Introduction

I have oftentimes heard it said that if you live in Great Britain and your house is not haunted, well then you are just doing something wrong. Should it really come as any wonder that this statement may actually have a bit of truth to it? The British Empire has had a long and illustrious history soaked in bloodshed that may have left some remnants of the past behind to remind the modern day Brit of their bloody past?

When the Romans pulled out of the British Isles they took with them civilization and Britian was thrust into centuries of darkness that brought with it greed, disease and superstition. Past warlords were now lords and kings and although they claimed rulership and claimed to have the people’s best interest in mind they actually acted more like well born mafioso seeking to keep the people in darkness and their coffers full. Wars were common place and those peasants who got in the middle now roam the many ancient castles and homes that still stand having survived the ages.

In this new series, I don’t just want to explore the same tired and worn out castles that claim to have a specter from the ancient past of England but rather I want to take a look at some of the other homes that folks like you and I could possibly afford and of course other favorite haunts of the UK. I hope you enjoy, Kingdom of Shadows.

Terror at 50 Berkley Square.

In the annals of paranormal research their is no more terrifying haunting than an attack by an inhuman, or demonic spirit. The literature is filled with case studies of horrified families who are forced to endure a spirit bent on making their lives hell on earth. The chief purpose of the inhuman, a spirit that never walked the earth as a human, is to harass, frighten and eventually possess the soul of an otherwise unsuspecting human host. It would appear that a seemingly innocuous house in a fashionable business section of London plays host to such a being. Although the house is now an antiquarian booksellers, it would seem that the demon still makes it’s presence known in the upper rooms where no human has dared to step foot in almost a century.

In his outstanding book on the subject of haunted homes in England, Charles Harper wrote in 1907, “It would appear that something horrible haunts the upper rooms of this otherwise innocent looking house.” And it would appear that this British author of the strange and unsual is more than correct. For most of the 19th century the house at 50 Berkeley Square has been known as the most haunted house in all of the British empire and it would appear that whatever the entity is it can lay claim to a body count, at least two deaths have been attributed to the terrifying entity that is said to stalk it’s upper rooms.

The first gentleman to fall victim to the heinous entity that haunts the home was a British nobleman who was a well known scoffer of claims of the paranormal and openly mocked those who claimed to have seen a specter. He considered such folks to be nothing more than superstitious peasants. Upon hearing of the entity that haunts 50 Berkeley Square the nobleman set out to spend the night in the home and bring to nothing the reports of the ghost and the phenomenon attributed to it. The nobleman arrived one cold night in December of 1840 with numerous friends who would take up a position in the lower quarters of the home while he slept in the supposed haunted room. The nobleman advised his friends that if he should requier their assistance with perhaps a human assailant, he would ring the servants bell twice to alert them that he needed their assistance. Around 9pm the nobleman made his way up to the haunted room and lay his head down for what he believed would be a restful night’s sleep.

As the night grew and all in the house slept, the friends of the nobleman were startled awake when the servants bell for the haunted room began to ring furiously and then became silent. The friends bounded their way up the stairs and threw open the door of the alleged haunted room where their friend was bedding for the night. As they approached the bed they expected to find their friend wide awake and laughing at them having fun at their expense. However, what they found chilled them to the bone. There on the bed lay the paralyzed body of their friend his eyes unaturally bulging from their sockets and a look of horror spread across his face. They discovered that their friend was alive but unable to speak due to him being in shock. A few days later the arrogant nobleman who had previously mocked claims of the paranormal was now dead victim of the very thing that he once scoffed at.

News of the nobleman’s death circulated through the dirty 19th century city streets of London like wildfire. Citizens had always known that the house had a dreadful presence residing behind it’s walls but this was the first time that it had claimed a victim and worse a fellow associated with the Crown. Folks walking down the streets surrounding the house at 50 Berkeley Square gave the infamous home a wide berth, they were scared and did not want to venture to close. However that would soon change when it’s second and hopefully last victim was claimed sometime in the late 1800s.

On a cold night two sailors who had just come into port desperately searched the city for a relatively warm place to stay and hopefully catch a good night’s slumber. As they walked down the gaslit street of Berkley Square they came upon darkned number 50 and noticing that the home appeared to be vacant they broke open the back door and made their way up to the upper rooms. They would soon regret their intrusion.

Around midnight both sailors were awakened from their slumber when they heard what sounded like a strange groining noise and the sound of a heavy body being dragged up the stairs. The sailors began to dress thinking that the owner of the house had come home and would certainly notify the authorities of their intrusion into his home. As the two sailors were about to crawl out the window the door to the room flew open and the sailors could not believe what both their eyes were seeing. Standing in the door was a large shapless black mass that seemed to ooze a feeling of terror and dread. One of the sailors was able to make it out the window, however his companion was left behind frozen to the spot by the terrifying entity that stood before him. As the sailor who escaped ran down the street he could hear the horrified scream of his companion fill the dark cold night.

Moments later after running through the street like a man stricken with madness the sailor finally came upon a constable walking his beat. The terrified sailor told the Bobby, what he and his friend had done and his friend was left at the house with a strange evil being. As the cop and sailor rushed back to the home at 50 Berkley Square they both discovered an unthinkable sight. The sailor who was left behind had jumped out of the haunted room and his dead body now lay impaled upon the spiked fence that surrounded the dark demonic house at 50 Berkley Square.

Today the house is now the headquarters for Maggs Brothers Antiquarian Booksellers and it would seem that the reports of a horrible being is now in the past. However those who pass the building still attest that they hear the sounds of moans coming from the upper rooms and mysterious lights are said to flash when no one is supposed to be in the building. Several folks have reported that as they passed the home they felt as if something was watching them from the upper rooms and when they look up they claim to have seen a dark form with glowing eyes looking down upon with hatred.

If a spirit does in fact haunt the house at 50 Berkley Square, is it really a minion of the evil one? One researcher says no. He claims that one of the early residents were two wealthy brothers who built the house and wanted to have a taste of living in the big city. As time went on one of the brothers began to loose his mind and became so dangerous his brother locked him away in the upper room to keep him from attacking those who walked down the street. Those who passed the house would claim to hear the lunatic ravings of the madman as he yelled and screamed and hurled insults upon passerbys. Then one one day the lunatic brother seemed to be quiet. It is believed that the sane brother may have murdered his mad sibling and dissappeared after the deed was done. It is possible that this horrendous ghost that has laid claim to the lives of two men could be the spirit of this insane former resident. Many paranormal researchers believe that death does not change a person if they were dangerously homicidal in life they will be so in death. It would appear that only two men really know for sure what haunts the upper rooms in the house at 50 Berkley Square.

