Sedamsville Rectory - Spirit Dog

At the Sedamsville Rectory in Ohio, we sadly learned that the place we were investigating once housed a dog fighting ring. We grieved over this incident as both Wendy and I have a great love of animals. As we investigated the building that night, this EVP was captured on our audio recording device. This was not heard with our own ears, but it clearly sounds as if there is a dog within feet of us in the same room. Let me be clear, there were no living animals in the Rectory that evening. Listen to this clip and let me know if you also hear the dog barking....

New Orleans gruesome past

Voodoo, Hoodoo, voodoo dolls, and gris-gris. Just a few things that immediately come to mind when you think of historic New Orleans. And while I could take this time to outlay the specifics regarding early voodoo practice and how it came to be an integral part of everyday culture in Louisiana, I am not going to. My intentions for this entry have a deeper purpose. Telling the story of the grizzly events which transpired long ago, that even to this day still horrifies the people of New Orleans. Blanketed by a dark past, overcast by wealth, slavery and morbid curiosities, the sickness that once destroyed the innocent souls of this lively Creole town, still dismally lingers here today. 

Let me take you back in time, all the way back to 1832... Tucked deep in the French Quarter a seemingly well to do couple by the names of Delphine and third husband Dr. Louis LaLaurie built one of the most beautiful mansions the area had ever seen. They were some of the richest people living in the French Quarter at the time. In fact they were so rich, that they thought they were untouchable. A beaten 12 year old child slave by the name of Lia fell to her death from the roof of the mansion while attempting to avoid being further whipped by Madame LaLaurie. The incident was immediately reported to the authorities by a neighbor, whom had already become suspicious of abuse when attending one of the LaLaurie's lavish parties. Even though the girl's death brought about awareness that slaves where receiving mistreatment under her care, Delphine LaLaurie was only handed a minor violation. A small fine and the removal of 9 slaves, which had swiftly been reclaimed by family members and later returned to her...

In April of 1834, the authorities where once again dispatched to the LaLaurie Mansion. This time however, it was due to a massive fire that had already engulfed the majority of the house. Once inside they quickly found a slave women chained to the stove by her ankle. She confessed that she had started the fire in an attempt to commit suicide. She feared that she would be sentenced to a horrible punishment in the uppermost room of the mansion. A room, she insisted, where the slaves never returned from. The investigators hurriedly continued their search only to find a sealed door in the uppermost corridor of the mansion. Fearing for those that may be in danger, they had no choice but to break down the door. What they found in that room had completely shocked not only the men their to rescue them but also the entire state of Louisiana. 

There in that room they found the remains of seven slaves, though they had not perished in the fire. Their horribly mutilated bodies strewn about the room. They were found suspended by the neck, and their limbs had been stretched from one extremity to the next. When the discovery of the tortured slaves became wide spread, the citizens formed a mob and destroyed whatever still remained standing of the mansion from the fire. The sheriff was dispatched to settle the mob, but by the time he had arrived the building had already been demolished, leaving very little to identify the once beautiful home.  The remaining slaves had been transferred to the local jail for public viewing, however two slaves passed away from their injuries after their rescue from the slaves quarters. As plots were being dug for them on the property of the LaLaurie mansion, two slave bodies where uncovered. One of the bodies was that of a child.

Madame LaLaurie escaped prosecution, and what happened to her after the fire was not well documented. There were rumors that she fled to France after a short while in Mobile, Alabama. Clearly she changed her name, and with her fortune, continued to elude authorities as to her exact location. The incident surrounding Delphine's death was also just as mysterious. A story circulated that LaLaurie died in France during a boar hunting accident. Though this was a popular story at the time, it was never substantiated. There is a headstone in the St. Louis Cemetery #1 with a cracked copper marker indicating that Delphine was laid to rest in 1842, however the public records for her passing indicate that she died in Paris in 1849. The horrific abuse demonstrated by Madame LaLaurie in the house on Royal Street now stains the pavement for which this mansion once stood. Had she strayed from her punishing nature for fear of being caught, or had she carried on with more heinous acts after her disappearance? Her absence left many without closure and even more unsolved questions that will forever go unanswered. 

