I felt him moving under the bed and heaving it up. I waited the event, whilst he entertained me with variety of sounds and capricious troublesome motions in different parts of the room. At last he gave such an explosion under the bed as seem'd to sound in my ears as loud as the largest cannon, and rais'd both me and the bed with the force of it.

I soon after heard him tapping at the top of my bed's head. I asked him what we were to have next? Immediately he flew through the boards that separate my bed chamber from the next room, and returned again with such violence that you would have imagined that he had shivered them all to pieces. Then giving a slight tap in the midst of a great boarded wooden chair that stands close by my bed's head, he seem'd to make such a noise as when a great cat leaps down upon the boards, but withall so hollow as if all his body except his feet had been made of copper. I look'd for him instantly, the moon shining very bright, but there was no appearance; then moving a little while at a distance he returned to his old tricks again.

Once he was whisking about in the corner of the room and made such a noise suppose as a cat would do playing with a piece of paper. I snatched the curtain immediately to see him, which he took so ill that I thought my great wooden chair had been coming directly at me; such a suddain terrible jarring noise did he make with it.

So civil he is that tho' the parlour where I live all the daytime is a good bow's shot distance from the chamber where I lodge, yet he now and then makes me a visit here; and not long since I was talking to an honest man about him, who is not over credulous in such cases, he made a proselyte of him at once by giving such a bounce as seem’d to shake the whole room and almost to blow me and my chair quite away, tho’ I could never perceive anything stir.

Yesterday about one o'clock he entertain'd us with a multitude of hollow thumps exactly resembling the fire of cannon at a distance. In the afternoon it was more like thunder.

The last night I design'd to entertain him by candle light, but perceiving that some people in the street had got a notion that I was going to conjure down a spirit, and besides that he was not so active as in the dark; to humour him in his own way I put out my candle and put myself in a posture for his reception. The first I heard of him was a leap from the windows like a cat; then the noise of two able threshers upon a boarded floor. Afterwards he twisted a long line making the same noise that the ropemakers do. He whistles admirably well and drives a cart or a gang of packhorses. I have heard the sound of the bells as distinctly as ever I did in my life. After he had entertained me thus for a while, I having rebuked him after such a manner as I thought most proper, I was resolved to endeavour to compose myself to sleep in spite of him which I did, but he would not let me rest long.

I fancy there is a gang of them, or else he is like the Old Man in Scarron's comical Romance, that used to act three parts at once viz.: the King. the Queen and the ambasadour.

But, after all it is no laughing matter. I am sure I do not find it so. It is exceedingly troublesome and terrible. There is something in the nature of those separated beings so different from flesh and blood as make their too near approach almost insupportable. God preserve us all from the Malignant influences of infernal powers for the sake of our blessed Lord the Saviour Jesus Christ.

Yesterday my daughter was here, and having confess'd that there were unaccountable sounds, she wished they were louder. The spirit did not stay a great while before he gratified her request, and gave us a peal like thunder.

If anyone doubts the truth of this I am ready to resign my chamber to him with all my heart.

S. OCKLEY.

Ockley wrote to Keith again on May 23rd: 

Dear Sir,

I perceive you are under a mistake. You are not aware how much I converse in my thoughts with the invisible world. I never make any ostentation of it, for if I ever mention anything that goes any farther than Mathematical demonstration our people know just as much of it as I do about the situation of the cities in the moon. But you are a Gentleman to whom I have such obligations that it is not, nor ought to be, in my power to refuse you anything; but notwithstanding all those obligations were they ten times greater, they should not induce me to communicate anything of this kind, unless I had that same assurance that I have of your being thoroughly qualified to judge of things of this nature.

Whether or no the spirit haunts the castle I am not certain. I believ'd so at first, but this I am fully assured of, that his last visit was a particular Dispensation of Providence to me.

I have heard him make noises at a distance some months ago. I am not so acquainted with things of that nature as not to be able to distinguish those sounds from any other. I oftentimes said there was a spirit and was of course as often laughed at.