Rick E. Hale

t_seeker@hotmail.com

Great Britain has always been known as a land populated with the spirits of the dead and should it be any wonder when you consider the long and bloody history of Old Blighty? If our country, which is relatively young by comparison, can possess hotels with haunted reputations than it should come as no surprise that hotels that are centuries older than our own land should retain the spirits of the dead that are still said to walk.

The Queens Head Hotel

I can honestly say that this hotel has a pretty cool name. Built in the mid-17th century as a sort of memorial to the wives of Henry VIII who met their untimely demise at the executioner’s block this hotel is said to have a spirit walking it’s halls that gives off a feeling of intense evil and dread. Over the years several staff and guests have reported witnessing a large, tall black mass that appears to be a man but has no features making some wonder if this entity, whoever it may be could be a shadow person. No one is quite certain who this person may be, however in the many times that he has been encountered by the living occupants of the hotel, they claim that this figure gives off an air of evil and dread. Psychics who have investigated the hotel claim that the spirit is one of pure evil and should be avoided at all costs.

Guests of the hotel have claimed to be awakened in the middle of the night by the sound of children crying and sometimes playing in the halls. One of the children that has been seen on numerous ocassions by staff and guest alike, appears as the apparition of a young boy dressed in an old fashioned gray school uniform. The young lad is said to appear sitting on the steps of the main staircase and those who have seen him claim that he appears to be sad and deeply depressed. Over the years many have attempted to discover the identities of not only the dark man but the children as well and as of yet the spirits of The Queens Head Hotel remain a mystery.

Ruthin Castle Hotel

I love when a good ghost story has it’s roots is a verifiable tale of betrayl, jealousy and murder and it would appear that these three things appear to be at the root of many tales of the unquiet dead in England and one of the oldest hotels is no different. Wales’, Ruthin Castle Hotel is possibly one of the most haunted locations in the country of England. The original castle was built in 1207 for King Edward I as a place for the monarch to get away from the rat race of ruling an empire, however peace and quiet was something the young king never found because the betrayl and murder that he dealt with on a daily basis followed him to his vacation home.

Although the castle and the hotel that was built onto it lays claim to many ghosts, the most active spirit seems to be that of a young woman clad in a gray dress who walks the halls of the hotel weeping. The story of the Gray Lady can be traced back to 1213, Edward’s second in command was a well known philanderer who got it on with pretty much any woman who would succumb to his advances, and did they really have much choice afterall it is not a wise thing to turn down the King’s right hand man.

One night as the King’s man was locked in the throes of passion with one of his many conquests his wife happened to be home and cracked the door open a bit to see her husband in the arms of one of the chamber maids. The wife was well aware of her husband’s loose morals but this was first time she ever witnessed it. The wife could take no more of her husbands immorality and decided that she would do the only thing she could think of, the bastard and the wench must die.

The wife waited in the castle library for the oppurtune time to shed blood and when the clock struck midnight she figured that they must be asleep by now so the wife grabbed the closest thing she could find, an ax sitting by the fireplace, and quietly stalked the hall to the room. The wife wanted to keep the elemant of surprise and opened the door ever so silently, raised the ax over the head of the sleeping form of her husband and his mistress and a blood bath ensued. That’s what happens when you screw around.

Unfortunately it would not be long before the jealous ax murdering wife was captured. These were the days when woman were seen as property and were subjected to the whims of their male counterparts and although her husband was a cheating douchebag, it did not save her from meeting her maker. The wife was brought to the axman’s block and she lost her head. For whatever reason, possibly due to the severity of her crime, the wife was buried in unconsecrated ground without the services of a priest. Is it any wonder her spirit still walks the castle and certain parts of the hotel?

Those who have stayed at the hotel and ventured into the old part where much of the castle has been incorporated onto the hotel have claimed to see two versions of the Gray Lady. One version is the sad jilted wife who wanders the halls weeping loudly over the infidelities of her husband. The other version of the apparition is not so charming. The spirit of the gray lady has been seen stalking the halls and weilding an ax with a crazed look in her eyes. She is a woman on a mission to take care of a little business that has gotten way out of hand. Whatever version of the spirit witnesses have seen it would appear that the gray lady of Ruthin Castle Hotel is their to stay.

I hope you enjoyed this series of of haunted hotels as much as I enjoyed writing it. Would you dare to spend the night in one of these hotels knowing that at any moment you could come face to face with one of these lost souls that still wander their halls? I would, but then again I’m a little strange like that. I’m going to be taking a little break for awhile so before I go I just wanted to wish everyone a happy Halloween. See you soon.

Rick E. Hale

t_seeker@hotmail.com

Hilltop House Hotel

One of the things that I have enjoyed most in my years of paranormal research is how claims of the paranormal have close ties with real historical events and perhaps one of my most favorite periods in the American history are the turbulent years of the Civil War. From 1861-1865 brother took up arms against brother and Americans shed the blood of his fellow American all in the name of freedom. Most American’s believe that the war got it’s start at the Battle of Fort Sumter when the southern states that had seceded from the union fired the first volley of shots that plunged our relatively young country into four years of nightmarish bloodshed. That is only half correct the other half took place in the small West Virginia village of Harpers Ferry when on October 16, 1859 radical abolitionist, John Brown, believed that he was chosen by God Almighty to arm slaves with guns and the spirit of freedom. Unfortunately the radical and his revolt were defeated and John Brown was hung for the crime of sedition. Those who bore witness to Brown’s hanging said that as the fiery gentleman stood on the platform his face shined like Moses and his eyes burned like flame. On that day so long ago did the spirit of John Brown go to be with his God? Or, as some would attest did it stay behind to haunt the establishment known as the Hilltop House Hotel?

The Hilltop House Hotel was built on a bluff overlooking the ocean in 1888 and although John Brown had met his maker almost thirty years earlier and the Civil war was long since over employees and guests of the quiant little hotel have made some amazing claims that they have witnessed not only the apparition of the crazy eyed radical but apparitions of soldiers dressed in civil war uniform within the walls of the hotel but on the streets outside as well.

Perhaps one of the most vivid encounters took place in the early 1980s, when a few employees and a handful of guests watched as the apparition of a young woman dressed in clothing from the era of the civil was appeared infront of their eyes near the front desk and walked into the dining room area. When a few who witnessed the ghostly event ran into the dining room to find the woman it appeared that she had vanished leaving behind only the memory of the encounter.

Around the same time as the apperance of the ghostly woman guests who stayed over the kitchen reported to the front desk that between 2am and 3am they could hear what sound like pots and pans banging in the kitchen they further reported that they could hear what sounded like a woman laughing and yelling. The employee assured the guests that no one was in the kitchen at that hour and she had heard nothing since her post was located near the kitchen. Needless to say, those guests decided to pack their stuff and leave at that moment.