   

Lemp Secrets

If you haven’t had the pleasure of visiting the Lemp Mansion, I highly encourage you to do so. The building is beautiful, the food is fantastic and the wait staff is bar none. The fact that the mansion has been seeded with a somber past only sweetens the deal for me! I could continue going on about my love of this location, but I think you get the point. There was however one incident that, for a lack of a better description, I found odd. Yes, I know how this sounds. I was knowingly ghost hunting in a building where people took their own lives and yet I found something odd? But, this was different, I found something that I was not expecting. As we headed upstairs after our dinner, we stopped off in the gift shop. There are books and pictures, great historical pieces lining the shelves and feeling like we had stumbled upon a mini museum built inside a vault in the mansion, I was doing my best to soak up every inch of it.

As my eyes followed the outline of the glass display case I stopped suddenly, spotting something rather out of place. A human skull, charred, and left on display for all to see. Nestled high above your natural line of sight, you would almost miss it if you were not completely surveying the room. And once it had caught my eye, I had to ask, “Is that thing real?” Well if you’re lucky enough to engage in conversation with the same Lemp historian as we did, you will find out very quickly that yes, that thing is real! The little lady was proud to share the limited knowledge she had on the skull and though she was able to confirm that the skull was from an adult and that it was retrieved from the caves on the Lemp property, few other details were available because they refused to have the skull identified. Also she made it very clear that she felt whole heartedly that the skull held some type of wicked power. She admitted to us how strongly she felt that all of the terrible occurrences over the past decade were directly related to its unearthing. And for the next 20 minutes, she sat there recounting tragedy after tragedy that she felt had transpired through some type association with the skull. I can’t put her on record, nor can I validate that any of her claims are true. 

I find it peculiar that they have a human skull so inconspicuously on display and have very little knowledge on it, but even more glaringly unusual is the fact they intend to leave it as a mystery... If it is truly a human skull as they claim it to be, why wouldn’t they do the right thing and have it identified? Was our self taught historian correct in her assumptions that it contains some type of maliciousnous? I suppose this will remain with the many secrets kept by the ghosts at the Lemp Mansion as we will never truly know these answers.

Ouija Boards

What is it about Ouija Boards that instantly makes people recoil in fear?  I get that the board has earned its malevolent reputation, thanks to all the horror movies, but the idea that you will be sucked into a never ending spiral of terror just from coming into contact with one is a bit over the top. Or, is it? Lets dissect this thing together, shall we... Its a game, for all intents and purposes. One that became quite popular in the late 1800's. The idea of communicating with spirits definitely has a long history. The use of a talking board to communicate with deceased relatives goes back even further. From what I've read, using a talking board was actually a trend in 1886. So why suddenly do we fear this novelty? It honestly seems like a useful way to cope with the passing of someone close. And these days you can quickly pick one up wherever other board games are sold...

So, while it seems like I am advocating for the use of this exclusive communication device I feel its time to clarify where the fear should be directed. The mere board is innocent enough, what people do with them, is what should be feared. Many people see these as simply a bridge that enables the flow of communication with spirits, while others view them as portals for spirits to travel through. And for that reason, there are those that only intend to use the board for conjuring negative energies. They engage themselves in the belief that they can control dark entities, disregarding any signs that they should stop along the way. Whether their rituals work or not is not necessarily the point I am trying to drive here. The ability to invite negative energies in becomes a possibility with the help of the Ouija board and therefore people fear them.

Ok, now that I've come full circle I won't blame anyone for having a fear of this past time. Fear itself is a distressing emotion that happens when we sense danger or evil, and do not fully understand the outcome of  our actions. This is perfectly logical. However the sight of one should not be the cause of immediate panic. Think about this the next time you stop by your favorite store and happen to find yourself on the isle with other board games. If the Ouija board itself was able to push entities out onto you, why would the store buyers even have them? Why would they be so easily available and right next to Monopoly, of all things? Another household name that Parker Brothers has strategically placed in homes since 1935. Clearly, that board is not haunted. I've won every game I've ever played. I am also a very corrupt banker! Actually, you know what, just disregard that last line... Anyway my point is don't assume that the unknown is an angry vengeful deity. You may still be able to communicate with your lost loved ones with the help of this board. Isn't that thought alone more appealing then the latter?

The Haunted Forest

Back home, and by "back home" I mean Memphis TN, one of the places Wendy and I loved to investigate was hidden in the woods just North of Memphis. An eerie place that was once the location of an ammunition facility created for the benefit of preparing and storing munitions for World War II. The building was torn down years ago, though for what ever reason, it was never completely demolished. Partial rooms, and old racks for holding large bombs remained intact, as well as the old smoke stacks. The Smokestacks continued standing tall and ever visible from all points. Like a grim reminder to all that happened to look up and see them that there was once something of great importance out there. During the winter you could easily see the scattered remnants of stone and metal from the structure that formerly stood there. Any other season you'd find it buried beneath every species of poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac. 

