Due to the illustrations on this webpage, it may take a few moments to load.
PLEASE BE PATIENT
|
|
Please VOTE for us! |
|
|
Tell A Friend |
Email To:
Stories Required |
If you have any stories or photographs, then please let us post them on this website.Send them to CarnutonUK@yahoo.com |
Photographs Required |
Welcome
To the home of all things Paranormal. Have you heard strange tapping sounds, have you seen strange lights in the sky, have you seen great creatures of the lakes or sea's, have you ever wondered about the great mysteries of the world and universe, how did superstitions develop, what about the urban legend?
This website is dedicated to our readers and subscribers, people that are interested in all things paranormal, from the strange to the ridiculous, this site will publish your sightings and photographs. Just drop us a line via e-mail and we will post your story on the net.
If you run a website and would like us to post a link to your site, then tell us at CarnutonUK@yahoo.com all we ask in return, is that you place a link to this site on your webpage.
|
|
A Finger in the pie |
Voodoo. |
|
The lady in blue, Great Britain. |
|
|
Strange Rain |
|
|
Glassworks, York, Great Britain. |
Angels |
Readers Letters |
Photographs |
Sounds |
Web Ring |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
WANTED |
Please can you supply us with information on Paranormal activity in your neighbourhood. |
Please can you supply us with information on legends of Native American's. |
Have you seen a UFO or been abducted by alians. Please let us know and we will add it to our list of sightings |
WANTED |
|
Do you have any strange superstitions? |
WANTED |
WANTED |
If you have any photos, let us post them on this web |
WANTED |
WANTED |
Do you have any photographs of Ghosts? |
WANTED |
WANTED |
Have you seen a ghost, if so, tell us about it, and let us tell the world via this web page. |
© Carnuton UK 2000
Superstitions
Why should you avoid walking under a ladder?
When a prisoner was taken to the gallows, he would have to walk under the ladder. Some people believe that to walk under a ladder can bring ill fortune or more likely a tin of paint on their head. In some parts of Great Britain, it is believed that if an unmarried woman walks under a ladder, she will never marry.
What can cure Whooping Cough?
Did you know that a mouse can cure Whooping Cough - in the 1700's it was a known treatment for the effects of Whooping Cough. Three Field Mice are roasted and one of them is eaten by the patient and the other two are roasted until crisp, they are then crumbled in to a drink.
Why did old wives hang horse shoes over the door?
To nail a horse shoe to the door or threshold of your home will keep witches away. (The best horse shoes are the ones you find by chance). Also did you know that the shoe must face in a specific direction. If you have been cursed by a witch or gypsy, you must nail the horse shoe on the inside of the threshold of the door with three nails, the heel being upwards. This will send the curse back to the sender.
When a person dies, why did the living open the windows?
The reason was to allow the dying person's soul to pass through. By opening windows, doors and even boxes, made the passing of the soul into the other world much easier.
Crossing the Equator.
A significant event aboard ship which is celebrated by a number of jocular initiation practices. The uninitiated, who have not crossed the line before, are tied up in a mock court in front of a pantomime 'Neptune', often ducked in tubs of brine, lathered (occasionally with pitch) and shaved or made to eat soap.
Testimony such as the account written in a letter of Charles Darwin to his father suggests that even quite recently such ceremonies, now generally good-natured buffoonery, were extremely rough.
The tradition may have its origins in sacrificial rites, an observance to pacify the deities of the ocean in these perilous waters where the danger of becalming is ever-present.
Top
Myths
Loch Ness Monster
Scotland's deepest waterway is the home of a large creature with a long body with two large humps and a snake like neck and head. The creature was first spotted by a motorist in 1933. Since then it has appeared in numerous newspapers throughout the world. Many people have claimed to have seen 'Nessie'.
There has been much scientific research into the Loch and it's habitants, but no decisive conclussion can be made. For scientists that have tried to debunk the myth or legend on many occasions have come away from Loch Ness posing more questions than answers. After one visit, a scientific team carried out a sonar check and noticed a large object moving under the deep black water. On their second run they noticed that the object had gone.
A film taken at the loch in 1960, was later shown to specialists at the Ministry of Defence's Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre. After carefully studying and analyzing the images which showed the customary humped object moving through the water - the experts decided that something, if not Nessie, existed in the deep. They came to the conclusion that the subject of the film 'probably is an animate object'. However, Nessie came nearest to getting a certificate of authenticity in 1963, when on the evening of 2nd February, Grampian and Border Television, transmitted a programme about her. The programme was presented as a panel discussion and one of the participants was David James, a Highland laird and a Member of Parliament at the time. He had a few months before kept a two-week, round-the-clock watch on the shores of the loch. Mr James, told viewers that his watch had been successful. He said, 'On 19th October 1962, in the middle of the afternoon, we had seven people at Temple Pier, and suddenly everyone was alerted by widespread activity among the salmon. After a few minutes the salmon started panicking - porpoising out in the middle of the loch - and immediately we were aware that there was an object following the salmon which was seen by practically everyone there for three or four minutes.'
|
|
Six years after the television programme, in August 1968, a team from the Department of Electronic Engineering of Birmingham University mounted a sonar system on one of the piers on the loch. The scan was directed at the southeast corner and, the cathode display was photographed every 10 seconds by a movie camera but for some days, nothing of interest was seen. Then, at 4:30 on the afternoon of August 28th, there occurred a remarkable 13-minute sequence. 'A large object rose rapidly from the floor of the loch at a range of 0.8 kilometre, its speed of ascent being about 100 feet a minute, it was rising obliquely away from the sonar source at a velocity of about 6.5 knots, and was soon 1 kilometre away. Its upward movement had now slowed to about 60 feet a minute. This object then changed direction to move toward the pier at about 9 knots, keeping constant depth. Finally, it plunged to the bottom at about 100 feet a minute before rising again at 0.6 kilometre range, when it apparently moved out of the soner beam and was lost to record. Meanwhile, a second large object had been detected at 0.5 kilometre from the pier which finally dived at the astonishing velocity of 450 feet a minute. Both objects remained many feet below the surface.' |
That creatures we call monsters exist somewhere today, is not totally impossible. This was demonstrated in 1938 with the discovery off the coast of South Africa of a live Coelacanth - a huge fish dating from millions of years ago - and naturally assumed to be extinct long since. The fossils of other Coelacanths showed the species to be some 70 million years old. Scientists were further amazed and delighted when, in 1952, a second live Coelacanth was caught off Madagascar. Since then, close to 100 more of these hardy survivors from the past have been discovered and studied. 'If prehistoric Coelacanths are still living today, why not dinosaurs?'
Trollers Gyll, Great Britain
In North Yorkshire, near to the village of Grassington is a large hillside, where a scar runs through. Local legend claims that a large black dog (Barghest or Spectral hound) with large dish sized eye's that are the colour of blood, frightens away ramblers, climbers and other visitors. Summer 1948, a group of ramblers, while out walking, noticed that the sheep in the field ahead, were bleating loudly and running around in panic. As the group of ramblers approached, they were shocked to see an extremely large hound (Size of a large bear), carrying a fully grown sheep in its jaws. Winter 1955, a local farmer out tending his sheep in the deep snow, noticed a trail of blood leading across the fields, across a stream and up the side of the crag, a distance of almost 1½ Miles. The farmer followed the trail and was shocked to find a large hound with great staring eye's devouring a sheep, the farmer described the hound as having a look of pure evil, the farmer raised his shotgun and fired at almost point blank range at the hound, but the hound didn't even flinch, it turned and walked away, the farmer watched open mouth as the hound then vanished into thin air, he noticed that there was no foot prints in the snow.
Boggart, Hobgoblin from England
Hobgoblin figure of Northern England. Although closely related to the Bogey, the boggart is more closely linked to a specific house. He is also said to perform helpful tasks in the house on occasions, although like many such household spirits he becomes mischievous when angered, and he generally displays a tendency towards poltigiest activities.
Chicken Burger with a little extra sauce
A group of office workers decided to go out on the town, they arrainged to meet up at the local burger bar and then go off to the clubs. while at the burger bar they decided to get a bite to eat. They all ordered their burgers, while one ordered a burger, without mayonaise. The burgers arrived and they all bit into them, the one that had ordered the burger without mayonaise, pulled a face and swallowed hard, 'this as got source in', the customer complained to the girl that had served the burger, but the girl was positive that their was no source on the burger, when they opened up the breadbun, they noticed that their was a lump under the breadcrumbs that coated the burger, when the girl prodded the lump, it burst and a stream of a cream coloured liquid poured out, within the liquid was blood.
The Haunted Computer
In the summer of 1988, an Amstrad 1640 Computer was returned to the store in Chester (UK), where it had recently been purchased. The owner complained that the machine was faulty. The fault was described has a power fault, for the machine kept switching itself on during the night.
The store owner was somewhat bemused by the fault description, he asked the customer, had he heard any bumps during the night, the reply was 'YES'.