But once (I believe about 3 weeks ago) I had sent the keeper on an errand, it was about 9 o'clock at night, and my candle stood burning by my bedside, I heard upon the wall distinct rappings as if they had been upon wainscot; I anticipated your good advice. I recollected my spirits and resigned myself into the hands of the Father of Spirits under the protection of his blessed Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

I knew very well that that was but the beginning, and lived in constant expectation to hear more of it, which I did frequently; and the reason why I gave you a particular account of Sunday night was because it was the most remarkable.

I was indeed of your opinion first. I took it to be an uneasy departed spirit, and thought it an act of charity to assist it; but all my labour was lost; I had no remedy left but fervent prayer, in which I spent the greater part of the night.

Not that I was scared, for I defye anyone to convict me of anything that ever looked like cowardice,* if I have any fault with relation to such matters it lyes in the other extreme.

N. B. So far as the asterisk was written as soon as I received your letter, since which time I have been under such a feaverish indisposition as has made me incapable of anything and perfectly listless. I slept well for two or three nights and began to recover my strength and spirits but they must of necessity decay again unless my troublesome guest, as you very properly call him, either leave this habitation, or I be removed to another. He is come back again as it were with double force; for these two last nights he has exercised me incessantly from ten till after four in the morning. Last night he gave near I believe an hundred strokes in the next room to me as loud as men make when they are rendering timber or breaking down wainscot! besides variety of rappings, hideous, hollow, inarticulate voices, besides several other inimitable sounds. This morning between three and four a'clock he was very busy in rubbing down a long table that stands in my room, and as he was whisking about, he now and then stumpt like one that has a wooden leg. You seem, Sir, to think that he is a ludicrous spirit, and that therefore he is never to be entertain'd or subdued in that way. I never did entertain him in that way, nor did he ever give me any reason.

I cannot yet be persuaded that he is a ludicrous spirit, nor the Soul of any person deceased. At present I take him to be a malignant evil Genius, of the same sort that I met with in Hand Alley, for the sounds and his manner are very much the same.

Nobody heard him but myself last night, and let me have been in never so great distress, I could neither have awakened any of them, nor have been able to gone out of my room.

I believe he would speak but cannot. I have thought sometimes to lay hold of some of his hollow tones but never could to any certainty. Whatsoever he is I do not desire to be farther informed by such conversation. If he is in any distress, nobody more ready than myself to serve him; but I do not desire he should distress me, which he do's exceedingly by robbing me of my rest, and exercising and debilitating my spirits. I have spoken to him several times, but he never returned a syllable of answer--a week's more such exercise would reduce me to a very bad condition.

S. OCKLEY.

Soon after this letter was written, Ockley was released and returned to his home at Swavesey.  However his supernatural troubles were not over.  On July 6th, he wrote to Keith from Swavesey:

Dear Sir,

You ask me, Sir, whether my spirit has left me or not. I cannot say that he has. About an hour ago my second daughter and I sitting in the kitchen, I heard a very great noise above stairs. Now you are to understand that I am a man the most impatient of noise of any man breathing. I took it for granted that the maid had been cleaning the rooms or making a bed, and had flung something about by accident, but having occasion to go upstairs I found the coast clear, and upon enquiry was inform'd that the maid was sent on an errand; all the rooms were immediately search'd, no cat, no dog, nothing visible.

I cannot close my letter before I acquaint you with one memoir relating to the spirit in Cambridge Castle. One night when all the prisoners were lock'd up in their rooms except two or three innocents, I had occasion to go to the house of office. As soon as I sat down and placed my candle on my left hand, the spirit came down with such force as you would have imagined would have dashed the whole partition to pieces. Such things are so far from diminishing my courage that they encrease it, for immediately I summon up all my spirits, and make the most regular Christian opposition that I am able, but as I have told you before I am not able to bear the influence of their vehicles, and I owe my present indisposition to that malignant power (so much by way of parenthesis). I immediately snatch'd up my candle in one hand, and opened the door with the other, but nothing appeared.

I knew very well that there was none of the prisoners could or would impose on me, for tho' I do not design to make going to Jayl a habit, yet common sense taught me to secure the friendship of the most impudent fellow in the crew. I hate mortally to have a piss-pot emptied upon my head, and then be answered that nobody did it. He would not I'm sure play any tricks with me because I was his best friend; besides if he would he could not, for I defye all mortal powers to impose upon me in such a case.