Throughout the years those staying in the hotel and walking near the establishment have reported sightings of the apparitions of groups of civil war soldiers either walking through the halls of the hotel or marching down the street in front of the hotel. The witness claimed that the images seemed to shimmer like a mirage and lasted for mere seconds as they watched them dissipate into nothingness.

Even John Brown, the radical abolitionist who attempted to spark a revolution has been known to make his presence known in and around the Hilltop House. While on tours of the hotel witnesses have claimed to see the image of a wild eyed yet kindly looking man with white hair and a white scruffy beard materialize in the dining room and on the sidewalk just outside of the hotel. Those who are familiar with the history of the civil war and the paintings of Brown have gone on record as saying the wild eyed apparition that appeared and disappeared before their eyes was definately the man who desired that all mankind despite skin color, should be free.

The Hilltop House Hotel is an establishment steeped in the history in a state that played a pivotal role in American history. Although the state was by and large a part of the Confederacy one man kept the spirit of hope and freedom alive, thank you Mr. Brown for your sacrifice so long ago.

Hotel Del Coronado

In 1888, hoteliers Elisha Babcock and H.L. Story paid a visit to the beautiful bluffs of the Pacific Ocean in Coronado, California and decided to build a luxurious hotel that would cater to the rich and famous the world over and the Hotel Del Coronado was born. However it would not be until the autumn of 1892, when a mysterious woman named Kate Morgan checked into the hotel and never checked out putting the lavish hotel on the map as one of the most haunted hotels in the United States.

Those who were there that November evening in 1892, said that the beautiful yet enigmatic, Kate Morgan, checked into the hotel and appeared to be sad and gave off an air of desperation. “The Beautiful Stranger” as she came to be known had no luggage and no belongings just the clothes on her back and the look of sad longing in her lovely blue eyes. Those who had short interactions with Kate said that the young woman claimed to be waiting for her bother who was due any day now. If her claim was true no brother or any man appeared to join the sullen young woman. Whoever this Kate Morgan was she was a mystery piled on top of a mystery.

The mystery of Kate Morgan came to an end when her cold lifeless body was discovered on the back staircase of the hotel with what appeared to be a gun shot wound to the head. Although no gun was ever found on or near the body the authorities who investigated the crime scene determined that the wound was self inflicted and the woman who became known as the mysterious stranger was considered to be just another common suicide possibly due to a broken heart.

A few police officers who were at the scene were not satisfied with the explanation of the young woman’s apparent suicide and went about the business of attempting to discover just who this enigmatic lady might be. After sending numerous fliers around the general area with a sketch of the young woman it was soon discovered that something strange indeed was afoot with Ms. Morgan. It was discovered that a few days earlier Kate Morgan and her husband were traveling on a train when a violent fight between the two broke out. Those who witnessed the event stated that the husband got off the train near San Diego and Kate got off near the hotel where she checked in. The question was later asked if it was possible that Kate’s husband showed up and since a gun was never found is it possible that he murdered his wife? That question has never been answered.

Many researchers, myself included, believe that one of the criteria for a haunting is a life cut short by violence or murder and the haunting of the Del Coronado by the spirit of Kate Morgan appears to fit the bill. Employees and guests alike have witnessed the apparition of the beautiful stranger, Kate Morgan, on or near the staircase where she is said to have ended her own life. They say that her apparition only lasts for a few moments but in it’s presence they feel a sense of deep longing and they claim to smell her perfume. Kate’s ghost has been blamed for such strange phenomenon as televisions and lights turning on and off of their own accord while others have claimed to feel a cold draft rush past them on the back staircase. Perhaps the world may never know who the mysterious young woman was in life however those who have stayed and worked at the Hotel Del Coronado claim the spirit of the enigmatic young woman has stuck around to call the luxury hotel home adding more questions to the mystery.

Rick E. Hale

t_seeker@hotmail.com

Ah Alaska, a state well known for it’s breathtaking natural scenery, nipple hard frozen tundra and God Forbid, the home turf of the future Vice President of the good old U S of A. Long before Alaska became the final note in the long held policy of American manifest destiny, the largest state of the Union was a virtual frozen wasteland where only the Russians dared to tread that is until the early years of the twentieth century when a few brave souls struck gold in the mountains and streams and those who wished to strike it rich came running.

Practically overnight towns and cities popped up populated by those who wanted a piece of the gold action. One of those cities was the future capital of the state, Juneau. When the population of Juneau began to swell the town fathers felt it necessary to build a grand hotel to house the many miners who became rich over night and the visitors who wanted a taste of the beauty that Alaska had to offer and the Alaskan Hotel was born. In 1913, James and John McCloskey were hired to design and build the hotel to receive all those who were curious about what Alaska was all about. Like most hotels of it’s day the Alaskan did not just offer cheap rates for the weary travel to lay his head but it also offered something much more sensual, the Alaskan was also the largest Brothel in the new city and it is from this brothel that gave birth to the tragedy that would cause the soul of a beautiful young woman to be caught forever behind it’s walls.

The historical record of the name of the young lady is unclear but those who work and stay at the hotel know for a fact that her sad lonely spirit haunts it’s halls for many attest to be witness. Shortly after the hotel opened a miner and his wife traveled to the new city looking for fame and riches and took up residence in the Alaskan. The miner and his wife were newlyweds and didn’t not a penny to their name when they arrived, however the miner knew that striking it rich in gold ore was an absolute certainty and left his wife, for what he said would be a three week trek into the mountains to pan for the precious metal. The wife stayed behind and promised to wait patiently for her man.

Three weeks had come and gone and the miner’s wife became desperate, the hotel had threatened to throw her out on her keaster due to failure to pay the rent. Believing that something bad had found her husband and her desperation to pay the bills the Miner’s wife found work in the oldest profession known to man, she had become a prostitute and now was one of the many painted ladies that called the hotel home.

A few months had passed and the miner returned from the hills tired, haggard and deperate to be rejoined with the love of his life unfortunately what he found was his wife made up like a common hooker and selling her body for rent. The miner flew into a rage and dragged his wife back to their room and an intense and violent argument broke out an argument that the entire hotel heard. As their voices grew to a cacaphonous level a single gunshot rang out and the voice of the miner’s wife was silenced forever. The historical record is unclear whether or not the miner ever faced the hangman for his murderous deed, however one thing is certain the spirit of the wife was released and became a permanent resident of the Alaskan Hotel.