We would have to explore very cautiously in order to avoid a torturous ordeal after our investigation, and if the vegetation wasn't enough to keep you away, there were also the underground tunnel systems. The tunnels led to a small-scale use of underground munition stores. Even though the factory was now a crumbling shell of its former self, the underground tunnels endured. Through nothing was left to safeguard the scattered pits that would drop you down into the tunnels. Even the ground beneath you seemed to lightly give way as you walked along what would be the ceiling to the tunnels. If you chose to not keep an eye on your footing you might find yourself at the bottom of one of these holes with something broken and no easy way out. Ghost hunting can be dangerous on so many different levels.

Now that I've properly set this up for you, I feel like I can finally tell you why this was one of our favorite places... Ever investigate somewhere, where the activity is just as loud and glaring during the day as it is at night? That is exactly how I identify this place, truly haunted. You walk along the paths through the woods to the ruined structure, all along hearing whispers. As you touch the rock formations or the old bomb racks you can feel the energy still pulsing through it. Creeping further into the woods you find the half moon bricked structure covered by centuries old vines. Though it is completely flooded and unable to explore, as you stand at the entrance you can hear the sounds of someone weeping. Who was it that was so affected here? Maybe they were brought here against their will? There are stories, of course, as with any small town. In this story there was a homeless man that murdered children and hid their bodies inside the underground tunnels. Whether or not that is true, I couldn't say. I've researched it and have only come across the legends. From our own investigation here, I can say that there is something otherworldly, and either still attached to it, or just lost.

On one of our evening investigations, we felt that we had made contact with the spirit of a child. This was out in the open field rather then deep in the woods. The communication came in the form of a light being turned off and on to indicate yes or no, and we had come to the conclusion that the child was a male and was misplaced. As we interacted with the child spirit a solemn howl broke the silent night. It was loud enough for us to gauge its distance and felt safe to continue. It was only just a single howl at first, but the howling soon multiplied and it quickly became clear that a pack of coyotes were approaching us. We feared that they would be aggressive so we gathered everything and headed for our cars. Just as we crossed back through the gates that led us in, the howling stopped. Suddenly the vicious sounds that where right behind us were now no where in sight. The growling had gotten so close I could feel its breath as it neared us, yet as I turn to face it, it abruptly disappeared. This was one of the most bizarre occurrences I have ever experienced. Had there actually been coyotes chasing us, what stopped them from jumping us once we were outside of the field. 

We paused, catching our breath we were left trying to accept that there was nothing chasing us. This was a paranormal force, a dark one. One that fooled us into thinking that snarling dogs were about to attack us. Was this connected to the little boy spirit that felt he couldn't leave? We went back several times trying to get answers to what we experienced. We left gifts for the child though never again making contact with him or even feeling the need to flee from an attack of wild dogs. Though as we revisited, the crying and the whispers could still be heard throughout the forest. So loudly I might add that you could hear them without the use of an amplifier. Or maybe we were just more in tune with it after that night. Either way, it saddens me to think that something remains out there alone. I wonder if it will ever be free...

Are you afraid of the dark?

Late into the night, you creep through the house. Checking that the kids are tucked in their beds, locking the doors, and turning the lights down. Then you slide into bed yourself and close your eyes. You’ve had a tough day so sleep should come easily, yet you find yourself with an odd feeling as if someone else is there. Your eyes pop open and as they become fixed on the doorway. You realize that you just watched as the dimmed light shining in from the living room lamp suddenly became brighter, but why? It must just be your senses adjusting to the dark, right? Wait... What was that sound? Probably just the ice maker you tell yourself. Still fixating on the door you tell yourself that you have to get some sleep! But as you try to settle in, the thought of what just occurred unnerves you. "Please don’t let there be a ghost in my house." You silently whisper as you lay there in the dark. 