The sounds that those spirits make are inimitable, and their accursed Influence is supportable. However, I went up and ask'd him why he made such a noise (tho' I knew it was not he, but I was resolved to be thoroughly satisfied). The poor man was asleep, but upon my awaking him he answered that he had made no noise but had been composing himself to rest ever since he came to bed. I then took more particular notice of the building and observed that it was impossible for any of the prisoners (considering the situation of their lodgings) to have made any such noise in that place. I wrapt myself up in my gown and went thither again on purpose to see whether he would return. As soon as I was sat down he came with the same force, and gave such a jar to the door as if a man had kick'd at it with the utmost force. I saw the door jarr, as I did the first time, and opened it as quick as I could, but finding nothing went to bed. S. OCKLEY.

Dr. Keith replied on July 12th:

Rev. and Dear Sir,

I received your very acceptable letter of the 6th and rejoyced to see it dated from Swavesey. I am sorry first of all to hear of your indisposition and listlessness and especially of the weakness and tremor of your nerves. I shall set down a prescription or two at the end of this, which I desire you would use for about ten days or a fortnight. You may send for the powders mentioned in the first in two little vials, and weigh out 15 grains of each in the morning and evening when you take them. They will be the more effectual if you will add 5 grains of the Sal Succini to them, and therefore you may get one dram of this in a vial too. When you have weighed out of the powders mix them in a little conserve of Rosemary flowers, and take it by way of Bolus, drinking a cupfull of sage or sassafras tea after it. Tho' you don't mention any disorder in your stomach yet I think it fit to order a general litter for you in order to help your digestion, which I reckon to be one-half of the cure. If you hav't an honest Apothecary that's your friend your daughter may get the ingredients and boil them at home, and also the two waters to add to the liquor when it is strained out and cold. I pray God to give his blessing that they may be a means of your recovery. When you are in any tolerable condition to use it, I would recommend to you gentle exercise, and especially riding on horse-back.

In the next place I cannot but lament the negligence and imprudence of your friends both at Oxford and Cambridge, and indeed am at a loss how to account for either. In the meantime, you must take a good heart and do the best you can. And I hope you will especially since now you will be easier at home than ever. For I reckon the noise and disturbance that may come from the other spirit will be in all respects less sensible. cribed the whole of your three letters on the subject of the spirit in Cambridge Castle, and have here enclos'd them to be communicated to his Lordship at your leisure. I have not heard the least syllable of that of Hand Alley a great while. I often pass by the house and see it is still inhabited.

I remain very heartily, 

 Rev. Sir, 

Your sincere humble servant, JAMES KEΙΤΗ. 

We know nothing more about Ockley’s spectral visitor.  The professor died at Swavesey on August 9th, 1720.

Weekend Link Dump

 

Enjoy this week's Link Dump!

While you read, please feel free to join us in the club for Strange Company staffers.

The surprising DNA of an ancient Egyptian.

A visit to Old Rotherhithe.

A quite awful new theory about why cats were first domesticated.

Why "Peggy" is a nickname for "Margaret."

The capture of a slaver, 1845.

The Girls Who Killed the Rats.

The latest research about the Carnac stones.

Boccaccio and his literary self-portraits.

The surprising secrets of da Vinci's "Vitruvian Man."

That time when something very weird landed in Ireland.

That time when something very weird was spotted in New Mexico.

The Founding Mothers of New France.

What our ancestors wore to the beach.

A particularly brutal murder in Montana.

A look at underwater archaeology.

The menace of Merry Widow Hats.

The latest news from the Great Pyramid.  It'll be interesting to see if any of this truly holds up.

How 18th century New Jersey women briefly gained the right to vote.

Marie Curie's radioactive fingerprints.

This is for all of you who've been wondering what ancient Rome smelled like.

That time when cats got married at the Plaza Hotel.

So, England has a guy prowling around in a panther costume.

When ancient Rome had a urine tax.

The town named after a jungle vampire.

Four cases where men disappeared after being last seen in their cars.

A Shaikh's assassination on the beach.

A child's deathbed, 1883.