The Alaskan is considered to be the longest running hotel in the history of the state and those who have worked at and stayed at the hotel have become witness to the only ghost that calls the hotel home, the Miner’s Wife. Those guests who have stayed in the room where the wife met her fate, room 218, have called down to the front desk many times to claim that they had seen the apparition of a young woman in white. Male Witnesses have said that as they slept they were awakened by the sensual caress of a feminine hand, when they came to they witnessed a beautiful young woman sitting on the edge of the bed when they went to ask what she was doing there she would let out a small laugh and vanish. I can assure you those gents did not stay long after witnessing such a sight.

The miner’s wife does not just show herself to the guests of room 218. over the years Many who have been employeed by the Alaskan claimed to have seen the miner’s wife on numerous occassions. Bartenders in the bar area have claimed to see her apparition walk into the bar and vanish before she sits down at the bar. Housekeeping have witnessed the image of the miner’s wife in the mirror at the top of stairs as they cleaned and polished it’s reflective surface. Housekeeping has also claimed to hear strange noises coming from room 218 and claimed that when they brought items such as towles and soap into the room they quickly disappear as if the miner’s wife is playing a mischievous game of hide and go seek with the hotel’s amenities.

Skeptics claim that the ghost and the legend of the miner’s wife is just that a charming but sad tale to keep the hotel in business. This may be true, however guests and workers will go on record as saying the legend is true and the sad spectre of the Miner’s Wife does indeed walk the halls of the Alaskan Hotel now and forevermore.

Rick E. Hale

t_seeker@hotmail.com

Anyone who has ever taken a trip below the Mason Dixon line into the deep south of our nation and visited one of the old rambling plantations can not help but feel as if they have been transferred back in time. Many of these old manor homes of the old southern aristocracy have been preserved to allow those a taste of what the old south was like. Many of the old plantation homes have seen great tragedy and have many ghosts attached to their foundations making a visit to one of these old homes not only educational but frightening as well and the Myrtles Plantation which is touted as America’s most haunted home and inn would appear to be the most haunted of them all.

Located in St. Francisville, Louisiana fifty miles south of Baton Rouge, The Myrtles sits as a jewel and a lively reminder to all who see it and stay within it’s many rooms of the bloody history of the early days of our nation. Built in 1796, by General David Bradford a military officer who played an important part in the Whiskey Rebellion of 1796, can honestly lay claim to be the home of twelve souls who for whatever reason have decided to stay behind after they tasted the scythe of the reaper. Perhaps one the most famous of the previous owners of the plantation was the son in law of General Bradford, Clark Woodruff and it is around this old southern gentleman that one of the most famous ghosts that haunts the halls of the Myrtles came to be.

Slavery was a time in our nations history that should cause shame and regret even one hundred forty-five years after President Lincoln declared that all slaves should be set free. Despite the evils of slavery one of the most common practices of male plantation owners was to have an illicit affair with one of their many house servants. Chloe, a young house slave was considered to be one of the most beautiful servants to ever serve in the home and her beauty quickly caught the eye of Clark Woodruff and she became the plantation owner’s mistress.

Chloe, believed that she was better than her fellow brethern who toiled long and hard in the fields and firmly believed that if she succumbed to the sexual advances of Woodruff she could possibly win her freedom and perhaps even become the lady of the house. Woodruff’s wife, Sara, was well aware of the affair between her husband and Chloe and did everything she could to rid the home of the young woman. At this time Chloe, became aware of Mrs. Woodruff’s attempts to have the young woman banished to the life of a field slave and began to listen at the keyholes of the doors as her lover had meetings. Chloe wanted to know whether or not Woodruff would acquiese to the demands of his wife.

One afternoon as Woodruff was holding a meeting with some business associates he began to have the feeling that he was being watched. When he looked over at the keyhole he was shocked to see a small eye peering in. In a rage Woodruff threw open the door and grabbed the young woman who would dare to spy on his meetings, the young woman was Woodruff’s mistress, Chloe. This had not been the first time that Chloe had been caught listening at the keyholes and Woodruff had warned her many times before, now she would taste the punishment she had been warned about, at that moment Woodruff grabbed a knife and cut her left ear off. After that moment Chloe began wearing a green turban to hide her injury.

Despondent over the punishment, Chloe felt that her fate had certainly been sealed, she would most deifinately be sent to work and eventually die in the fields as a common slave. However, Chloe hit on a great idea. Chloe, like most slave woman of her day was well versed in folk medicine and knew what types of flowers could heal and what kind could bring swift death and she knew just the right amount could make a person sick. The lady of the house, Sara, would soon be celebrating a birthday and Chloe was charged with baking the cake, Chloe had the brilliant idea that if she put the right amount of Oleander leaves in the cake mix she could make the family deathly ill and she would nurse the family back to health and this act of compassion would keep her in the house. Chloe, did not take a simple truth to heart, sometimes the best laid plans are doomed to failure.

On the day of the birthday, Chloe proudly served the cake to the Woodruff’s and their two children, however Clark, decided to not eat the cake, he would rather watch his family enjoy the magnificent dessert. A few hours after the family ate the cake, Sara and the two children collapsed and died. Chloe began to panic however she retained her composure and tried to comfort the grieving father and husband. Shortly after the deaths of the Woodruff family the other slaves learned that, Chloe had poisined the family. In a fit of rage Chloe’s fellow slaves dragged the woman to a large tree in the front yard and hanged her until she was dead. To this day an apparition of a young African American woman wearing a green turbin has been seen in the home as well as on the grounds of the plantation. Those who live, work and stay at the Myrtles have had many sightings of the young woman and she is said to dissappear if approached.

Chloe, is not the only spirit said to inhabit the antebellum mansion many others call the old plantation home and make their presence very well known. One of the many spirits said to haunt the home is the spirit of Judge William Winter. On a warm summer night in the late 1800s, William Winter a Parish judge heard a man outside the door yelling his name and demanding that Winter come out. When Winter, opened the door a man sitting atop a horse raised a pistol and shot the judge twice in the gut. When William’s wife heard the shots ring out she ran to the top of the stairs and watched in horror as her husband staggered up the stairs. When he climbed to the seventeenth step holding his gut he collapsed in his wife’s arms and died. To this day many who stay at the plantation have seen the apparition climb the stairs and vanish as the ghost of William Winter collapses on the the infamous 17th step.

In days gone by a common practice after the death of a person in a house was to cover the mirrors to halt the possibility of the spirt being captured and held indefinately by the mirror. This may seem like a silly superstition to some, however those of the Jewish faith still adhere to this practice. When Clark Woodruff held the wake for his family he ordered that all mirrors in the house be covered, however one mirror was overlooked a large mirror that hangs on the wall in the foyer. Those who have worked and stayed at the Myrtles have claimed that as they were peering into the reflective surface the image of two children and a woman peered back at them. The staff at the Myrtles believe this to be the spirit of the murdered Sara Woodruff and her two children.