Later that day, the store owner passed the computer on to the engineers to carry out tests, but they couldn't find anything wrong with it. The engineers placed the computer on to the repaired shelf. Just has the store owner was beginning to lock up, he heard a beep sound from inside the empty workshop, on investigating he noticed that one of the Amstrad computers was starting to boot up, so he switched it off, 'Why had the engineers, left it switched on' he thought.
The next morning, the store owner arrived early to open the store. When he entered the workshop, he found that the same Amstrad computer was yet again switched on, this time after switching the machine off, he went to unplug it, but he was shocked to discover that the computer was unplugged from the mains.
The above story was reported in The Amstrad User magazine.
Strange Rain
We use the phrase 'Raining cats and dogs' to describe a downpour. But rains of many kinds of living creatures have actually been reported from earliest times and all over the world. On 28th May 1881, during a thunderstorm on the outskirts of Worcester, England, tons of periwinkles and small hermit crabs fell on Cromer Gardens Road and the surrounding fields.
Top
Legends
Jack the Ripper
In the fall of 1888, a series of murders took place in the district of Whitechapel in the East End of London (UK).
|
|
|
|
|
|
The murders caused uproar throughout the nations capital resulting in riots and calls for the resignation of the police commissioner. Social reformers claimed that the murders were an indictment on a society that allowed and actively encourages poverty. Others claimed that the police and the murderer worked together.
|
|
With the fragment of human kidney sent in the mail to the police came a letter: "I send you half the kidne I took from one woman...tother piece I fried and ate..." The writer's return address: "From Hell." All of London knew that the gruesome message came from "Jack the Ripper," who had just slashed to death his fourth victim, 43-year-old Catherine Eddowes. All four women had been pathetic prostitutes, aging and worn, forced to ply their degrading trade in the slum district of Whitechapel. A cesspool of the most wretchedly impoverished people, it had narrow streets and alleys that led through a filthy maze of gin shops, brothels, and opium dens. Fewer than half the children survived to the age of five; upto seven people were packed into each tiny room of this garbage-strewn warren. To fend off starvation in such desperate circumstances, many young women had no alternative but to become streetwalkers. Such women, for unexplained reasons, were the prey of the Ripper, who was never identified nor apprehended. |
|
The first victim was 42-year-old Mary Ann "Polly" Nichols, whose throat was slit on the night of August 31. As she lay dying in a grimy little alley, her killer ripped open her abdomen with his 10-inch knife. Eight days later "Dark Annie" Chapman, 47, already weakened from tuberculosis, was dispatched in precisely the same manner with the same type of instrument. Now people recalled an earlier murder of a Whitechapel prostitute. Since she had merely been stabbed to death, police saw no likely connection. But the public felt otherwise and raised a frightning outcry that put pressure on the police to send reinforcements to the slum district. Private detectives and civilian volunteers eagerly enlisted in the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee, set up by concerned London business interests. |
|
|
|
With the mounting fear came an exposé of the dark side of Victorian life. Comfortable members of society had long ignored the cruel conditions forced upon the poor. In an age when sexual matters were not even mentioned, much less discussed, the so-called proper people had turned a blind eye on the city's numerous streetwalkers. However, attention continued to be focused upon the killer, who had written his first letter bragging about his crimes in red ink and signed it with the name he had bestowed on himself, "Jack the Ripper." His taunts that the police would not catch him seemed well-founded, though patterns in his crimes became evident. Medical examiners determined that he was left-handed and knew a good deal about anatomy, obviously being skilled in extracting human organs with precision. And, gradually, it became clear that each murder was committed in the hours between 11pm and 4am. But this was not nearly enough evidence. Investigators took to hounding innocent persons, merely because they were common criminals, known sex offenders, or mentally ill surgeons and butchers. The harassment proved fruitless. The murderer's crimes became even more daring - and more hideous. Apparently interrupted just after cutting the throat of Elizabeth "Long Liz" Stride, 45, the Ripper fleetly vanished into the night mist shortly after midnight on September 30, leaving his victim dead but unmutilated. She was found clutching a bunch of grapes in one hand, sweets in the other. The witness who had stumbled upon the scene heard footsteps but failed to catch a glimpse of the killer. Deprived of his familiar pleasure, the Ripper struck again within 45 minutes. His target this time was Eddowes, whom he killed and disemboweled, removing the kidney fragment sent though the mail. Astonishingly, a watchman on guard only several yards away heard nothing. Somehow, on a busy saturday night in a teeming slum, with hordes of extra-duty policemen and vigilantes primed to nab him, the presumably blood-covered killer got away once again. |
Dick Turpin (1705-1739)
English Robber, Highwayman and Horse-Thief, Hanged for his crimes. He is best known in Legend for his astonishing one-day ride from London to York on his horse, Black Bess. This version of Turpin's life, together with the figure of Black Bess, only began with the tale fabricated by William Harrison Ainsworth in his romance Rookwood (1834); the legend may properly belong to 'Swift John Nevison', who in 1676 is said to have robbed a sailor at Gadshill at 4am and established an 'alibi' by reaching York at 7.45pm. Nevison's legend is related by Dainiel Defoe in his A Tour Thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain.
Who is the DEAD RIDER?
A recently deseased man appears on a horse and attempts to carry someone away, usually his wife, sweetheart, sibling or older child. Often these living persons are unaware that the beloved is dead and will accompany the riders willingly. In many cases the abduction proves fatal, or the living person is saved only by a fateful chance, such as the crowing of a cock.
The Walking Dead
A Zombie is a human whose soul is stolen by black magic and thus becomes lifeless and is buried. His murderer then exhumes the body and gains a useful slave with no will except that of its master, which he imposes on it.
In 1962, according to his death certificate, the Haitian peasant Clairvius Narcisse died near his home village in the Artibonite Valley. Though physically strong and rarely ill, he had begun to have difficulty breathing after a dispute with his brother over a piece of land. Weakened and nauseated, he began to spit blood and died two days later. His body was buried in a small rural cemetery.
Eighteen years later Narcisse strolled into the marketplace of his home village. Along with others who were found wandering near the city of Cap Haitian, he claimed that he had been dug out of the ground by men who beat him cruelly, then forced him into slave labour as a Zombie. He was one of the infamous "Walking Dead," long considered to be mere figments of superstition in the island nation of Haiti where Voodoo is practised.
Voodoo.
Folk Religion of Haiti, fusing Roman Catholic elements introduced by French colonists and magico-religious African tradition. The practice of voodoo focuses mainly on the loa, a general term for divinities, ancestral spirits, supernatural beings and saints, who will give guidance and healing to their devotees. The zombi is a central feature of voodoo lore.
Top
UFO's
Bermuda Triangle
Wednesday 5th December 1945, Naval Air Base Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 3:45pm.
Five Avenger torpedo bombers lead by Lieutenant Charles C. Taylor an experienced pilot had taken off on a routine flight at 2.00pm from Fort Lauderdale to an area called The chicken shoals in the Bahamas, where the flight was to make a practice bombing run on a target hulk.
Then the silence in the control tower was broken by a distress call;
"Calling tower, this is an emergency . . . We seem to be off course . . . We cannot see land . . . Repeat . . . We cannot see land."
"What is your position" replied the air traffic controller.
"We're not sure of our position. We can't be sure just where we are. We seem to be lost."
At the time of the distress call, the flight was heading back to base, so the air traffic controller directed the flight due west, as this would take the flight over land.
"We don't know which way is west. Everything is wrong . . . strange . . . We can't be sure of any direction. Even the ocean doesn't look as it should."
The conditions at the time were good - sunny with scattered clouds. If the pilots could not tell whether or not they were flying west, meant that the sun was invisible to them. Had the conditions deteriorated so much. The disappearence of five planes and 14 men produced consternation at Fort Lauderdale, but worse was to come. A Martin Mariner flying boat, with a crew of 13, was sent on the rescue mission. The huge and powerful aircraft with a wing span of 124 feet and a reinforced hull enabling it to land on rough sea's. The aircraft was also fully equipped with rescue and survival gear. It flew North-East toward the area where the Avengers were preshumed to have been. A message sent soon after by the radio operator on board the Mariner reported that there was strong winds at 6,000 feet. 20 minutes after the Mariner left the base, the tower sent out a message to check it's position. There was no reply. The aircraft had just vanished.
Mothman, USA
November 17th, 1966. Point Pleasant, West Virginia USA. Two newly married couples, Roger and Linda Scarberry and Steve and Mary Mallette, were driving together in the "TNT" area, an abandoned World War 2 munititions manufacturing-storage complex, when they encountered a frightening six-foot figure, with wings and glowing red eyes, emerging from behind an abandoned power plant. The party fled homeward towards Point Pleasant, but believed the creature was following them. Suddenly, as they rounded a sharp bend, they saw the creature standing next to the highway on a hillside. As they continued speeding homeward they could see the shadow of the creature, cast by the moon, still following them, even though they were driving at almost 100mph. When city police responded to their report and drove to the "TNT" area, they found no evidence, though they reported unusual radio interference, "like high-pitched beeping sounds."