The irony of being a paranormal investigator but then wanting nothing to do with unseen forces when it’s time to close your eyes is somewhat of a joke to me, however that’s been my life for the last few months and I can’t explain it any other way. Having said that I want to point out the work done by Nick Groff and Katrina Weidman. I am a really big fan of the technique that they use on their show Paranormal Lockdown. They confine themselves to the haunted building for 3 days. Investigating 'round the clock as they essentially try to live with whatever situation presents itself during their attempt to connect on this new level. Not to mention that they need to get rest while their there, though I cant even imagine the amount of energy burned as they lay there squeezing their eyelids shut. As I've mentioned before, sleeping on location is not an easy task. When the opportunity to fully rest has been eliminated you easily become sleep deprived, allowing yourself to experience an altered mindset and a detached grip on reality. Not only does their form of investigation grant them the upper hand in communication and documentation, but is also allows them to experience the things that only the people that live with a haunting fully understand.

This is something I would certainly love to undertake, just not in my own home. The fear of being caught in your most vulnerable state is hard for me to conceive. My fear comes from my own personal experience. When I was a child, the house where I was raised had what I sensed to be an older male spirit. We lived in the house for a few years before he made first contact. I've always assumed that his communication started well after we moved in because he wasn't comfortable with my family. In all the years we lived there he only ever appeared to me. I was the youngest in the family, and possibly the only one with an open unbiased mind. I recall once when he appeared as a dark black shadow in the doorway of my room (see where my issue of doorways comes from.) I woke from my sleep one night to find him there. I called out for my father and the shadow took one step back and disappeared.

I could feel him almost every day after that. Like a heavy presence that was always on my back.  The lights would turn on and off suddenly as I entered into rooms or I wouldn’t be able to turn my bedroom TV off without pulling the plug. The type of things you would write off as being simple electrical issues, however this wasn't happening to anyone else in the house. I got the sense he wanted to make me uncomfortable. The last time I saw him, was when I was much older. He again appeared to me in that same doorway but this time as a white mist. Even though his appearance had changed I could feel that same pressure and knew that it was the same presence. He floated slowly toward me and I watched as his misty form passed right through the furniture, and that was it for me! I hid myself under the covers and as I tightly closed my eyes I wished him away. “Please make him go away, please!” He was still there but I never saw him again. I was much less understanding then, even though I still hate being caught off my guard I will not hide under the covers anymore nor will I wish it away. It’s a passion of mine to make up for that missed opportunity to ask questions and learn more. I’m ready, if there really is anything to be ready for.

The legend of the glowing gravestone

In Portsmouth New Hampshire there is an old graveyard that sits at the corner of a very busy intersection. This is the South Street Cemetery. And while it is most well known for being the final resting spot of the two victims from the brutal Smuttynose Island murders, I am actually highlighting a strange phenomena that occurs at the cemetery regularly. The bizarre site of the glowing headstone is a local phenomenon that has been discussed and puzzled over by the residents of this small town for years. It is amazing to see, though I must warn you. The homeless take shelter in the graveyard at night. So if you must stop by for a glimpse of this rather unnatural occurrence, I suggest that you are very careful. 

Firstly the glowing stone sits nestled between two neighboring stones, neither of which produce the same haunting iridescence. Second, the glow of the tombstone can be seen regardless of the weather conditions. Basically I'm telling you that you will see the glow in any condition. Whether there is a moon or is not, whether it rains or on a clear night, whether cars pass by with their headlights or not, you will still see the greenish white glow produced by the stone at night. No one has yet to identify the reason for this rare spectacle. Many guessed that it is just the moon, but again it can be seen glowing even when the moon is hidden. Others claim that it has something to do with the stone containing luminous properties, such as Uranium. But then why is this unique to this one stone in New Hampshire? I would speculate that there must be other illuminating headstones if that were the case. Surely this one stone didn't get all of the glowing minerals. Could it be that there is something more to the deceased buried here?

If that is the case, 68 year old Eunice Burns took her secrets with her to the grave in 1884. I have reluctantly found no mention of her having died from natural or unnatural causes. Lucky for her the witch hysteria in New England began in 1898 which came 14 years after she had passed on. Since this was the time that more reports of the unusual were being recorded, it is likely that I will never know any more about the passing of Eunice or the reason why she lay under the glowing stone in South Street Cemetery. This legend will remain a mystery for myself as it has for many of the locals here. 