Other ghosts that call the Myrtles plantation home is the spirit of a Native American woman who has been seen many times wondering the grounds with a sad look on her face. The spirit of a soldier dressed in tattered cofederate gray uniform is oftentimes seen standing below one of the many trees that dot the landscape around the plantation. A young girl who was said to have died in 1868 and to be a practioner of Voodoo is said to haunt one of the charming rooms of the plantation. Patrons who have slept in the room have claimed to be awoken by the sound of a female chanting in the room. It is believed by the staff that the ghost of this young voodoo priestess is still plying her trade on whoever would dare to sleep in the room where she died. Even the little spirits of the Woodruff children are seen and heard running and playing in the halls waking up patrons as they attempt to get a goodnight’s sleep. Should it really be any wonder that the Myrtles Plantation is called the most haunted inn and home in America? I think not.

Today the Myrtles Plantation is a wildly popular destination for those who would not only care to taste the life of an old southern plantation but perhaps have a taste of the purportedly haunted inn. However it is not uncommon for those same guests to leave in the middle of the night scared almost to the point of death by the many spirits that call the Myrtles home. I have made it a personal mission in life to one day spend a vacation in this haunted inn not just to perhaps get a taste of the paranormal but to meet Hester Eby the chief tour guide to me she just seems like the kindest person on the planet.

Rick E. Hale

t_seeker@hotmail.com

Note to the readers: After reviewing the many copious files that I have on haunted hotels and Inns in our great nation, I have decided to extend these entries past the original five that I had originally planned. There are just to many to count and I would be committing a great disservice to the many extended stays that are said to house the spirits of the past. Thank you.

One afternoon

My love of horror movies started at a relatively young age, and not just any old movie of terror would do it had to be a movie about vampires, monsters or my favorite ghosts, you know movies with a paranormal element. However, one movie scared the living shit out of me when I watched it for the first time at the tender age of five, the film was the Stanley Kubrick masterpiece of supernatural as well as psychological terror, The Shining. I can’t really put my finger on it perhaps it was the amazing acting skills of Jack Nicholson who really showed the world that he was fully capable of going from a seemingly normal guy to losing his freaking mind in no time flat. The film was of course based on the classic novel of the same name by master of Horror, Stephen King and his funhouse of horror delights, the Overlook Hotel was based on a hotel that could quite possibly be the most haunted Hotel in, well, the history of extended stays, Colorado’s Stanley Hotel.

As far as paranormal phenomenon is concerned the Stanley has become a phenomenon in and of itself. Practically every person who has either stayed at the Stanley or anyone who has ever worked there have reported their own stories of coming into contact with beings of the otherworld and despite my initial skepticism it would appear that this lavish hotel may be indeed haunted. However, I must pose the question, what has caused this hotel to become America’s favorite haunt?

Built in 1909, by the the inventor of the Stanley Steemer a steam powered automobile, Freeland O. Stanley. Stanley was the typical nouveu riche of his day, he only wanted to rub elbows with those like him, rich and famous and the Stanley Hotel was built for that purpose to attract the rich, famous and royalty from other lands such as the emporer and empress of Japan. Today, however, the Stanley has lowered it’s prices somewhat so the little people like you and I can enjoy a well appointed hotel as well as the breath taking views that has made Colorado famous the world over. It would appear that this new clientele has made one particular soul extremely unhappy, Stanley himself.

The spirit of F.O. Stanley has been reported on numerous occassions by guest and employee alike. The billiard room is reportedly one of Stanley’s favorite haunts and he makes his presence known there in more ways than one. Many have actually witnessed the apparition of Stanley walking about the billiard room others have heard a phantom game of pool being played, when someone goes to investigate the sounds of the game stop with only the balls rolling around the table. Stanley’s spirit has also been seen in the lobby of hotel with a look of disapproval on his face. Tours are regularly conducted at the hotel for those who have an interest in the phenomenon that is reported at the hotel and on many ocassions the spirit of Stanley has been seen following the tour around.

Perhaps the second most famous ghost to haunt the Stanley is the wife of the tycoon, Flora Stanley. Flora, a classically trained concert pianist can oftentimes be heard tickiling the ivories in the music room which was built to her specifications. Many have claimed to hear the haunting melody issuing from the music room and when they go to see who is playing the tune the music stops and the sounds of footsteps can be heard walking away from the piano. Perhaps, Flora does not care for an audience in her afterlife and just wants to play.

Room 418 is perhaps the most haunted room behind the walls of the hotel. Cleaning crews report strange noises coming from the room such as the closet opening and closing of it’s own accord and the impression of what looks like a human laying on the bed have been reported on numerous occassions. Those who stay on the fourth floor near room 418 have called down to the front desk to report what sounds like rowdy children laughing and running up and down the hall. When the front desk tells the patron that no children are registered at the hotel, the patron will usually leave sometimes in the middle of the night. No is certain who these phantom rascals are, however it does not change the fact that they love to play at all hours of the night.

Guests who have stayed in room 408 have claimed to see the shimmering apparition of a cowboy standing by the window looking out at the Rocky Mountains. Those who have seen this apparition have all described him the same way, tall, thin with a handlebar mustache and a ten gallon hat. Those who have been brave enough to approach the spectral cowboy have claimed that he dissipates right before their eyes without acknowledging their presence. As with the children no one in sure who this cowboy is.

It would appear that Stephen King, when witing his novel got the inspiration for his female suicide ghost from a very real tragedy that happened in room 217. The spirit of a Mrs. Wilson is said to haunt this room and takes great pleasure in any male who would dare to lay his head down for a good night’s sleep. Mrs. Wilson, was a very real patron who stayed with the hotel numerous times in 1920s, however, Mrs. Wilson became a permenant patron when she discovered that for years her husband was having an affair with another woman. Instead of enduring the shame of the scandal, Mrs. Wilson decided to take another path, she slit her wrists and bled to death in the bathtub. No wonder this pitiful ghost hates men so much.

Perhaps the strangest paranormal event took place in 2006. A wedding guest thought it would be a funny idea to paint, redrum in red lipstick on the mirror in the room of the bride and groom. Apparently something did not like that very much shoved the wedding guest as she descended the main staircase to rejoin the reception. When the woman came to she claimed that something had shoved her behind and laughed those who witnessed the event said they saw no one as the woman came tumbling down. Perhaps the angry presence was Mr. Stanley who I’m sure did appreciate the idea of somebody defacing his property and took his revenge.

In 2006, the SciFi reality program, Ghosthunters, did a live investigation of the Stanley and came up with some pretty decent evidence to point towards the fact that the Stanley plays host to denizens of the otherside. Apart from the ghost of Mrs. Wilson, no great tradgedies have occured at the Stanley perhaps those that once stayed at the hotel loved it so much they decided to never leave.