On November 15th, 1966. Wallace USA. Newell Partridge noted interference on his television set, and at the same time heard his German Shepherd dog, "Bandit," howling. He went outside and directed his flashlight toward the barn where the beam picked up glowing red eyes, "like bicycle reflectors." The dog charged toward the eye's, but did not return to the house. The next morning Partridge tracked Bandit to the barn where the dog's footprints in the soft mud into a circle as if he were baying some animal. But the footprints did not leave the circle.
See also Jersey Devil
Top
Ghosts
Towton Moor, Great Britain.
On the evening of Friday 12th December 1997 at 17:00 hrs, I was travelling between my work place in York and my home near Leeds. The roads were busy between Tadcaster and Ferrybridge, for it was only a few days before Christmas. I was looking forward in getting home, because I had a bad day and I just wanted to sit down and rest.
I came to the point in the road, where I had to turn right, along the old London Road at Towton. The road passes the old cross that marks the place where hundreds of years before, the battle of Towton Moor took place, the battle had resulted in the deaths of around 32,000 men in just a few hours.
I set off across the traffic and made my way towards Garforth, I had only travelled a few yards when I noticed that the car up ahead of me, swerved across the road and move off at high speed. I thought that the driver must have been drinking or something.
As I drove up the hill towards the Saxton road junction, I noticed a group in fancy dress stood just off the road, with them was a large brown horse with a rider mounted on its back. So as not to scare the horse, I slowed down. Has I approached the group, 'There taking fancy dress a little bit serious' I thought.
The rider was wearing a dark blue cloak and a gold coloured waistcoat, on his head was a large blue suade hat with what looked like a feather fixed to the brim.
The group standing by the horse was made up of two men and two women. The two women were dressed alike, they wore a head square type head gear with long strips of cloth that was weaved into their hair, which hung long down their backs almost reaching their waist, the dresses they wore was more like a smock that was worn over the top of another dress that went almost to the ground.
The two men wore dark clothing and large floppy hats. I was surprised by how calm the horse was, the muscles on its hind quaters quivered. The colours surprised me, it was dark but all the colours stood out as if it was all a projection.
Has the car approached them I noticed that they began to fade, it was only then that I realised that they were in fact ghosts.
Monk Fryston, Great Britain.
Near to the scene of the above sighting (Towton) is another Yorkshire Ghost. On the main road between Selby and Castleford stands the small quaint village of Monk Fryston, the village of Monk Fryston is famous for the thatched cottage that seems to stand in the centre of the main road, causing the traffic to pull to the right on the short trip into Selby.
At the other end of Monk Fryston, just over the bridge that crosses the main York - Doncaster railway line, stands a small row of cottages, inside one of these cottages was a most frightning apparition.
A couple had lived in the cottage for more than thirty five years, without any major problem, but they always felt as if someone or something was watching them, especially at the top of the stairs, the pet dogs and cats that they had owned over this time had one thing in common, none would go up the stairs.
One a very hot day in the summer of 1976, three of the couples nethews were playing in the field behind the cottage, when one of the younger kids decided to dash to the toilet. He ran into the house and opened the door at the foot of the stairs and ran up the steps. A short while later blood curdling screams could be heard through out the row of cottages. Everyone in the cottage dashed into the kitchen and found that the door to the staircase was jammed, everyone pulled on the door but it would not open, all the while the young lad continued to scream. While they worked hard to open the door, an icy blast of cold air blew through the cottage causing every open window and door in the cottage to slam shut. The pet dogs started to howl and run around the cottage barking into the corners. The mayhem continued for almost five minutes, then the door to the staircase opened with such a force that it crashed against the kitchen wall, causing a large indent in the plaster work.
The young boy was terrified about what had happened, he started to talk about a man standing at the bottom of the stairs who would not let him pass, he claimed that the man was very old and ugly.
Since then icy blasts of cold air could be felt throughout the cottage, and as time went by a strange smell began to waft around.
One night three years ago the woman householder could not sleep, so she leaned over and turned on the bedside lamp, her husband started to snore, so she elbowed him in the back causing him to turn over, it seemed harsh but it cured his snoring. She picked up a book and began to read, as she finished her third page, she was just about to turn over the page, when she heard a rustling sound from the otherside of the bedroom. She looked up but could not see anything that could be making the noise, she was just about to return to her book, when she noticed on the dressing table an old scruffy black top hat. Just has she was thinking who's is that, Something caught her eye, a small old ugly man wearing an old tatty black suit moved from the shadows and sat down, there was no chair, but the figure still sat down, he just hovered above the floor, after a few seconds the man reached out and took a hold of the hat. She started to hit her husband on his shoulders, "wake up" she shouted, her husband began to stir, the figure just faded into the darkness.
This was the very last time that the couple stayed in their dream cottage, a place that they loved so much, a place that they could call their home.
A new family have since moved into this cottage, and upto going to press, there has been no repeat of this haunting.... Not yet.
Jersey Devil, USA
Researched and written by Dave.Juliano@compudata.com
The Jersey Devil, the supposed mythical creature of the New Jersey Pinelands, has haunted New Jersey and the surrounding areas for the past 260 years. This entity has been seen by over 2,000 witnesses over this period. It has terrorized towns and caused factories and schools to close down, yet many people believe that the Jersey Devil is a legend, a mythical beast, that originated from the folklore of the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Others disagree with this point of view. The follow ing text will show there is evidence to support the existence of an animal or supernatural bring known as the Jersey Devil. The evidence consists of the stories of the Jersey Devil's origin, the sightings of it, and finally, the theories on it.
|
|
|
|
There are many different versions of the birth of the Jersey Devil. One of the most popular legends says a Mrs. Shrouds of Leeds Point, NJ made a wish that if she ever had another child, she want it to be a devil. Her next child was born misshapen and deformed. She sheltered it in the house, so the curious couldn't see him. On stormy night, the child flapped it's arms, which turned into wings, and escaped out the chimney and was never seen by the family again. A Mrs Bowen of Leeds point said, "The Jersey Devil was born in the Shrouds house at Leeds Point." Another story that also placed the birth at Leeds Point said that a young girl fell in love with a British soldier during the Revolutionary War. The people of Leeds Point cursed her. When she gave birth, she had a devil. Some people believe the birth of the devil was punishment for the mistreatment of a minister by the Leeds folk.
Another story placed the birth in Estelville, NJ. Mrs. Leeds, of Estelville, finding out she was pregnant with her 13th child, shouted,"I hope it's a devil". She got her wish. The child wad born with horns, a tail, wings, and a horse-like head. The creature revisited Mrs. Leeds everyday. She stood at her door and told it to leave. After awhile, the creature got the hint and never returned. Burlington, NJ, also claims to be the birthplace of the Jersey Devil. In 1735, Mother Leeds was in labor on a stormy night. Gathered around her were her friends. Mother Leeds was supposedly a witch and the child's father was the devil himself. The child was born normal, but then changed form. It changed from a normal baby to a creature with hooves, a horses head, bat wings and a forked tail. It beat everyone present and flew up the chimney. It circled the villages and headed toward the pines. In 1740 a clergy exercised the devil for 100 years and it wasn't seen again until 1890.
There are many other versions of the legend. The legends say it was the 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, or 13th child, It was born normal or deformed, and the mother confined it to the cellar or the attic. Although there are many discrepancies in all of these stories, there are 3 pieces of evidence that tie all of the legends of the Jersey Devil's origin together. The first thing that ties the legends together is the name "Leeds". Whether the mothers name was Leeds or the birth place was Leeds Point, all of the stories include the n ame Leeds. Alfred Heston, the Atlantic County Historian, believes that the devil could be a Leeds or a Shrouds baby. He discovered that a Daniel Leeds opened land in Great Egg Harbor, NJ, in 1699. His family lived in Leeds Point. He also discovered a Samuel Shrouds, Sr. came to Little Egg Harbor, NJ, in 1735 and lived right across the river from the house of Mother Leeds. The 3rd fact ties in the Burlington story with the others stories. Professor Fred MacFadden of Coppin State College, Baltimore, found that a "devil" was mentioned in writings from Burlington as early as 1735. He also indicated that the word Burlington was used to was the word used to names the area from the city of Burlington to the Atlantic Ocean. This means that the name that is now used for the birthplace such as Leeds point or Estelville, could be the same place referred to in the Burlington Legend.
The origins provide some validity to the existence of the Jersey Devil, but the sightings are the most substantial pieces of evidence. The sightings have been divided up into 3 time periods, pre 1909, January 16-23, 1909, and post 1909. From the pre 1909 era, few documented records of sightings still exist. The ones that do confirm the existence of the devil.