The Haunting of Al Capone

Many people are already very familiar with the St. Valentines Day massacre that occurred in Chicago Illinois February 14, 1929. However if this is news to you I will give you a short synopsis of the events that transpired that morning. A gang led by Al Capone, the South side Italian gang, clad as police and business men surprised 6 men from the street gang known as the North Side Irish gang as they arrived at the warehouse on Clark Street in Chicago Illinois. The 7th man on the scene was not actually a part of the gang, he was just a friend and happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. The members of the gang were brought to the warehouse that day under the impression that they were collecting a smuggled truckload of Canadian whiskey. Upon their arrival, they were met by men whom they assumed to be the police. All where lined up against the back brick wall, and murdered. It was later learned to have been a hit planned out for George "Buggs" Moran a longtime enemy of Al Capone. George was late and missed the ride to the warehouse with the other men that morning. Taking a separate car, he spotted the police car and became suspicious. He decided it would be best to stop over for coffee and miss being busted with the other men.

Capone was not convicted at this time, in fact he left town in May to escape the additional heat he was beginning to feel as his involvement with the massacre was becoming more clear. Skipping town, he fled to Philadelphia only to find himself under arrest for carrying concealed weapons. Capone and his bodyguard were sentenced to a year in prison. While incarcerated in the Eastern State Penn, Capone continued to conduct his illegal business. He was released 2 months early on good conduct however during his incarceration many witnesses claim to have heard Capone screaming "Go Away Jimmy, Leave me alone!" It was at this time many suspected Capone became haunted by the the ghost of the late James Clark. James Clark or Jimmy, was one of the gunned down victims on St. Valentines day and also the brother in law of George "Buggs" Moran. After being released from prison, Capone took residence in the Lexington hotel in Illinois but shortly discovered he was no further away from the haunting. 

Capone's men reported hearing him begging to be left in peace. On several occasions Capone's bodyguards broke into his apartment for fear that Capone was being attacked, only to find the apartment empty. Capone would later tell them that it had been the ghost of James Clark. Capone's driver also admitted to seeing the specter. He reported seeing a tall man, and when he questioned the man, he simply disappeared. After bodyguards completed a thorough search of the premises, no one was ever found. Capone deciding that he had enough of these tortuous visits, and he contacted psychic Alice Brit. The two performed a seance with the intention of removing Jimmy's vengeful spirit once and for all, however the seance failed. It is believed that Al Capone remained haunted by Jimmy's spirit until his death in 1947.

Magnolia B & B - Sleeping at the site

I recently came across an older case of ours, the Magnolia Manor Bed & Breakfast. I wanted to talk about how overwhelming and difficult that evening in Tennessee was for us, but before I go all in I need to set this up a little. First and foremost, I loved this place and the fact that it was so close to home. I could not wait to do more investigations just like this one, possibly at this location. Little did I know, shortly after this exploration our team would split up and move to opposite ends of the US. Secondly this place IS haunted. No, that is not capitalized and underlined by mistake. I feel that certain areas in Tennessee are darkly overcast by deep ancient emotions. The kind of emotions that physically saturate the earth. This area was so rich with this bleak history that you could feel it the moment you step out on it... or at least we could.

I'm not going to detail our ghost hunt at this time, I'll save that for a later entry. For now I want to discuss our first night sleeping in a haunted B&B. We envisioned that this would come easy, this being our first time actually attempting to rest at a location. We quickly learned that the line of communication is not so easily broken once opened... We were provided a cabin outside of the beautiful historic home in Bolivar, and were told that nothing is normally reported to happen inside it. The adorable cabin was complete with a full kitchen, living room and bedroom with an en suite. It would have been the perfect place to rest, had it not flourished with the spirits from the past . The cabin came alive after our visit in the main house had finished, and not at all before. 

With this in mind I was left to question whether this was due to our technique. Had he been engrossed with the fact that we paid him so much attention? Was there something else that he wanted to get off of his chest? In my mind, the spirit we had captivated was a male. At different times throughout that evening we captured the voice of a man, so I lean towards this being the same spirit. After our ghost exploration, we performed a closing ceremony back inside the cabin. Expecting to have a peaceful evening, we packed up our gear and got ready for bed. But this night, we would not sleep. We laid there listening as the heavy steps approached our room from the hallway outside our door. We heard the large floor vent in the middle of the hall being stomped on. And if that wasn't enough for one evening, we heard something scratching at the bedroom door. I don't know how or why the door to our room refrained the spirit from entering, but it did. We sat there eyes wide in the darkness watching the door. Waiting for the antique brass doorknob to turn, or jiggle, or shift even the slightest. That night he never even attempted to open the door. He continued pacing the long hallway inside the cabin as if waiting for us to come back out and continue our questioning. It was a very restless night, and as the sun rose I remember feeling sore from laying in the same uncomfortable situation all night. 