Rick E. Hale

t_seeker@hotmail.com

Like prisons, hospitals and schools hotels see the entire spectrum of human emotion. Love/hate, joy/depression and everything in between perhaps this is why the Gideon Society saw fit to furnish all hotel rooms with a New Testemant because more often than one may think, hotels are one of the main places a desperate person goes to end their life and Boston’s Charlesgate Hotel is no different. When considering the Charlesgate hotel most researchers believe that the hotel was bad news from the very beginning. The hotel was designed and built by eccentric architect, J. Pickering Putnam in the late 1800s and many believe that when Putnam was designing the building he specifically chose materials that would attract and capture paranormal energies, sort of like the building in the original “Ghostbusters” movie and like the designer of that building, Putnam was consiered by many to be a person who dabbled in the darker side of magic and religion.

When the Charlesgate opened it was considered to be the most luxurious hotel on the eastern seaboard. The rich and famous seemed to flock to the new hotel and those clientele who shared in Putnam’s dabblings in the occult. Many reports came out the hotel in it’s first fifty years of black masses and satanic worship that allegedly included animal as well as human sacrifice. Although the Hotel was considered the jewel of the historic city of Boston, the suicide rate was astronomical and reports of guests witnessing what appeared to be giant black forms roaming the halls and attacking unsuspecting guests as they attempted to get a good night’s sleep in the seemingly normal hotel were commonplace.

In 1947, the Charlesgate closed it’s doors as a hotel amid rumors of scandal and reopened as the male dormitory for prestigious Boston University. For twenty-six years the former hotel played host to young men who were leaving from home possibly for the first time to attend the university. And like it’s days as a hotel the male dormitory was the site of many suicides. One such student wrote in his suicide note that he could no longer take the voices he heard in his head telling him to do wicked and evil deeds and he rather end it all before he did something he would regret for the rest of his life. Other students who lived in the dorm claimed to be attacked by large black masses that hovered over their beds as they slept. Whatever had haunted the Charlesgate was now tormenting the young men of Boston University.

After many protests of the building being haunted by something evil, Boston University, closed the doors of the Dormitory and the building that was considered to be the most exclusive hotel in Boston became nothing more than a haven for drug addicts and the homeless and it seemed to attract those who worshipped the prince of darkness. One of the most famous hauntings of the building concerns a little girl who either fell down or was discarded down an elevator shaft. Many witnesses have reported seeing the apparition of the young girl playing on the sixth floor while others have claimed to see her spirit fall down the elevator shaft and hearing her screams for help. No one is certain who this little girl was some believe she was someone who died when the hotel was in service others believe she may have been a victim of the reputed human sacrifices committed at the building.

Despite the reports of something weird going on in the building in 1981, Emerson College purchased the building and once again the buidling became the home of College students. Bizarre accidents and suicides were common place in the building. One student in deperation practically severed his head with a butcher knife in a grisly suicide while others reported being violently pushed down stairs by an unseen force and others reported seeing dark forms rushing in and out of rooms that gave whoever witnessed them a feeling of deep dread. Whatever dark force called the former Charlesgate hotel home was there to stay and was not playing games.

Today the former luxury hotel are condominiums and those who live there still report strange things but not of the caliber that those who were unfortunate to stay in the building in former years reported. Residents mostly report cold breezes when no windows or doors are open and the occassional phantom footsteps on the stairs or in their units. Perhaps whatever dark force calls the building home is laying in wait for the proper time to spring forth and make the tenent’s life a living hell.

The former Charlesgate hotel would seem to play host to all four of the major forms of hauntings, residual, intelligent, poltergeist and the worst in-human(demonic) haunting. What would possess J. Pickering Putnam to design a buidling that would attract such unwanted attention? Perhaps it was that which possessed him that prompted Putnam to create this monstrosity of consumerism for Putnam was believed to be possessed by a the devil himself.

Rick E. Hale
t_seeker@hotmail.com

Note: It is mine and my wife’s sixth wedding aniverssary, so I will be gone for about a week, however when I return I promise to bring you more haunted hotels. thanks for reading.

Believe it or not ghosts are pretty good for business. Hotels that claim to have a resident ghost or two will oftentimes jack up the price of that room for any brave soul who would dare to lay their head down for a restful nights sleep among the dead. Can I be perfectly honest with you? Whenever I hear of a hotel that boasts a lost soul I become a little more than just skeptical I can be downright disbelieving. Hotels, like any other business, are out to accomplish one thing, making those Bejamins and they will go to any lengths to ensure that their profit margin is way up, even if it means making up a B.S. story to achieve that goal.

Despite the fact that many hotels have been disproved or found to be frauds in the quest to make that green some hotels can honestly say with all certainty that some weird shit truly happens when their guests lay their heads down at night and the dead roam. In this series I want us to explore five such hotels that can truly be said to be the of a few specters that just can not find the rest they need despite the fact they haunt places where their flesh and blood counterparts are able to do so. So sit back, crack a beer and enjoy.

The Goldfield Hotel

Sitting in the dead center of the virtual ghost town of Goldfield, Nevada sits a reminder of the former glory days of the once bustling metropolis that was considered to the greatest city between Chicago and San Francisco, The Goldfield Hotel. Like many stories concerning the old west in 1902, rich veins of gold were discovered by a few grizzled old prospectors who moved out west to make a buck, after the mines were established and the money began rolling in hand over fist the city of Goldfield Nevada was established. Upon hearing of the rich gold strikes thousands began making their way to the newly established mining town and the town’s population soon swelled to a modest thirty-five thousand greedy souls bent on striking it rich in this former wasteland of Nevada desert.

By 1908, a number of mining companies banded together when they realized a need to build a hotel for the hundreds of tourists and travelers who paid their glorious gold rush town a visit. They felt that the saloons that offered a few rooms for the weary traveler just wasn’t cutting it especially for the many rich and famous that came to their town. Noted Architect, George Holesworth was hired by the mining companies to build the most luxurious hotel the west had ever seen and the Goldfield Hotel was born.

Holesworth, certainly filled his contract with the mining companies to create the most fabulous hotel west of the Mississippi. The Goldfield boasted working telephones in each room of the four story hotel, which at that time was still a raritie. The hotel had electric lights, elevators, each room had their own restroom and the rooms were heated with radiators. Cosmetically the hotel was a beauty to behold. The hotel had gold inlaid sconces, a marble reception desk, black leather upholstered chairs and marble floors. Yes, the Goldfield was certainly a sight to behold and hundreds flocked to their doors to stay a night in one of the lavish rooms as long as they could afford it.