In the early 19th century, Commodore Stephen Decatur, a naval hero, was testing cannon balls on the firing range when he saw a strange creature flying across the sky. He fired and hit the creature but it kept right on flying across the field. Joseph Bonaparte, former king of Spain and brother of Napoleon, saw the Jersey Devil in Bordentown, NJ, between 1816 and 1839 while he was hunting. In 1840-41 many sheep and chickens were killed by a creature with a piercing scream and strange tracks. In 1859-94, the Jersey Devil was seen and numer o us times and reportedly carried off anything that moved in Haddonfield, Bridgeton, Smithville, Long Branch, Brigantine, and Leeds Point. W.F. Mayer of New York noticed while visiting the Pine Barrens, most of the locals would not venture out after dark. The devil was sighted by George Saarosy, A prominent business man, at the NJ/NY border. This was the last reported sighting before the turn of the century.
In 1903, Charles Skinner, author of American Myths and Legends, claimed that the legend of the devil had run it's course and that in the new century, NJ would hear no more of the devil. New Jersey rested easy with that thought for 6 years, until the week of January 16-23. 1909. During this week, the devil would leave his tracks all over South Jersey and Philadelphia. He was seen by over 1,00 people. This was his largest appearance ever. It all started early Sunday morning, January 16, 1909. Thack Cozzens of Woodbury, NJ, saw a flying creature with glowing eyes flying down the street. In Bristol, NJ, John Mcowen heard and saw the strange creature on the banks of the canal. Patrol James Sackville fired at the creature as it flew away screaming. E.W. Minister, Postmaster of Bristol,NJ, also saw a bird-like creature with a horses head that had a piercing scream. When daylight came, the residents of Bristol found hoof prints in the snow. Two local trappers said they had never seen tracks like those before.
On Monday, the Lowdens of Burlington, NJ, found hoof prints in their yard and around their trash, which was half eaten. Almost every yard in Burlington had these strange hoof prints in them. The prints went up trees, went from roof to roof, disappeared in the middle of the road, and stopped in the middle of open fields. The same tracks were also found in Columbus, Hedding, Kinhora and Rancocas. A hunt was organized to follow the tracks but the dogs wouldn't follow the trail. On the 19th the Jersey Devil made his longest appearance of the week. At 2:30 am, Mr & Mrs. Nelson Evans of Gloucester were awakened by a strange noise. They watched the devil from their window for 10 minutes. Mr. Evans described the creature they saw:
It was about three feet and half high, with a head like a collie dog and a face like a horse.
It had a long neck, wings about two feet long, and its back legs were like those of a crane, and it had horse's hooves.
It walked on its back legs and held up two short front legs with paws on them. It didn't use the front legs at all while we were watching.
My wife and I were scared, I tell you, but I managed to open the window and say, 'Shoo', and it turned around barked at me, and flew away.
Tuesday afternoon 2 professional hunters tracked the devil for 20 miles in Gloucester. The tr ail jumped 5 foot fences and went under 8 inch spaces. The hoof prints were found in more parts of South Jersey. A group of observers in Camden, NJ, saw the devil. It barked at them and then took off into the air. The next day, a Burlington police officer and the Reverend John Pursell of Pemberton saw the Jersey Devil. Rev. Pursell said, "Never saw anything like it before".3 Posses in Haddonfield found tracks that ended abruptly. In Collingswood, NJ, a posse watched the devil fly off toward Moorestown. Ne a r Moorestown, John Smith of Maple Shade saw the devil at the Mount Carmel Cemetery. George Snyder saw the devil right after Mr. Smith and their descriptions were identical. In Riverside, NJ, hoof prints were found on roof tops and also around a dead puppy . On Thursday, the Jersey Devil was seen by the Black Hawk Social Club. He was also seen by a trolley full of people in Clementon as it circled above them. The witnesses descriptions matched others from the days before. In Trenton, Councilman E.P. Weeden h eard the flapping of wings and then found hoof prints outside his door. The prints were also found at the arsenal in Trenton. As the day wore on the Trolleys in Trenton and New Brunswick had armed drivers to ward off attacks. The people in Pitman filled churches. Chickens had been missing all week throughout the Delaware Valley, but when the farmers checked their yards that day, they found their chickens dead, with no marks on them. The West Collingswood Fire Department fired their hose at the devil. The d evil retreated at first, but then charged and flew away at the last second. Later that night, Mrs. Sorbinski of Camden heard a commotion in her yard. She opened the door to see the Jersey Devil standing there with her dog in it's grip. She hit the devil wi th a broom until it let go of her dog and flew away. She started screaming until her neighbors came over. Two police officers arrived at her house where over 100 people had gathered. The crowd heard a scream coming from Kaigan Hill. The mob ran toward the creature on the hill. The Policed shot at it and the devil flew off into the night. The streets of Camden were empty after this. On Friday, Camden police officer Louis Strehr saw the Jersey Devil drinking from a horses trough. The school in Mt Ephraim was closed because no students came in. Mills and factories in Gloucester and Hainesport had to close because none of the employees came to work. Many New Jersey residents wouldn't leave their houses, even in daylight. Officer Merchant of Black wood drew a sketch of the creature he saw. His sketch coincided with the descriptions from earlier in the week. Jacob Henderson saw the devil in Salem and described it as having "wings and a tail". The devil was only seen once more in February1909.
Since 1909, the Jersey Devil has continued to be sighted by people all over New Jersey. The number of sightings that have been reported to the authorities has dwindled over the years. This could be attributed to the fact that people don't want to be branded as crazy. Even though the number of reported sightings has dropped, there's still a considerable amount of sightings in the post 1909 era.
In 1927, a cab driver on his way to Salem got a flat tire. He stopped to fix the tire. As he was doing this, creatur e that stood upright and was covered with hair, landed on the roof of his cab. The creature shook his car violently. He fled the scene, leaving the tire and jack behind. Phillip Smith, who was known as a sober and honest man, saw the devil walking down th e street in 1953. The characteristic screams of the Jersey Devil were heard in the woods near Woodstown, NJ, in 1936.
Around 1961, 2 couples were parked in a car in the Pine Barrens. They heard a loud screeching noise outside. Suddenly the roof of the car was smashed in. They fled the scene, but returned later. Again they heard the loud screech. They saw a creature flying along the trees, taking out huge chinks of bark as it went along. There have been other sightings since 1909, such as the Invasion of Gibbsboro in 1951. The people there saw the devil over a 2 day period. In 1966, a farm was raided and 31 chicks, 3 geese, 4 cats, and 2 dogs were killed. One of the dogs was a large german Shepard which had it's throat ripped out. In 1981, a young couple spotted the devil at Atsion Lake in Atlantic County.
In 1987, in Vineland an aggressive german Shepard was found torn apart and the body gnawed upon. the body was located 25 feet from the chain which had been hooked to him. Around the body were strange tracks that no one could identify.
The sightings and prints are the most substantial evidence that exists. Many of the theories on the Jersey Devil are based upon that evidence. Some theories can be proven invalid, while others seem to provide support for the Jersey Devil's existence.
One theory is that the Jersey Devil is a bird. Mrs. Cassidy of Clayton thought it was an invasion of scrowfoot chicks. The scrowfoot chick is much too small to be mistaken for the devil. Others believe the devil is really a sand hill crane. The crane used to live in South Jersey until it was pushed out by man. The sand hill crane weighs about 12 lbs., is 4 foot high, and a wingspan of 8 0 inches. It avoids man but if confronted it will fight. It has a loud scream whooping voice that can be heard at a distance. This could account for the screams heard by witnesses. The crane also eats potatoes and corn. This could account for the raids on crops. This theory doesn't explain , however, the killing of live stock. It also doesn't explain why people described the devil as having a horses head, bat wings and tail, all of which the crane doesn't have.
Proffesor Bralhopf said that" the tracks were made by smoe prehistoric animal form the Jurassic period". He believes the creature survived underground in a cavern. An expert from the Smithsonian Institute had a theory about ancient creatures surviving underground. He said the Jersey Devil was a Pterodactyl. The Academy of Natural Sciences could find no record of any creature, living or extinct, that resembles the Jersey Devil. Jack E. Boucher, author of Absagami Yesteryear, has a thoery in which he believes the devil was a deformed child. He thinks Mrs. Leeds had a disfigured child and kept it locked away in the house. She grew sick and couldn't feed the child anymore. It escaped out of hunger and raided local farms for food. This doesn't take into account the incredible life span of the devil. The child would have been 174 years old in 1909. It also doesn't account for the sightings of the devil flying.
Only a small amount of the sightings and footprints could be hoaxes. The Jersey Devil has been seen by reliable people such as police, government officials, postmasters, businessman, and other people whose "integrity is beyond question." As for the hoof prints, even if some were hoaxes, There is still no way to explain most of the tracks, especially the ones on roof tops and tracks that ended abrup tly as if the creature took wing. The last theory is the most controversial one. Many people believe that the Jersey Devil could be the very essence of evil, embodied. It is said that the devil is an "uncanny harbinger of war". and appears before any great conflict. The jersey devil was sighted before the start of the Civil War. It was also seen right before the Spanish American War and WW I. In 1939, before the start of WW II, Mount Holly citizens were awakened by the noise of hooves on their roof tops. The Devil was seen on December 7, 1941, right before Pearl Harbor was bombed. He was also seen right before the vietnam War.
