A haunted hunt: Paranormal group seeks King’s spirit

She was dying to ask the wealthy businessman all about his children and beautiful antebellum home, not to mention the tales of buried treasure in the family peach orchard.

She would have settled for the slightest response from King - a faint whisper or even a tap on his desk. After all, he’s been dead for 143 years.

Tatum and fellow Gulf States Paranormal Society members searched King House over the weekend, hoping to encounter the spirit of Edmund King or any other restless souls there.

Armed with eight video cameras, numerous tape recorders and a motto of “Nothing disappears without a trace,” the 18-member team searched for proof that supernatural forces still occupy the home.

King was a rich merchant who came to Montevallo from Georgia during the early 1800s. Using slave labor, he built his mansion - a magnificent brick home that was one of the first in the state to have glass windows.

Legend says an elderly King hid his money from advancing Yankee soldiers during the Civil War. Most people think he buried it in the family’s sprawling peach orchard.

Today, the university uses King House as a guest home. A few visitors to Montevallo have been so spooked by strange phenomenon - like hearing footsteps in King’s upstairs bedroom - they refuse to stay another night.

University students have also reported seeing an old man carrying a lantern and a shovel outside the home. The figure is believed to be the spirit of King, either guarding or searching for his buried treasure.

Ghost hunters

The Gulf States Paranormal Society is made up of mostly Shelby and Jefferson County residents. They get together about twice a month and investigate “haunted” places like King House.

This marks the second year in a row the ghost hunters have searched King House near Halloween.

Cinnamon Tatum, who founded the GSPS in 2005, said repeat investigations are essential in gathering good evidence of otherworldly occurrences.

“Ghosts don’t perform on demand,” said Tatum. “The more you investigate, the more likely you are to find something. You have to do it as many times as it takes.”

A ghost hunt starts with a simple walkthrough, as members collect the “normal” temperature and electromagnetic field levels of the area to be investigated.

It’s been speculated spirits can cause a spike in energy or take heat away. By getting the norms, hunters can observe if anything is out of place later.

Technical Manager Brian Mealer also sets up infrared cameras and voice recorders to try to capture a spirit’s presence or sound.

The ghost hunters then wait in complete darkness hoping to get an orb on film or a whisper on tape. They also pose questions to specific people known to have lived or worked in the haunted place. They asked King about his children and when he built his mansion.

The members also put coins on King’s antique desk, hoping the “trigger objects” would tempt the wealthy man to make an appearance.

During past investigations, the hunters have captured some interesting readings, especially concerning spikes in electromagnetic fields and sudden drops in temperature.

“What causes that? It’s the kind of thing that spurs me on,” said Tatum.

There’s also the members’ personal experience. While investigating a home in Selma, Tatum felt two fingers tap her on the shoulder.

“It’s very unnerving when something physically moves your body that’s not there,” she said. “That can’t be captured in photos or on tape.”

However, not all the hunters are quite so ready to believe.

Mealer said until he captures irrefutable video evidence of ghosts, he’ll remain somewhat of a skeptic.

“To me, video is the Holy Grail. If you get something on video, it’s hard to dispute that,” said Mealer. “That’s where the proof’s in the pudding.”

Source: http://www.shelbycountyreporter.com/articles/2007/10/30/news/news837.txt