The Bayeux Tapestry is (temporarily) returning to England.

England's last political duel.

A case of "love, bigamy, and murder."

Good news, Oscar Wilde!  You can visit the British Library again!

A man and his biblioburro.

That's it for this week!  See you on Monday, when it'll be poltergeists a-go-go!  In the meantime, here's a brief visit to medieval Paris.

Newspaper Clipping of the Day

Via Newspapers.com

Family banshees can come in different forms, I suppose, but a piano is a new one for me.  The “Richmond Independent,” May 1, 1933:

The Wetherill family of Continental, O., desire to get rid of their piano, which isn't of the player type. For the third time in less than 12 years, the omen of death has been sounded on the piano. The other night, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wetherill and their two daughters were awakened by the piano as two keys, one of high pitch and the other of a bass key, played for several minutes--so the Wetherills say.

A week later. Mrs. Wetherill's sister-in-law died. Ten years ago, a week before Wetherill's mother died, Mrs. Wetherill declared part of a hymn was played on the piano by an invisible hand.

Seven years ago the family was awakened by the piano, apparently playing itself, and a week later Wetherill's sister-in-law died. Wetherill is shown beside the piano.

An article in the “Alexander City Outlook,” on December 14th gives a few more details:

CONTINENTAL, O.-The Wetherills want to get rid of their piano. They are afraid to have it in the house any longer. It is not a player piano, but it plays itself as a sign of death. That's what Charles E. Wetherill, head of that house, maintains.

And the neighbors shake their heads and say, "If Charlie Wetherill says it, there's something to it." They are wondering now who is going to die. The terrible message came again a few days ago. Wetherill says. This is the fourth time, he tells his neighbors, in 12 years. The Wetherills were proud of the piano when they got it, something like 12 years ago.

It is a handsome big upright. They put a copy of "Perfect Day" and "Poet and Peasant Overture" on its elaborate music rack. Before the excitement of the novelty was worn off, the first message came, the Wetherills say. In the dead of the night, one note kept drumming over and over, until everybody was awake and wondering what on earth was happening. A few days later Charlie Wetherill's mother died.

"It's a coincidence," the Wetherills decided. "There was a mouse or something in the piano." And they forgot all about it. For six years. Then Wetherill told his neighbors one morning that he had been roused out of his sleep by the drumming of that one note again. "It makes a person feel mighty funny," he said.

"I don't believe in spooks, but there's something funny about this." A few days later his sister-in-law died. They talked then about getting rid of the piano. But they didn't. They didn't even sell it when the message came again and another sister-in-law died. But now they're talking about it.

Because this time it was even more weird than before. When they heard it this time they got up and rushed down to the parlor and turned on the light. They could see that one key still moving lightly up and down--not quite hard enough to make a sound. That is what they told their neighbors. The Wetherills look at each other with frightened eyes.

They are saying in their hearts. "Did it call for you, or did it call for me?"

I was unable to find out what became of this Instrument of Doom, but if you happen to have an early 20th century piano in your home, and one of the keys starts moving on its own, it might be wise to get rid of it.

The Poisonous Mr. Drescher

Most poisoning cases--particularly serial poisonings--can be unusually murky and confusing crimes, particularly if no obvious motive is found.  A particularly stellar example is the following case, which, while nearly forgotten today, was a justifiably famous mystery in its time.

Our toxic little tale opens in the fall of 1914, in the ostensibly peaceful area of Owen County, Indiana.  Charles Surber, who was running for the job of Owen County recorder, received in the mail a sample of a substance labeled as quinine.  There was no name on the typewritten return address, just a location in Indianapolis.  Surber took some of the “quinine,” and instantly regretted it.  He fell horribly ill, but, fortunately, managed to pull through.  Tests showed strychnine in his system.  When his anonymous gift was analyzed, it was found that the quinine had been heavily doctored with the poison.  Although the poisoner was never identified, Surber believed the culprit was the same anonymous person who had been circulating typewritten letters accusing him of being unfit to serve as county recorder.  When the election for recorder was held a month later, Surber beat out his opponent--48-year-old Francis Drescher, the acting coroner for Owen County--and went on with his life.