The Jersey Devil's habit of being a forerunner to wars could be because of his possible demonic origins. In 1730, Ben Franklin reported a story about a witchcraft trial near Mt Holly, NJ. One of the origin legends say that Mother Leeds was a witch. The devil's birth could have been a result of a witches curse. Other facts support the supernatural theory are the reports of the death of the devil. When Commodore Decatur fired a cannon ball at the devil, it went through him and he was unaffected. In 1909, a track walker on the electric railroad saw the devil fly into the wires above the tracks. There was a violent expolsion which melted the track 20 feet in both directions. No body was found and the devil was seen later in perfect health. In 1957, the Department of Conservation found a strange corpse in a burned out area of the pines. It was a partial skeleton, feathers, and hind legs of an unindentifiable creature. The devil was thought to be dead, but reappeared when the people of New Jersey thought that this time his death was real. Each time he is reported dead, he returns. Sometimes this year. The Jersey Devil will be 260 years old. It seems the devil is immortal, which a supernatural being would be. Another thing that supports this theory is the incredible distances the devil could fly in a short period of time. No animal could travel as fast as the devil did in 1909 when he was sighted in South Jersey, Philadelphia, and New York through out the week. None of these theories can give a definitive answer to what the Jersey Devil was or is, but the sightings prove there is something out there. Whether the Jersey devil is a bird or a demon, is still left to specualtion. The people of New Jersey have definely seen something out there lurking in the Pine Barrens.
See also Mothman.
Anon Australia
Our last home (a simple brick & tile bungalow - N.S.W. Australia) was only built around 20 to 25 years ago, so it doesn't count as a haunted gothic mansion, and we were the second occupant family, with no known deaths or misadventures suffered by our predecessors. However, one evening, while my wife was showering and I was putting something away in the hallway cupboard I felt a distinct presence, in fact someone or something brushing past me. At first I thought it was my wife, looked around, then realised I was alone and she was still showering. After a cold shiver, I thought nothing more of it until my wife said to me later that she had felt a hand on her shoulder while she was in the shower! the feeling was so real that, thinking it was me, she had turned around, but saw nothing. We judged that her experience and mine had occurred moments apart. That was the only occasion we experienced anything like that in the house, and often joke that someone was just passing through. By the way, the house was on a fairly new estate, with nothing but virgin bushland on the site (to our knowledge) before the estate was created.
Shadow, USA
Tanya, Delaware
A couple of years ago when I used to spend the night at the home of one of my best girlfriends. (200 year old house) We held a seance in her walk in closet.. We asked for a sign and nothing happened, but just as we were about to give up, a thin tan coloured book fell from above, and hit her on the head. We ran to turn on the light and when we did, we searched everywhere for the book, but it was nowhere to be found. Many things have occured at her house, but the main thing was the "Shadow" this is what we called him. He was a tall dark skinny shadowy figure. When we'd run around the cornfields he would always be following us. We would see him out of the corner of our eye's; just for a second for he was always quick. On one night while outside I saw him running straight towards me, and then he vanished before my very eyes.
Those are the main things that I remember, so big things do take place in small towns, for this was in Franford Delaware.
The knocker, Great Britain.
In the small bustling market town of Morley, just south of Leeds, a strange event took place that was witnessed by 20 people including 5 police officers, 2 council engineers and was photographed by a press photographer.
In the Autumn of 1974, a middle aged couple were just sitting down to watch their favourite soap opera on TV, when a large bang reverberated throughout the semi-detatched corporation house. The couple jumped to their feet and went to investigate, they called upstairs to their two teenage daughters, but they denied all knowledge about the source of the bang. They returned to the sofa and continued to watch 'Coronation Street' on the television. Later that evening, just as they were going to retire for the night, a tapping sound began, 'It sounded like air in the water pipes' explained Mrs X. Throughout the night the tapping continued, after a while Mr X noticed that the tapping was quite rhythmic, in fact he said 'It was quit soothing'.
The next morning the tapping continued, when the couples eldest daughter (17) turned on the radio to listen to the latest pop tunes on Radio One, she noticed that the tapping became louder and louder until it drowned out the radio. The family quickly dressed and set off for work and school, but Mrs X noticed that as soon as her youngest daughter (13) stepped outside the house, the knocking stopped. Mrs X returned from work at about 1:30 that afternoon, and noticed that the house was very quiet, too quiet in fact, she then realised that the clock on the mantleplace was not in its usual place, but on the sideboard. Mrs X went up stairs to get changed, on her return to the living room some twenty minutes later, she noticed that the clock was back on the mantleplace. She felt a cold chill, as if the front door was open. She went to investigate, the front door was closed, but she then heard footsteps in the front bedroom, she was just about to start climbing the stairs, when a large bang reverberated throughout the house, feeling afraid, she ran outside to her neighbours house, from there she rang the police.
Five minutes after she had made the call, a police-car pulled up outside her house. She explained what had happend, and while one police officer took notes, the other officer, a police woman began to search around looking for an intruder, but none could be found, just as the WPC was leaving the kitchen to take a look in the back yard, she heard a tapping sound, she could not be quite sure where it was coming from, for it sounded to be all around. The police officers submitted a report and reported the incident to the local council, thinking that it may be caused by subsidence, (Morley is built on old mine workings). The council sent out a couple of engineers to investigate, they carried out checks on the exterior walls and foundations, they came to the conclussion that there was no case of subsidence, yet the tapping continued.
Later that evening, Mr and Mrs X and their daughters were sat down to dinner, when the tapping began to get louder and louder, the eldest daughter burst into tears and began screaming, for the banging to stop, but it just got louder and louder. Mr X called the police. When the police arrived some twenty minutes later, the family were standing in the street, with their neighbours comforting them, the banging could be heard throughout the street.
The police carried out a systematic search of the premises, but found nothing that could be causing the banging. A few days later a local newspaper reporter heard about the story and visited the family, while he was talking to them, he noticed a burning smell, he and Mr X, raced into the kitchen, to find smoke coming from a cupboard, when they opened the cupboard door, they found a tin containing old letters and photographs smoldering, Mr and Mrs X had never seen the tin and its contents before, just as Mrs X was looking through the tins contents she noticed that a photograph of a woman was familier, she then remembered the old lady who lived two streets away, 'Is that Mrs Y' she asked her husband, he confrmed that it looked like her. The reporter took the tin and its contents around to Mrs Y's house, there Mrs Y confimed that the tin and it's contents were hers, but she could not understand how he had the tin, for she said that the tin is kept in a locked drawer in the sideboard, in her living room. She said that she had been in her living room all evening and nobody had been in the house, she showed the reporter the drawer, it was still locked, where is the key? he asked, 'I do not know, it was lossed shortly after my husband passed away, almost 10 years ago' she replied.
As the weeks passed, and Christmas approached, the family settled down for an exciting time, they had bought all the presents and the two girls were busy wrapping them in fancy Christmas wrapping paper, when the youngest sister was hit hard on the back of her head, when she quickly turned around she found a glass bauble laying on the ground, (Unbroken), these baubles are very fragile, and they break, with the slightest pressure. The girl rubbed her head and she could feel a lump developing on her scalp, where the bauble had struck her, 'who through that?' she enquired to her sister, but just as she was asking her sister, her sister was hit on the back of her head by an object, while the elder sister spun around, the younger sister fainted.
When the younger girl came too, she told her father, mother and sister, that she saw the object hit her sister, it was a small (LEGO™) building brick, she said that she had seen it come out of the wall and hit her sister, it stayed at the same level, it never dipped nor raised up, it just flew at the same level. The family reported the incident to the local reporter. He arrived along with a photographer, the family recounted the incident to him and the photographer took some photographs of the family and various rooms in the house, at one point the reporter had his photo taken while pointing at the cupboard in the kitchen, showing where the tin was found. Nothing else happened that evening, and the reporter and photographer left the house.
The next day, while the reporter was sat at his desk, typing up some notes for a story, the telephone rang, it was the photographer, he sounded very excited, 'I have something that you maybe interested in' he said, the reporter dashed over to the photographic department, and met up with the photographer. On one of the photographs, (the one showing the reporter pointing at the cupboard,) The reporter saw a distinct figure standing just behind him, it looked like it was a double exposure, 'Thats' just what I thought' replied the photographer, 'but look, you can see the cupboard through the figure, but you can't see the figure through you, it can't be a double exposure' he added, 'it is also on the negative, this things for real'.
The reporter visited the family, and told them about the photograph, they were not surprised, 'Our youngest daughter is in hospital, she's had a break down' said Mrs X, she began to explain to the reporter, 'Our daughter claims that she was behind all the goings on, and that we don't want any publicity, because it would not be fair on our daughter', they told the reporter that they would not allow him to use the photograph, or anything to do with the story.
Somethings remain unanswered, if it was the daughter that was behind all the banging, how did she do it when she was not even in the house?