By 1909, despite all the business the Goldfield received the hotels seemed to be hemhorriging money and a new owner was quickly sought to get the luxurious hotel out of the red. Such a man was George Wingfield. Wingfield, was considered at the time to be the most powerful man in the state of Nevada and for good reason, Wingfield had his fingers in the pies of politics, gold mines and real estate prospects. George Wingfield certainly appeared to be the man for the job, but appearances can be deceiving.

One of the many ghost stories surrounding the Goldfield centered on Wingfield and a lady of the night named Elizabeth. Elizabeth, was a beautiful young woman and some would say prostitute that George Wingfield took to his bed every night. Shortly into their illicit affair, Elizabeth came to George and told the powerful millionaire that she was pregnant and the child was most certainly his. As is the case with many wealthy and married men of his time, George Wingfield panicked at the thought of the scandal that could bring him to ruin. At first, Wingfield attempted to pay the young woman off, however Elizabeth would have none of his money she wanted Wingfield to be her husband and the father of her child. Unfortunately, Wingfield would have none of it he was a married man with a family of his own, he must do something to silence this woman up.

As the story goes, Wingfield lured Elizabeth to the already failing hotel with what she wanted to hear, he was going to leave his wife and make a life for the two of them and their child. When the couple entered room 109, Wingfield blindsided the pretty young woman almost beating her death. When Elizabeth awoke she found herself chained to the radiator with a bowl of water and a few pices of bread. Elizabeth screamed for mercy but no mercy came.

It is said that when Elizabeth gave birth to their child George Wingfield ruthlessly slaughtered the young girl and threw the crying new born to it’s untimely death down an elevator shaft. Those who have been brave enough to visit the Goldfield have heard what sounds like the haunting crying of a baby in an elevator shaft. Room 109 is said to be the abode of the apparition of the poor unfortunate woman who thought that the man of her dreams would love her forever. The apparition of Elizabeth has been seen pacing the area around room 109 and is said to vanish as she walks into the room where she met her doom. The room, despite the hot Nevada days is said to feel like a meat locker as an icy sensation grips all who enter. It would appear that poor Elizabeth is unable to rest possibly reliving her horrible experience until the end of time.

By the late 1930s the rich gold mines that made the city of Goldfield, Nevada famous were all but dried up and the town and the hotel began to go into serious decline which could be the reason for the two ghosts that are said to haunt the third floor. One ghost, a female, was said to be a former employee who took the news of the possible closing down of the hotel quite seriously and hung herself in one of the rooms. Her spirit is often preceded by a weeping sound and a cold chill. The second spirit, a former male employee took his own life by jumping from the window of a third floor room. His spirit manifests as a feeling of intense dread and feelings of regret.

The Goldfield Hotel saw it’s last paying customer before it closed it’s doors in 1945. Ownership of the hotel changed hands numerous times over the next forty years with investors hoping to reopen the doors of the former jewel of Nevada, however all was not well. Workers and contractors refused to work in the hotel more than one day after stating that something was wrong with the building. Numerous strange accidents were experienced by the workers and many were scared from the premises by what they described as the ghost of an old west gunman who appears on the second floor and various other unexplained events.

In 1985, the abanoned hotel was bought by a local rancher who intends to someday restore the hotel to it’s former glory and revitalize the failing town. This rancher is the crusty old cowboy sort and will not be scared away by tales of ghosts and spooks because as he claims, he just don’t believe in them. Perhaps one day the hotel will reopen with a few extra “guests” who are unable to leave.

Rick E. Hale
t_seeker@hotmail.com

We have come to the end of the line concerning our journey into the weird, wild, wacky world of cryptozoology, however considering this list of the creatures that comprise our mysterious cryptozoo is by no means exhaustive there are a few more that I want to share.

The Assyrian Monster Invasion

This obscure and terrifying cryptid event comes to us from the middle eastern country of Assyria from the 5th century AD. For a number of days an Assyrian city fell under the siege of what the ancient historians tell us of horrifying and ravenous monsters that would stop at nothing to feed upon the flesh of human beings. We are not certain as to the nature of the monsters or what what kind they may have been, however for a week the city found themselves battling these creatures. Historians say that one night these beasts descended from the deserts of the north and laid waste to the city leaving very few survivors to tell the tale. Even their greatest warriors were no match for the blood thirtsy monsters and despite their courage and fierce fighting techniques they were the first to fall. Some researchers believe that perhaps the Scythians a fierce society of ancient Russian warrior nomads may have been the culprits behind the siege, however Scythians were not known to eat human flesh and would not have needlesly murdered women and children during this frenzy of death. So what could these monsters have been?

Dobhar-Chu

Often times with anything dealing with claims of the paranormal or cryptids it is difficult to seperate fact from reality or folklore from actual sigtings of the strange and the Emerald Isle is no different even concerning their strange cryptids. For centuries the Irish have believed that a strange cryptid that looks like a bizarre cross between an otter and a large dog and is said to be as mean as hell, they call the beast the Dobhar Chu.

A curious tale comes from the 18th century where one of these Dobhar Chu, or Water hound may have been responsible for the death of a woman. A young woman named Grace went down to the local pond to fetch a pail of water when she was ruthlessly attacked and killed by one of these strange creatures. Her body lay for hours by the shore of the pond until her husband rode along searching for her when he returned from a hunt. As he rode up to the body he thought that perhaps his wife was merely sleeping until the head of the beast peeked out from her chest cavity from where it had been feeding and sleeping. The distraught husband approached the beast with drawn sword but the creature was to quick for him and jumped at him knocking him to the ground. The husband, after enduring the vise like jaws of the beast was finally able to run the creature through with his sword. As the creature lay dying it let out a loud shriek that appeared to be an alert because the husband could see what appeared to be another creature quickly swimming towards him from the depths of the lake.

Fearing another attack the husband jumped on his horse and did a high speed bail out before the creature could attack. It would be simple to dismiss this tale as just some local legend, however the grave marker of Grace does exist and may depict the attack of this strange beast. The Kinslough Stone as it is called shows an image of this beast being run through with a sword the Dobhar Chu is just another example of a very real creature dismissed by mainstream science because they don’t want to deal with it.

The Big Grey Man of Ben Macdhui

The Big Grey Man, is one of those stories that is somewhat difficult to fit into a category. Some feel that whatever it may be may be a ghost, a citizen of the fairie realm or an actual cryptid of the large hairy variety. Ben Macdhui is the second highest peak in the country of Scotland, and is home to a frightening beast that very few have seen but many have heard. In 1925, mountaineer John Norman Collie, was just about to reach the summit of the mountain when he began to hear what sounded like the heavy footfalls of a large person and loud raspy breath. Collie reports that, although he saw no one, he could not help but feel the undeniable sensation of dread as he looked around him for whoever or whatever this creature may be. Not wanting to tempt fate, Collie decided to slowly make his way down the mountain where he reached the bottom without catching sight of the beast.