The owners made eggs Benedict in the morning and sat at the opposite end of the round table from us. This time they were not so eager to discuss the ghosts that plague this residence, in fact they tried especially hard to not bring it up. Maybe its not the type of thing to discuss over breakfast? Wendy and I were ready to just pack up and head home anyway, so we were fine with what seemed like "the cold shoulder" at breakfast. Our ride back was quick and silent as both myself and Wendy remained stunned by the events that had unfolded that evening. I haven't experienced a place like this since...  

Trigger Objects

What do you think about using trigger objects on your ghost explorations? I pose this question a lot because I enjoy getting feedback and ideas from others who investigate the paranormal. Believe it or not I usually receive a mixed bag of reactions and opinions on the subject. One of the most interesting ideas that I've encountered is the theory that using trigger objects creates an attachment, and therefore a haunting. And if you consider the purpose behind using a trigger object, this theory makes a lot of sense. Your attempting to stimulate a memory in order to open the line of communication between you and an entity. By doing so, the entity might find a deeper attachment within the trigger object which would allow the entity to travel with you outside of the location that was affected. 

I get that, but I also agree with the idea that trigger objects are useful with aiding in the overall communication process. We use trigger objects on our investigations when we feel they can be helpful. One of ours is an old porcelain doll with a wind up music box that plays "A spoon full of Sugar." She is dressed as a nurse, even has a cap, and stockings, and we have named her Nurse Nancy. We hoped that she would be useful as some of the locations we have visited have darker histories that include the deaths of children. I can report that she has not brought anything home, not that I am aware of anyway. But sometimes I feel that entities are more drawn to interact with her then they are with us, the investigators.

Partially because Nurse Nancy is a friendly little toy. She's not someone that can cause any harm or wrong doing. Meanwhile we are still strangers, regardless of how friendly we are when trying to communicate during our investigations. We are still the unfamiliar outsiders invading their space... Other trigger objects that we've found to be effective  are story books. Reading aloud helps to surface memories from the past and allows the communication to flow easily, same as music.  I feel that when you introduce these elements into your investigation your not only prompting those memories to surface, but you may also be opening your self up to the possibility of an attachment. So, having said all of this, where do you stand on the idea?  

.

James Eldred House - Mystery man

This was one of the pictures that were taken during our visit to the James J. Eldred house in Eldred, Illinois. I've always been intrigued by this photo because of the mysterious image that appears to be standing right in front of our friend there in the red sweatshirt. This is so interesting because as she positioned herself to take a picture of the back of the house, there was no one else near her. She was standing out there in the field alone. Yet in this picture, you can clearly make out another person. The ghostly image of a white faced person clad in all black appears to be holding up a hand as if to block her from being able to take her photo. Interestingly she was aiming her camera in the direction of the basement entrance, which is where the majority of our unexplained events took place that evening. There is an area below the ground that is named the Cheese Room, and is infamous for a variety of haunted phenomena.Wendy and I had several unforgettable experiences here at this location, this is only one of the moments that we were fortunate enough to document.

The Lemp Mansion - The Lockdown

The Lemp family of St. Louis, MO established the Lemp Brewery in 1892, but it wasn’t their family brewery that made them famous. After the loss of a child and a friend owner, William Lemp Sr., committed suicide on February 13, 1904. Years later after the company suffered through prohibition William Lemp Jr. also took his own life in the office of the Lemp family home. I could stop there and everyone would say what a tragic story this was. A father and son both so lost in hopelessness that they feel there is nothing left to live for. The power of ones emotions, drawing the mind to believe that death is the only relief is a disease these two men seemed to share, but for the Lemp family it didn’t stop with them. Youngest daughter Elsa, and the third son of William Lemp Sr., Charles, also felt that life was too hard with no positive end. Elsa and Charles both killed themselves at different times and for different reasons. It is clear that the Lemp family had demons they were not dealing with. 