How did she manage to get hold of a tin and it's contents from a locked drawer, some five hundred yards away, that had been locked since she was just 3 years old?
What about that photograph?
The reporter, photographer and neighbours are still convinced that this was the work of a poltergeist.
The lady in blue, Great Britain.
In the winter of 1985, a team of demolition workers had just began to strip out the interior of the old hospital. When one of the gang noticed in the corner of his eye, something flash past at the top of the stairs, he looked up, but nothing was to be seen.
Later, the foreman, saw a woman enter a room. He went straight to the room, but found that it was empty, the windows in the room were barred and locked, there was no other way out, yet the woman had not passed the foreman. He decided not to inform his co-workers, the job had to be completed within a set time, and he believed that informing the workers would cause problems, yet he still felt shaken.
During the evening, two weeks later, a security guard on patrol, had seen children playing on the south of the site, so he made his way around, he managed to chase the kids away, when a sudden chill froze him to the spot, there in front of him, no more than 6 feet away, a woman dressed in an old blue flowing gown, passed right in front of him, he was totally terrified, when the woman walked straight through a large skip that was full of scrap metal, 'she just went through it' he claimed.
It was later discovered that a lady in blue had been seen, in and around the old hospital on many occasions. On one occasion, a nurse attending to a patient, was surprised, when a woman dressed in an old fashioned blue dress, walked down the centre of the ward and entered the store room at the end of the ward.
Research shows that the room that the foreman and the nurse had seen the woman enter, was once a kitchen, when the building used to be a workhouse.
Since the buildings demolition, a woman in blue as been seen in and around the new office block, that now stands on the site.
Glassworks, York, Great Britain.
During a hot summer in 1969, workers at the Redfearn National Glass works in York, noticed that a security door to the quality control area, was continually opening. It was company policy, that this heavy large steel door, would be closed. This was to make sure that the quality control was not compremised. The glass works operated 24hours a day 7 day's a week.
A group of 5 women working on the 'QC' line, could lock and unlock the door from the inside, while anyone on the outside had to rely on the 'QC' staff opening the door to let them in.
One evening, the women noticed an icy chill blow through the 'QC' area, 'It was as if someone had opened a fridge door' one of the women said later. The women continued to work, the 'QC' line began to get warm up again, when approx 2 hours later, a blast of cold air filled the 'QC' area again, the women noticed that they could see their breadth in the air, it was so cold, and a thin layer of frost appeared on the floor.
Just before 6am, a resounding knock was heard on the large metal door. One of the women broke away from the 'QC' line to open the large door, but when she opened it, there was nobody there. She re-locked the door and returned to the line.
The following night, the blast of cold air again blew throughout the 'QC' line. But this time the women heard the large bolt on the door slide and the door slowly opened. two of the women on the line went to lock the door, but was surprised to see an old man standing in the doorway. The women said later that they believed it was one of the maintenance staff. One of the women asked the man, if she could help him, but he just looked ahead, then he just turned and walked away.
The women reported the incidents to their union, the union carried out an investigation and discovered that in 1955 a maintenance worker had been crushed when the large steel door fell on top of him, while they were hanging the door on its hinges. The management called in the local church.
In the 1980's, the glassworks finally closed. After the works had been demolished, it was found that it had been built on a site that had been reputed to be haunted, the ghost's had been reported to have been monk's.
Ghostly Journeys.
Phantom hitchhikers appear in many Films, Urban Myths and Stories. But these apparitions were witnessed by real drivers and passengers in cars, trains and planes.
Silent Guest
Most ghosts hang around haunted houses, creepy churches, or the battlefields where they died. But some ~ especially the ghosts of people involved in travel accidents ~ seem to haunt the routes of their last journeys. Often they hitch a ride with the living ~ only to disappear into thin air before their journey ends.
This famous ghost story is from Stanbridge, England. On a foggy night in 1979, Roy Fulton was driving home from a darts match. He often gave lifts to hitchers, and when he stopped for a young man at the roadside he noticed nothing unusual. The man pointed straight ahead instead of speaking as he climbed in, but Roy just thought he was shy.
After driving along at 40 mph (60km) for a while, Roy decided to offer his passenger a cigarette. He turned to the passenger seat. The man was gone.
Gripped by panic, Roy checked the back of the car ~ but that was empty too. Somehow, the man had vanished ~ but Roy was sure there was no way he could have jumped out of the moving car without being noticed.
Woman in White
In 1981, four friends were driving home to Montpellier, in the south of France, after a day at the beach. Up ahead, they saw a woman in a white raincoat. It was dark, so they stopped to offer her a lift.
The woman nodded silently and squeezed in between the two women in the back, the car set off again, then, as it rounded a corner, the woman shouted: "Watch the bend ~ you are risking your life!"
Startled by the warning, the driver slowed down and took the corner safely. But just then the two women in the back seat started to scream. Their mysterious hitchhiker had disappeared without a trace.
Motorcycle Rider
When corporal Dawie van Jaarsveld's hitchhiker vanished, he was more alarmed than scared ~ she had been on the back of his motorcycle. Worried she had fallen off and injured herself, he went back along the road near Uniondale, South Africa, where he had picked her up. There was no sign of her, and at last Jaarsveld went home.
Top
Photographs
This image is one of the few genuinely unexplained ghost photos. It was taken by Reverend Lord in his church in Newby, England. |
In this photo of a banquet, a tall, hooded figure stands at the top of the table. No one who was at the banquet could remember seeing him there. |
|
|
|
Angels
Angel in the car.
We had been attending a very lively church meeting in Bradford. It was such a very electric event, that we were sure that The Lord himself had joined the congregation. We were singing about stamping the devil under our feet and praising The Lord. Everybody at the meeting were excited.
On the journey home, we were travelling along a duel carrageway, travelling at about 55mph, when we were overtaken by another car travelling at approx 60mph. Just ahead of us, I noticed a parked car, so I moved across behind the car that had just overtaken us. Then all of a sudden the parked vehicle began to reverse into a driveway, the front of the car pulled into the lane that we were driving in. The driver of the car in front, slammed on his brakes. I hit my brakes, but it was no good, we just could not lose enough speed in the short bit of time. The car in front had come to a standstill, opposite the parked car. I realised that our car was going to hit the other car, so I braced myself, while my passengers braced themselves for the on coming crash, we were still travelling at a speed of around 30mph.
I closed my eye's, waiting for the impact, I waited and waited, but nothing happened, so I opened my eye's, just to see that we were travelling between the two cars, with about 1mm to spare on both sides.
The strange thing about this, is that we had to travel more or less at a 45º angle to get through the gap between the two cars. Yet I was holding the steering wheel in such a manner that we could only travel in a straight line, due to bracing myself for the crash. The car that I was driving was still travelling at about 20mph, as we travelled between the two cars.
I know that I was not driving that car, while we were passing the two cars. It must have been an Angel or even The Lord himself.
Top
The opinions expressed by our readers, are not necessarily the opinions of the publishers.
Jenny Craig
A client of mine was explaining to me a perplexing story about Jenny Craig. She was on an interview on the "Today Show" and was explaining an unusual experience. She evidently dozed off in front of her TV one evening and she woke up and her jaw had slammed up into her nose and it took over five surgeries to repair it. She still has a speech impediment. Is this factual? If so what caused it and can you find a picture of it? I am very baffled.
Teresa Ann Davis
Hitchhiking Ghost
In Arizona, near the Superstition Mountains, there is a ghost who I like to call The Hitchhiking Ghost. This ghost sometimes appears in the middle of the night in areas around the mountains where there is nothing in sight. You will usually be driving alone or with one other person when you see it. It is said that if you stop for this ghost, you will never been seen or heard from again. At other times, you will look back in your rearview mirror and see a "person" waiving their hands for help. If you turn around to help this person, you will be nabbed by this ghost and never be heard from again. So, when you think that you see someone at the side of a road in the middle of the night, be careful......if you help them you may vanish without a trace.
~~~ I hope you like this one!
Leslie Scottsdale, AZ
Grandfathers Picture
At midnight, I was sitting in my living room watching my new tv when all of a sudden a picture on the top of it ( it being a wooden entertainment center that had a flat top) flew off the top of it and landed face down. the picture was of my grandfather. the next morning when i woke up my mother had informed me that my grandfather had died at 12 that last night.
Anon.
Legend of the Water Babies
You wanted an indian legend , well I got one for you! Somewhere in Nevada there is lake that the natives there own. There are many legends about that lake so I'll tell you a few. The fist one is that the indians that used to live there would kill animals and leave the carcases on the ground and not dispose of them. Well legend has it that the ground at the lake flips every night at 12:00 am sharp and you see blood everywhere and dead animals everywhere. Just laying everywhrere. I have camped there before ,but I have never witnessed this accurance, but I have friends who say they have. The next legend is probably the most known where I live. It is called the legend of the water babies. This one scared me the most when I first heard it. Legend has it that indians used to use new born babies for indian sacrafices, and then throw them into the lake. Well every night if somebody is camping you can hear the babies crying . And it is said that they hypnotise the camper and they find a boat on the shore and get in it to go help the drowning babies . Then when they get out to the lake they can still hear the babies but see nothing. Then the unlucky person see's little hands everywhere popping out of the water . When they try to help the babies out of the water all the babies grab this person and pull them under to the watery grave. And they never seen again.By the way the lake is called pyrimid lake .