Over the years very few have had glimpses of the beast and description of the Big Grey Man of Ben Macdhui may sound a little familiar to you. One couple picnicing at the base of the mountain heard a loud holler and looked up to see a large, hairy, bipedal creature standing on a ledge a mere forty feet above their heads needless to say the couple made off like a bat out of hell and never returned. Is it possible that Scotland is home to a Bigfoot like creature? Sure why not.

Altamaha-Ha

When European settlers first settled the the region that would come to be known as the state of Georgia, there have been reports of a gigantic eel like cryptid swimming the depths of the Altamaha river and the surrounding streams. Locals still see this beast today and they have dubbed it Altamaha-Ha. The creature is said to be approximately ten to fifteen feet long and it’s three humps have been seen numerous times rising out of the water. The local Native tribe, the Tama, have always believed the river was home to a fierce water demon that loved to snack on those who got a little to close to the waters.

The Mylodon
The Mylodon, or giant ground sloth was a very real creature that was said to have become extinct over ten thousand years ago that is of course what they say. For centuries those who call the Patagonia region of South America home have made claims to have come into contact with the allegedly extinct creature. Eyewitness reports claim the creature to stand well over ten feet tall and is docile unless it is challenged by another creature including humans. Over the years numerous dropping that appear to be fresh have been discovered in areas where Mylodons are said to call home and a few hides of the creature have been dated to be of recent vintage. Considering vast areas of the Patagonia are inaccesible to man and have gone unexplored it is entirely possible that these creatures still exist eeking out a meager existence.

Final Thoughts

Cryptozoology is a great scientific field of enquiry and many have actually made a living from the hunt for monters. However when it comes to mainstream science the biggest point of contention concerning the existence of cryptids is the idea of breeding population. Many mainstream researchers sight that many of the lakes that are said to be home to aquatic cryptids are just not large enough and do not have enough of a food supply to play host to a large water going dinosaur or a family for that matter. I fear that I may have to agree with this however it does not change the fact that there are literally thousands of eyewitness accounts which betray the fact that something is there.

As for the questions concerning sasquatch type creatures I have a different opinion concerning viability. Bigfoot is not hampered by a pesky little thing like the need to breath underwater so these type of creatures are free to roam at will where they may wish. Considering this it is entirely possible that creatures such as this could exist and call the vast wildernesses of the world home and stay hidden only once in a while making an appearance to stump science. Many researchers feel that Bigfoot, Sasquatch and kin may represent a relict population of mankind’s ancient ancestors such as Gigantopithicus or Homo Erectus that have been able to escape a pesky little thing like evolution.

But what of the more bizarre creatures that call the cryptozoo home? Many mainstream researchers and cryptozoologists agree that the more fantastical creatures such as Griphins, dragons or werewolves may be a part of the racial memory of human beings dating back to the ancient mists of time where either such creatures did exist or ancient man dreamed them up to explain the forces of nature. However, normal everyday people such as ourselves, you know Joe Six-pack, have had run ins with creatures that just should not be, although anecdotal stories and eyewitness accounts do not constitute hard core scientific proof people still folks witness weird shit swimming in the lakes of the world, tramping through trees and climbing the snow covered mountains and flying through the air. These creatures all appear to have one thing in common, if they exist, they want to be left alone.

Rick E. Hale
t_seeker@hotmail.com

Africa, as a continent, is still considered to be a land of great mystery where many secrets are still hidden away from the watchful eye of our modern technological world. For centuries strange stories of bizarre animals that just should not be have made many cast a curious eye towards the dark continent and wonder if perhaps Africa plays host to such creatures as living dinosaurs and the ancient ancestors of mankind that have failed to evolve past their more primate appearance. However, despite these ancient tales of living fossils a more recent addition to the ever expanding cryptozoo has made it’s presence known and basically scares the shit out of those who claim that this creature is a very real threat. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce, Popobawa.

Popobawa, if it exists, is one of those bizarre cryptids that goes so far beyond the imagination it is almost impossible to pin down. The creature who’s name means simply, “Bat-wing” in the Swahili language, has been described in so many different ways many believe this animal could possibly be a shape shifter that can appear in any form that it desires to whomever is unfortunate enough to witness it’s appearance. However, the most common description given by witnesses describes a creature that is three to four feet tall, a human like body colored in a deep blood red, a giant single eyeball is set in the center of the beast’s head and giant bat like wings are said to sprout from the creatures back. The one physical attribute that scares the bejeezus out of many most specifically men, is the giant continously erect penis that the creature sports quite possibly making this evil gargoyle like entity the poster child for viagra.

The women of the Tanzanian island of Pemba, where the creature is believed to haunt need not fear a visitation from this horny little winged imp, however the men are the ones that seriously need to worry for Popobawa craves one thing and one thing only, choice, prime, grade A man booty. It is said that Popobawa pays a visit to a different male subject every night to get it’s proverbial freak on. Popobawa is said to annouce it’s arrival by scratching on the roof of the house of his victims and before it is to late the creature attacks pinning it’s victim to the bed anally raping it’s male victim time and time again before leaving at the break of dawn. When considering the attacks of the Popobawa one can not help but be reminded of the stories that arose out of medievel Europe of succubus and incubus attacks upon humans as they slept. Others believe that what the victims are experiencing is a form of sleep paralysis. The more scientific explanation seems plausible if it were not for the fact that practically every dude in Tanzania has reported being attacked by the evil little beast at least once in their lives.

Like the Chupacabras of Latin America, Popobawa is a fairly recent addition to the world of Cryptozoology. The most popular story concerning the origin of this winged weirdo centers around an insane Sheihk who in the late 1960s, created the beastie from practicing black magic to take revenge upon his enemies. Unfortunately the mad Sheihk lost control of his demonic creation and Popobawa started it’s campaign of being a pain in the ass (Pun totally intended) on the lives of the male population of Tanzania. One curious story from 1971 speaks of a young Tanzanian girl who was possessed by the demonic creature and warned all those present that if they did not spread the word of his existence his attacks would become more furious and more dangerous. Needless to say by the end of the day the dude population became very aware.

Many researchers are highly skeptical concerning the existence of the Popobawa for very good reason. It is widely believed that the creature was a brilliant ploy by the government to create mass panic among the uneducated and highly superstitious populace to keep them in line. When you think about it what better way to keep the male urge of rebellion silent by creating a story of a demonic creature that seeks to rob them of their masculinity. However to play devil’s advocate if the Popobawa does exist just thinking of his depredations sure makes my butt hurt.

Rick E. Hale
t_seeker@hotmail.com