The Lemp family home is now a restaurant and inn that really plays up the family's haunting past by playing host to ghost tours, and murder mystery dinners. I had the pleasure of investigating this location in 2015 but my story today isn't about that experience. It’s about where we truly got locked down with the dead. Before every investigation we attempt to pay our respects where these lost souls have been laid to rest. We hope to gain their acceptance and make a possible physical connection that will aid in the psychic connection to the other side. The Lemp family members are buried at the amazing Bellefontaine Cemetery. The cemetery itself is seen as a tourist destination offering walking tours of the grounds that include stories of the historic individuals interred here. Some of the most famous include William Clark and the Anheuser-Busch families.

The burial ground's are in the middle of an industrial area of the city. Yet it seemed so peaceful within the grounds, as if you were completely secluded. The aromatic flowers and trees helped you to forget that just beyond the wrought iron gates sat the bustling city. It was easily comparable to walking the paths of a garden deep in the country. We had to have been in there for hours, though the time passed us by without either of us noticing. The trails seemed to go on forever, winding and twisting deeper into the ossuary. We explored here for over an hour before finally making it to the Lemp family tomb. We spoke to the deceased, and paid our respects. The spell of the cemetery finally broken, we decided that we had lingered here long enough. We began our exit, however finding our way out would prove to be another challenge. As we approached the exit we could see that the main gates where closed. Thinking that they were possibly automatic gates, we crept closer. Now that we had pulled all the way up, the gates remained closed. At this point we could also see that they had been chained and locked! I got out of my truck, walked to the office which was just to the left of the gate, but found that no one was there! They had all left! Locked us in and left!

I got back in the truck and my eyes fixed upon the sign on the gate that read the closing time. Checked our phones and... well shit! We just got locked into the Bellefontaine Cemetery for the night. So of course our first thought was hey maybe this isn’t such a bad thing, I mean there are a lot of individuals here worth trying to talking to! Being that the main focus of this trip was the Lemp Mansion, also neither myself or Chris were super thrilled with the idea of being arrested we began searching for a way out. We quickly discovered that this may be a common event at the Bellefontaine Cemetery because on the gate is another sign that read “If locked in, Please wait here, call security.” So we made the embarrassing call to security and waited for our savior to arrive. When he arrived he was great about the ordeal. Just smiling and giving us a friendly wave once the gate was open enough to drive out. We laughed about it as we drove on to the Lemp Mansion, though I can’t help but think that we may have missed a great opportunity there. 

Disclaimer: No we do not condone being in cemeteries or graveyards after dark without permission. Always ask permission for investigating after hours.

Psychic Links

Love me or hate me for it but I will not hide my appreciation and love for the Ghost Adventures show! I know, I know! Zak Bagans is over the top at times and Aaron Goodwin is a goofball but I feel that their unique characteristics add to the charm of the show and keeps the overall feeling of the show down to earth. They are entertaining as hell, and I feel that this team has always put their whole heart and soul into their investigations. I've been a fan since the beginning and love getting my weekly GAC fix. Having said all of this I cannot not leave Nick Groff out. I have a great respect for Nick's approach and his new show as well. His oddly calm demeanor during the freakiest moments always leaves me wondering "what is going on in this dude's head?" These guys were the reason I felt comfortable enough opening up about my experiences. They made paranormal investigating look cool. Sure people crack jokes and maybe don't believe everything that happens to them but I've learned a lot from them over the years and have truly enjoyed every episode. 

Is this how I see myself investigating? Are all locations this action packed? I mean we have been to a lot of the same places as they have but does that mean the devil has been haunting us ever since. Not by a long shot, yes we've had exciting experiences, yes we have had emotional experiences that didn't always end at the location but are we having meltdowns and yelling "dude!" all the time, no... However the connection that these guys have is something I can relate to. Zak Bagans said in his second book that his crew is like his family. The experiences they have had together have bonded them to each other like no one else could really understand if they weren’t there. Chris and I absolutely have this same connection. When she feels something on an investigation I sense the difference in her and react. When she's scared, I'm scared. It's more than being protective of someone, it's a type of psychic link. I think when you share moments that can not be explained, that you truly don’t know the depth of how they can effect you, yet you still walk hand in hand together into these situations, you connect with one another on a level that is beyond a simple partnership.

A friend asked me the other day if I saw the Goat Man Bridge episode where Zak and Aaron where both attacked. If you haven’t seen it, it’s a pretty intense episode. My friend was laughing about how cute it is that they still get scared on location and it got me thinking. First of all, I do agree it is adorable that they show us their true feelings and they are not numb to the emotions investigating can put you through. But I also started thinking, you know Zak has been extra emotional in the most recent sessions, really since Nick has been gone. Now, I have no idea what happened with Nick leaving the show and I don't begin to know Zak's personal life but what if they had that same psychic link? Nick's mellow attitude maybe helped to keep Zak calm. Maybe Aaron's energy is too much like Zak's and when one is scared or concerned they both just become on high alert and that’s when the "Dudes!" and "Oh man!" starts getting yelled and the running starts! 