Thats all I have for you now.
Emily Liddicoatt
Grandfathers Ghost
When I was a little girl aged 3, I saw my grandfather. He was just looking at me, staring. So I ran to my dad and said "daddy daddy pa is over there". I said "look daddy he is smoking a cigarette. When I returned to my room to show my dad, my grandfather had gone. But the rocking chair was rocking.
Anon.
The Voice at the door
My story is rather simple, yet still unnerving even after almost forty years. I had the unique experience of growing up in an old deconsecrated church in the small Massachusetts town I still live in today. Over the years there were a host of odd and eerie incidents in and around "The Church", as my friends would call it, but this one occurred around 1961, when I was 13 years old..I lived in "the church" with my mother, who was a registerd nurse working the midnight-eight a.m. shift at the local hospital, and my maternal grandmother, who always retired to her bedroom upstairs rather early. On the evening in question, my best friend, also 13, was staying over my house all night. We watched T.V. until test-pattern time, then sat in our sleeping bags on the living room floor trading scary stories. I believe our two candles were the only lights in the neighborhhood at 3 a.m. As Tom and I sat speaking quietly, the front doorbell rang, nearly sending us both out of our skins; we gaped at one another, then stole a glance at the clock on the end table, confirming that it was certainly not a decent hour for callers. Since we were A)scared half to death with each not wanting to reveal this to the other, and B) in our skivvies, I raced to the kitchen and grabbed a 10" butcher knife before together approaching the front door. Now the door was hardwood all around, with a large rectangular pane of glass in the center. For privacy's sake, venetian blinds covered this glass area, and the key was in the keyhole and locked from the inside,as was our practice overnights. Now Tom and I huddled against the blinds,listening,(me with knife in hand). It was then that we both heard "the voice" which haunts us still-what I may only describe as "the most ancient voice I've ever heard" clearly stated (and to whom?) "Well, I guess there's nobody home"...now totally baffled, but no longer terrified by this seemingly harmless presence at my door, I turned the key and flung the door open to....no one.Now, not only was there not a soul on my porch or the five steps leading up to it, there was no one any where around the house(surrounding the house on three sides was a vacant parking lot which afforded a clear view for at least 200' over its 270 degree arc; on the eastern remaining side was a house with a noisy chain-link fence around it. Immediately upon rushing out the door (within five seconds of hearing the voice) Tom and I ,skivvies and all, split up at the bottom of the front stairs and we each went around the house, meeting at the back yard where we could only shake heads at one another. There was no one in sight, no footsteps to be heard-now I've learned long ago that the skeptic will always believe you either missed something in the doing or in the telling, but I know to the depths of my soul that events occurred exactly as described, and that there was absolutely no way a flesh and blood being could have avoided our subsequent search.My grandfather(the late husband of the woman sleeping upstairs) had died in that house four years previous to this event, and their eldest son (my uncle) died in New York a year prior.I know my grandmother missed them terribly and mourned them deeply. I knew both very well, and have to honestly say it certainly was not their voice we heard ,at least not the ones they had in their lifetimes, These days I rarely see my old friend Tom, and when I do, we catch one another up on families, jobs, current medical setbacks(hey, we're creeping up on old age)and the like...still, no more than ten minutes will go by before Tom will say in sotto voice, "Hey, remember that night at your house when..." I sure do, Tommy, I sure do....
T.J. McAvoy
Spiders on the bed
One night I was reading a chant out of a book and I cast a so called spell on my mom's bed. Well, I didn't really think about it but the next night when she went in to go to sleep, and she pulled back the covers, there was about 50 black widow spiders on her bed.
Jessika
Jersey Devil
After reading the articles on this sight I remembered that my best friend is from Jersey so I decided to ask him if he had ever seen the infamous Jersey Devil. When I asked him if he had seen or thought that he heard or saw it he said that a few years back his mom, dad, brother, &himself were on a trip and they were going through a farm area of North Jersey and he claims to have seen something dart across the road at a speed that was faster than any deer or any other animal he had ever seen. When he asked the rest of his family if they haad seen it they said no. He never spoke of it again due to the fact that he figured they would of thought he was crazy.
Jonathan Davis
Truth or Dare
This urban legend has been circulating through New York for the past couple of years and now it seems to be at its worst. Obviously this story is a bit hard to believe but i have heard it through the grapevine:
In March of 1997, a young girl named Denise Lynch from Westchester, NY, was spending a boring day at home. She was on the phone playing truth or dare with one of her friends. She had dared her male friend to stick his penis into an electrical socket (obviously as a joke.) In return for that joke, her male friend dared her to put paper clips on her nipples and stick them into an electrical socket. Although he said this purely as a joke, she told him to hold on. Several minutes later, the boy on the phone heard a blood curling scream from the other line. Another few minutes later, Denise returned to the phone and told her friend she would have to call him back because her father was taking her to the hospital. Thinking it was a joke, the friend called back later that night and asked for Denise. He was told by her father that she was in the hospital, for "personal reasons." She did not return to school for about a week, and when she did she had her chest bandaged completely up. A few people also say that when she returned to school her hair was crimped.
I have heard from many people that this story is true, I have also heard from many people that this story is false. All we can do is draw our own conclusions.
Jimmy
Burgers with a little extra meat
I am not sure where, (possibly my mothers bridge game when I was small) but I heard that when my mother was growing up they had a burger joint called "bob's burger house" and I guess the food there wasn't all that great but it was where the cool high schooler kids hung out. apparently, it was popular with little kids as the toys in the kiddie meals were good. one time, a family was having some burgers and the mom bit into hers and screamed. she fainted and the burger landed at an employee's feet. he quickly snatched it up but some cocky older kid asked to see it. he grabbed for it and saw what made the lady scream. there was a bloody mouse tail in it.
Anon.
Area 51
Area 51 was a UFO site. They say there was a Gas Spill and Millions of workers were turned to Zombies.Men tried to destroy them but The site was closed. The A-92, 500 Stealth were Rumored to be tested there but 1003 men died in the process.
If you want more, E-mail me at Andrewpoke@aol.com
White Shadow
When I was a baby my grandma died. 2 years ago I was tring to sleep when I saw this white shadow, I thought it was my mom playing a joke but it wasnt, I was so scared I buried my head in my pillow, but when I turned back around she wasnt there, I ran to tell my mom what she looked like and my mom said the looks I described souded like her, I told my mom she was wearing a white nightgown she was so pretty I stated to cry.
Robert aged 12.
Check your back seat
It was a stormy night and a young 19-year old girl was driving home. She wasnt paying attention to the fact that she needed gas and drove right past a gas station. When she finally realized it there was a tiny little gas station where they would do your gas for you. After honking the horn three times an old raggedy looking guy came to the window. She cracked her window and handed him her credit card. She was scared to death and was ready to get home immediatly. While the guy was putting gas in her car he noticed someone with an ax in her back seat. He lied to get her out of the car,he told her that the credit card company was on the phone and wanted to speak with her. She got her mase pepper spray and slipped it into her pocket book. She walked in the gas station and the phone was dead. The guy locked the door and was trying to tell her somebody was in the back seat. She broke the window and climbed out. He ran chasing after her telling her to stop. As she drove off she saw an ax appear in her mirror. She screamed and he chopped her head off. No one knows who did this. When people here this story they start checking there back seats. So the moral to this story is always check your back seat.
Sassie Chic.
Who killed the cat
I have a story I would like to tell you about my cousin and I. We let our dog in the house when my parents left us alone. Because my cousin is 15 and I am 13 years old. Liz and I gave the dog a bath.When we where done someone knocked on the door, we both went to see who it was, but noone was there.We heard something fall so we ran to see what it was, but we left the door open.We went up stairs our dog Bear. Heard something we just went to bed. Then our cat Jasper came in the room. I woke up and heard my brothers ,alarm clock on but when I got up I heard a movement. It quickly shut off. I got scared and went into the bed and I woke up Liz.We saw a shadow of some kind. She said lets go see. We walked out and followed the noise, it was in the bathroom. We saw him killing our cat.We ran and saw my mom and dad geting out of the car. When we told them what happend they went to see for themselves nothing was there.Then she said "girls you are to tired, go to bed please." We went to bed . Then we woke to a scream, we both jumped out of bed and ran down stairs to see what it was, it was my mom screaming. Jasper the cat was dead, her skin had been torn open. I said "do you belive me, NOW". we all had tears in our eyes. One year later we moved away.
Liz Hoffman and Tricia Hoffman.