Other county residents were not so fortunate.  Over the next seven months, a number of other Owen County residents received similar anonymous samples of “quinine” sent from Indianapolis.  Those unlucky enough to partake of these samples all felt the dreadful effects of strychnine poisoning.  Several of them died.  Owen County had a serial poisoner on their hands.  But who was sending these seemingly random packets of death, and why?

On the evening of June 2, 1915, Francis Drescher sent his two children, 15-year-old Mary and Francis Jr., 12, to the movies.  That left him temporarily alone in the house, as his wife Estella was visiting relatives.  When Estella returned home around 8 p.m., she found Francis lying face-down in the library, quite dead.  On an end table was a note in Francis’ handwriting which began, “I ate a radish and my heart has broken.  It hurts me today.  Pocketbook.  Goodbye, mom and children.”  

Although trace amounts of strychnine were found in Francis’ blood, the cause of his death remained uncertain.  The autopsy found no strychnine in his stomach, which led to the theory that Francis had injected himself with the poison.  However, no needle was found near his body.  Public opinion remained convinced that he had somehow committed suicide, particularly after it was revealed that the coroner had secretly been the prime suspect in the “poison by mail” crimes.  In fact, just before Francis died, a post office inspector had arrived in Owen County in order to question him about the matter.  The general assumption was that Francis had somehow learned of this, and resolved to “cheat the hangman.”  Drescher’s family, however, noted that he had suffered a bad bout of food poisoning shortly before his death, which they believed brought on heart failure.

"Indianapolis Star," June 4, 1915, via Newspapers.com

The accusation that Drescher had been a human viper was strengthened when it came out that there was a long history of people unaccountably dropping dead around the genial coroner.  In September 1906, a young woman named Maude Clark, who worked as a nanny and maid for the Drescher family, suddenly went into convulsions and died in front of Francis--in fact, she expired with one hand clutching the hem of his pants.  Although O.F. Grey, the doctor who was summoned to the scene, immediately suspected poisoning, Francis convinced the coroner at the time, Dr. O.G. Richards, that an autopsy was unnecessary.  He explained that the girl was often depressed, and undoubtedly committed suicide.  Why publicize such sad details?

Soon after Maude’s mysterious death, Dr. Grey and his family ate their usual breakfast, after which they all became dangerously, although not fatally, sick.  A large amount of strychnine was later found in their sugar bowl.  Although Grey hired private investigators to find the person who tried to wipe out his entire family, the culprit was never identified.

In 1911, R.H. Richards, the Owen County treasurer, sent a deputy to collect some money Drescher owed the city.  Soon after that, Richards collapsed.  He had a very bad couple of days, but eventually recovered.  Doctors confirmed he had been poisoned, but, again, the would-be murderer remained unknown.

In June 1912, one Frank Mason became ill, and was placed in the local Odd Fellows Lodge.  Among the people who helped treat him was Francis Drescher, who was by then the acting coroner.  When Mason’s condition took a sudden, dramatic turn for the worse, Dr. Grey was called in.  Although Mason was having trouble speaking, he managed to gasp out to Grey, “I’m poisoned, Doc, quick, get it out of me.”  And then he died.

A small packet of strychnine was found in Mason’s room.  Drescher ruled that the man had obviously committed suicide, and that was that.

Six months later, a young Owen County woman named Alice McHenry came down with a headache, and took some quinine which she had recently received in the mail from some anonymous benefactor.  Soon afterwards, Alice went into convulsions, and died within the hour.  When Coroner Drescher arrived on the scene, he stated that Alice had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage.   Nothing to see here, move on.

One day in 1913, a traveling salesman named D.H. Johnson staggered into an Owen County hardware story asking for help.  He then fell to the floor and died in convulsions.  Francis, who happened to be nearby at the time--how convenient!--said the poor man died of heart failure.

After Francis’ death, an Owen County widow, Mrs. Strouse, went to the police with an unsettling story.  After her husband had suddenly and mysteriously died in 1914, Francis--who had conducted the man’s funeral--asked her if she lived alone.  A few days later, she received in the mail a sample of quinine.  After the “medicine” made her dreadfully ill, she brought the rest of the quinine to authorities, who found that it contained strychnine.