 While investigating at the Villisca Ax Murder House we found ourselves in the heat of the action. We were getting responses on our spirit box, there were footsteps on the stairs, we were seeing strange lights as if the house just woke up for the night. We had been sitting in the bedroom on the first floor when it all started, then we moved to the kitchen and the entire atmosphere just felt wrong. Like a sudden static charge pulsed through the room and silenced all sounds. Freezing everything momentarily. Before we could even share our feelings with each other the door leading outside suddenly opened. The door opened and closed on its own and we stood watching in shock. Our first concern was to confirm whether a real person was there trying to enter the house. It was just Chris and I there that night to investigate, we had the entire place to ourselves. No one should be coming to the door. Then when we realized that no one was there, I was ready to use this impressive event to start beefing this investigation up. It’s go time, right? One problem my partner locked in place, that overpowering feeling that something was wrong still surrounded her.

In my mind I was ready but my body could not stop shaking. I look over to her to see she’s shaking too, with her back to the stairs she told me there was something not good in this house and we needed to leave. In one moment her fear over took me and that was all I needed to grab my camera and say "Ok, lets go!" We took a long break in our car eventually going back in to the house. When we re-entered the whole feeling of the house was different. We walked around, positioned our equipment for the night, and hit record. As we were stepping out to take another break I felt that feeling again coming up right behind me I wanted to turn and face it, explore what didn’t want us there but it's like the brakes were hit when I could feel that Chris still just wasn't sure about our safety in this house. 

Maybe digging too deep was a bad idea, so I decided to follow her lead. We seem to balance each other, as I feel the Ghost Adventure Crew must balance each other as well after so many years together. That link of yin and yang acts in a way as a protection against these unknown forces. I’m telling you it may just be what keeps that devil from following us home.

Lemp Mansion - Scratch

Like most of you, I've had experiences where I physically felt a presence. I've sensed eyes on me by something unseen. I've felt a hand lightly brush against my face and have also had my hair pulled. I've even had a brush against my lower shin as if an animal where rubbing its face against me, though nothing was there. I've never, never, been scratched at a location, accept at The Lemp Mansion. And to me, this is the most unlikely of places to be scratched during an investigation, but it happened to me here. It was the strangest thing. It was unexpected even though all the signs where there. At that moment, it wanted to be known. It wanted to be understood, and at that moment, I did...

We were all gathered on the main floor of the mansion. At this point the group had mostly moved into the massive dining room that is immediately to the right of the grand entrance. We had our equipment out and were engaged in an investigation when we began reading high electromagnetic spikes. The meters kept alerting loudly, and because the alarm was constantly sounding I was beginning to think that they where malfunctioning. Before this night I had never seen this type of reaction in our equipment. We were in the middle of our session when the alarms became more intense. Suddenly my finger began to burn. I thought that I had been cut with a razor blade, but that didn't make any sense. I was in the middle of the room holding a meter... I didn't understand why suddenly my finger burned so badly?

It continued to burn the longer I stayed, so I left the group and went into the back hallway where I could see what was happening to my flesh. I was able to see the cut more clearly and also found that the cut was growing in size. As droplets of blood formed on my skin I was no longer confused. I knew that I had been attacked, though I didn't understand why it happened to me. I still don't understand why I was singled out that night, but I feel that this may have led to a lingering experience that I was really not prepared to deal with.

Surprisingly I've been cut several times since our investigation at this location. This has happened to me regularly, including outside of investigating the paranormal. I've received a deep gash on my arm while driving past an old church. My hands and fingers are continuously cut or scratched just as I sit on the couch or in my bed at home... Each time receiving an unexplained burning sensation, that gets deeper and more intense as time goes by. I've also had re-occurring dreams about this location, which has left me wondering if the incident that we documented at the Lemp was a meant to warn me. The meters were all triggered and alerting a presence, and I just continued on with my investigation... I can't say for sure why this all happened this way, only that just recently the cuts seemed to have cease and so have my dreams of this place. Does this mean that I have finally been ridden of this spirit?