Out of body experiences
News tips from my books-My several exciting space travels
(1)Title: Break the Secret of Pyramid Text: far ultimate OOB Journeys(URL: http://hometown.aol.com/hnishigaki/index.htm)
How to have ultimate far journeys out of body experiences.Hiroyuki Nishigaki. My several space travel, Pyramid Text, shaman. About how and what to do to fly into the vast fine universe from physical body like an ancient Egypt king in detail concretely for the first time in the world. Super adventures beyond the physical body. The manners of psychic world (energy body),too. For example, don't visit others very often or for long time, don't peep at a bathroom, don't use a strong sharp hook(interlock).I have decoded the oldest classic(in Chinese, about 2000 years ago) of out of body experiences and have written about it ,too. Psychic world looks like a maze. You can advance correctly or get over the wall by reading my book(Rejuvenation and Unveiled Hidden Phenix: Carlos Castaneda Shamanism Plus a after his Death, ISBN: 0595001335) sold by amazon.com.My book is for the advanced course of psychic world. But, you better enjoy reading as a fantasy if you can not believe in.
You can visit my site (http://hometown.aol.com/hnishigaki/index.htm) if you want to know more.
PS: My book has been reviewed by New Vision Bookshelf (New age & Alternative Bookstores)-Castaneda/Toltec Book List(New Age Reviews)- readers share their reactions to metaphysical books.
(2)Title: About the Holy Spirit of current presidential candidate and of each US President (URL: http://hometown.aol.com/nishigaki2/index.htm)
Holy spirit hints of odors of presidential election. Author: Hiroyuki Nishigaki.. I have written about the features, color, ability of Holy Spirit of current presidential candidate and of each US President in my book (Rejuvenation and Unveiled Hidden Phenix, ISBN: 0595001335) sold by amazon.com. It depends upon which is stronger and more beautiful, efficient.
GEORGE W. BUSH(young giant brown bear) /sacred yellow VC ALBERT GORE(old lady who is decent but battleaxe like Granny Clampett) /transparent and nimble. Clinton/green white + sacred blue. On air from Baltimore on Nov 10th and from New York on Nov 1st.
(3) Title: How to Bring up Intuition of Business CEO (URL: http://hometown.aol.com/nishigaki4/index.htm)
Business CEO intuition is brought up by satisfaction, good physical condition. Hiroyuki Nishigaki. How to good-bye Depression. For executive search and management knowledge. Graduate school can not teach intuition. Once we lose intuition, we will fail in succession. Intuition is essential for CEOs of founders, big men, pioneers, masters.One of the biggest purposes of Yoga, Taoism, Buddhism, shamanism, zen is to judge correctly without information.
Hiroyuki Nishigaki in Japan, author, How to Good-bye Depression, on air at 12 radio talk shows in America, E-mail: fwng 8854@nifty.com / Web: http://hometown.aol.com/nishigaki3/index.htm
Hiroyuki Nishigaki
UFO in Illinois
My name is Casey and I'm 16, just to clerify that I am capable of understanding what I had seen. I believe it was sometime just before halloween, perhaps the 20 or 23rd of October 2000. People say "ya right, it could have been a plane!" which makes perfect sense because it happend by (but not too close) to an air force base. Now back to the story, my older brother had came down to visit and to pick up me and my younger brother and sister to go Six Flags the very next day. It was becoming a beautiful evening as we approached his house (which is about 30-35 mins away from my house) and there is a sharp turn around a lake that goes behind a cemetary (what a ideal place to live, huh?). This VERY dim road is quiet scary to drive on at night, considering the fog that tends to appear in spots, and the occasional "little animals" that scurrie across the road. As we were going down the road I notice! d a large diamond shaped light, almost like a street light but much much brighter. My older brother noticed it too and said "look at that" and he started kidding saying "woah, maybe it's a UFO and it's coming to get us" and too our surprise he was right! We yelled to our little brother and sister sitting in the back, and they immediately pressed there faces against the windows and stared at the light, which was completely still and not moving the slightest. We tried to pull over but someone was behind us and we didn't want to pull over in a ditch, so we slowed down at a considerable speed, enough to get a great glimpse. As we started to pass this thing it too started moving! Slowly at first but it gradually picked up more speed. My brother rolled down his window, and I continued to stare at it until my eyes watered from not blinking. It slowly moved to the rear of the car and that's! when the mystery was reveiled. I clearly remember seeing a small red light on the back (which I believe was the back) of it. The bright diamond like light (which I don't know where the light came from on it) started to fade. As it faded the dim light sorta reflected on the side of this "thing" and I had never seen anything like this (scary as hell, yes!). It was a very smooth, circular, and a very beautiful silver color, it resembled very much like a submarine, the way it was shaped. I don't recall any jagged edges or any wings, nor was there any other lights except for the brightness when it was first spotted and the tiny glow of red which appeared after the brightness started dimming. We, of course, panicked and pointed. I turned around in my seat and stared out the back window as it picked up a lot more speed and continued behind us, and all I could see at this point was this little red hint of l! ight making it's way away from us. We drove down the rest of the road to my brother's house and I snatched his cell phone and dialed my parents, pratically hysterical, telling them what happend (with the help of my little brother and sister shouting "oh my god" in the background. We went in the house with our bags of clothes and etc for the weekend. My brother and I had left my little brother and sister at the house to watch movies while we got some chinese and burgers, on our way we stoped at a gas station and bought a camera (which is still in his glove box). With that handy camera we took pictures of the graveyard (this was later on) because I found some very beautiful tombstones and memorials and when I get them developed you will get a feel of the enviornment we were in. Well that blessed camera is sitting in his glove box and has 3 more pictures left, reserved for that fateful UFO we had seen.
*This story is TRUE, everything happend just like I said it did. This happend in Southern Illinois, at about 7 or 8:30.*
Casey
Mack the Knife
I don't know if this might be an interesting addition to the Jack the Ripper bit, and it might be completely off, but the song Mack the Kinfe was originally in a film By Beritolt Brecht, and it was a Moritat about a man walking the streets killing people. For some reason that came to mind while reading your background on "Jack" and I tryed to look into it. The only problem is I don't know what year the film is supposed to be set in, and i can't read German so the words are completely useless to find meaning in, but they are in a German songs website under the title of Die Moritat of Makkie Messer or something like that. It might not be any connection, but it also might be worth some looking into since you seem to like small facts about these interesting events of the past.
Ivory Seol.
Guardian Angels
One night,about two years ago, I was in a deep sleep. Suddenly,I heard my bedroom door open. Being as how I stay with my mother,I thought it was her so I decided to stay in bed.Then I saw a tall dark figure with humongous hands and a muscular build.My first reaction was that my mind was playing tricks on me.Then i heard footsteps.I immeadiately went under the covers because I have to admit that I am a coward but I felt an odd presence standing over me.All of a sudden I felt a hand around my neck.I was basically choking. I heard my cat hiss loudly and then heard a loud bang. I realized my cat had been thrown against the wall. I felt darkness surround me and I felt as if I were slowly leaving my body. A deep, morbid voice kept telling me I was gonna die. I remembered my friend had told me, "If you say 'angel' three times your guardian angel will come and protect you." so reluctantly, I repeated angel three times. I felt a warm feeling come over me and then the deep voice shouted my name as he left. Even still, around the same time this happened, everyday I hear a knocking at my bedroom door.
Anon.
Theorosa Bridge - Kansas
I'm from Valley Center, Kansas. Valley Center has an urban legend. Have you heard of Theorosa's Bridge? Well, there are a lot of stories about the famous bridge. I heard all of them, but I would like to share one with you. There was an Indian tribe living by the creek. The calvary came. Something happened and supposedly a war started. Theorosa, an Indian girl, had her baby in her arms. One of the men from the army stabbed her and the baby dropped into the creek and the drowned. The rumor is that Theorosa's ghost, or spirit, comes to the bridge and looks for her baby. People say that you can hear the baby cry at night. You can hear Theorosa call out her baby's name.
Anon.
Ashley requires Urban Legends
I need urban legend tales for a report about it.
Ashley72490@cs.com
Bibliography
|
The Giant Book of The Unexplained |
Damon Wilson |
Parragon Books |
ISBN 0-75252-400-3 |
|
Encyclopedia of UFOS |
Ronald D. Story |
New English Library |
ISBN 450-04118-2 |
|
Dictionary of Superstitions |
Iona Opie & Moira Tatem |
Oxford University Press |
ISBN 0-19-282916-5 |
|
Dictionary of World Folklore |
Alison Jones |
Larousse |
ISBN 0-7523-0043-1 |
|
Great Mysteries of the Past |
Various |
Readers Digest |
ISBN 0-89577-377-5 |
|
The Usborne Book of Ghosts & Hauntings |
Anna Claybourne |
Usborne |
ISBN 0-7460-3717-1 |
|
|
|
|
233x31 |
473x61 |
|
This Paranormal Links Web
Ring site is owned by Tony Scruton.
(co.)K.
Roach |
![[Image]](pict0.jpg)