Owen County’s impressive body count continued.  In June 1914, one Thomas Karns died suddenly in his home.  Although he had been in perfect health and had no history of heart trouble, Coroner Drescher ruled he died of “mitral valve insufficiency.”  Within that same period of time, at least seven other county residents inexplicably dropped dead.  Drescher ruled all of these deaths were due to “heart failure.”  He took to immediately embalming the bodies before anyone had time to request an autopsy.

All of this made the late Mr. Drescher look like quite the busy Death Angel.  However, no solid evidence was ever found tying him to all these bizarre and quite untimely deaths.  The only possible motive anyone had come up with for him to turn mass poisoner was that, as an undertaker, he wished to drum up business!  And for those convinced of Drescher’s guilt, there was the inconvenient fact that well after he died, at least three more Owen County residents were mysteriously poisoned with strychnine.  Additionally, at least some of the poisoned quinine had been sent from Indianapolis at times when Drescher was indisputably at home.

Despite all these lingering questions, after Drescher’s highly suspicious death, local authorities found it convenient to just let their investigations quietly fizzle, leaving a remarkable true-crime muddle behind them.

Weekend Link Dump

 

The Strange Company staffers wishes all our fellow Americans a happy Independence Day!

The dark side of the Tower of London.

The dark side of small town America.

A 16th century manuscript about Robin Hood.

The mock mayor of Stroud Green.

Once upon a time, there was an ancient Roman with really freaking big feet.

Something that is not--in no shape or form, absolutely not, no way in hell--a photo of a Native American with a wolf.  So there.

The Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916.

Neanderthal "fat factories."

A deadly circus fire.

The unsolved murder of an unidentified man.

July-related customs and folklore.

A very shocking teacher.

Remembering a cat's summertime.

The real Lady Macbeth.

A destitute man gets aid from the India Office.

The tragedy of the human lightning rods.

Forgotten figures of the American Revolution.

So, basically, we have no idea why we call it "iceberg lettuce."

How Ancient Greeks thought you should throw a dinner party.

Fats Domino and Hurricane Katrina.

An ancient temple from a lost civilization.

The myth of Phineas Gage.

The artists who promoted the American Revolution.

A forgotten explorer.

A brief history of Tarot.

Anarchism in 19th century France.

A radical hostess.

The science behind Agatha Christie's poisons.

How Ice Age people harvested teeth.

The oldest known mummy.

The female doctors of WWI.

Could the Epic of Gilgamesh be even older than we thought?

That's it for this week!  See you on Monday, when we'll look at a mysterious serial poisoner.  In the meantime, here's a rendition of the national anthem I remember from '77.

Newspaper Clipping of the Independence Day

Via Newspapers.com

For this year’s Fourth of July, I’m bringing you something a bit different: A patriotic mystery!  The “Bonner County Daily Bee,” August 26, 2014:

KELLOGG - Old Glory is flying high atop a large ponderosa pine on Fourth of July Pass. 

How the flag got there, on national forest land, is a mystery.

At night the American flag, which is on the north side of the highway around mile marker 27, is illuminated by a light which makes it clearly visible from Interstate 90.  Jay Kirchner, a spokesperson for the Idaho Panhandle National Forest, told The Press Monday that they first got a call about the flag a month ago.

“We have no idea how it got up there,” Kirchner said.  "It's on the tip-top of the tree and I can't imagine it would hold the weight of the person holding onto it.”  

The Idaho Panhandle National Forest sent its professional tree climbers to assess the tree the flag flies from in order to possibly remove the flag.  However, Kirchner said even professionals were reluctant to make the climb.

“It’s just too dangerous for them,” Kirchner said.  “To get up on that skinny part of the tree that high up would be too risky.  Since it’s not hurting anything, we’re just going to leave it up there for now.  It’s not worth the risk.”

But Kirchner added that they would like the flag and light to come down eventually.

“We applaud and respect this individual’s display of patriotism,” Kirchner said.  “But they did this on public land and we don’t want more people putting up displays on public land.”

As far as I know, it was never discovered who put the flag up, and, more importantly, how the devil they did it.