The Cryptic File wishes you all a VERY Merry Christmas!
The Blood Countess, Elizabeth Bathory
A bloodthirsty, demented, evil, murderous vampire of noble origin. These are descriptions that one might typically use to describe Vlad Dracul (a.k.a. Dracula), but there is another name that would also easily fit that description….Elizabeth Bathory. Let’s take a trip down the rabbit hole and learn more about the woman whom many consider the deadliest female serial killer in history.
Elizabeth Bathory was born into nobility on August 7, 1560 to Baron George Bathory and his wife Baroness Anna Bathory. She was well educated as a child and could speak, read and write in various languages, which would aid her greatly in her adult years. By the time that she was ten she was set to be married to fifteen year-old Baron Ferenc Nadasdy. They married when she was 14. Since her family was of a higher social position (and in fact more wealthy and an older bloodline than the King) , she refused her husband’s name and remained a Bathory. As a wedding gift from her husband, she received what would be the site of her alleged crimes….Csejte Castle. The marriage also merged the rival factions, making the family’s power that much greater. They were known to have five children during their nearly thirty years of marriage.
Elizabeth managed the affairs of the land when her husband became the chief commander of the Hungarian troops. This was a significant task as there was a constant threat from the Ottomans. She was an effective leader and manage the land’s affairs well.
There were rumors of the Countess’s taste for torture for years, but it was not until the death of her husband around 1603-1604 that the rumors began to pick up steam.A Lutheran minister had been making public accusations against the Countess since at least 1602, before the passing of her husband in 1604. In addition, daughters of nobility were An investigation was finally launched in 1610 at the order of King Matthias II. He ordered the very person of whom Elizabeth’s husband had entrusted the family’s care after hiss passing to head the investigation, The Palatine of Hungary, Gyorgy Thurzo. People who claimed to be witnesses, as well as family members of missing girls gave testimony. It was on December 26th, 1610, that Thurzo came to arrest Bathory. He claimed to have caught her in the act of torturing a group of young women and that she was covered in blood, but there is some room for doubt there as she is also said to have been arrested before the victims were discovered.
Countless reports of torture and murder were presented. Accusations piled quickly against Bathory and four of her servants as the trial went on. It also didn’t help her case that she was known to surround herself with devil-worshippers and people that taught her witchcraft. Also of little help was claims of her Satanist uncle and sadomasochistic aunt Clara.The unofficial toll was 80 women, but reports of the bodies exhumed at the castle were over one hundred with claims of over 200. Rumors soon raised the alleged toll well into the hundreds. She was said to have starved, cut, bit chunks of flesh from the women, bled, stripped servants to freeze to death in the cold, and much more. Rumors of her bathing in blood came years after her death.
Three of the four of her servants on trial were sentenced to death and one to life imprisonment. Elizabeth herself was sentenced to house arrest walled up in a set of rooms in the castle in solitary confinement as her execution risked the delicate balance of power in the area. It was there that she stayed for over three years until her passing on August 2, 1614 after over three years of confinement.
In the years following her death, she was attributed to drink and bathe in the blood of her victims in the hopes of staying young. There have been claims that she was never executed and was even framed to avoid paying royal debts to her children by high ranking families that owed her money. While it’s possible that she was framed, it’s difficult to discount so much testimony. Also, if that many witnesses lied, it would be very difficult to keep so many silent for the rest of their lives. In addition, if they were murdered, it would be extremely difficult to keep it hidden for eternity.
I will close by saying this. While I doubt that hundreds were slaughtered at her hands, I have little doubt that many did. She definitely gave her relative, Count Dracul, a run for his money.
The Personal Experience that Affected Me Most
I’ve had many experiences in my life. I’m hesitant to classify myself as a “sensitive” as there are many people out there who are much more attuned to the many fields that are best described as paranormal. I have had such experiences for as far back as I can remember, from shadow figures directly in my field of vision to disembodied voices to full-body apparitions. I remember being terrified as a child, but grew to become less frightened and more intrigued. Even as a young boy I would read or watch everything that I could regarding hauntings, cryptozoology, UFO or alien sightings and/or contact, strange locations or anything else that was outside of the norm.
My interest became a passion as I grew older. When I would see or hear something unusual, I would (and still do) seek it out. I’ve been slapped, awoken to menacing figures and heard disembodied threats. None of these particularly bothered me. There is one case, however, that affects me to this day. It still haunts my very soul after over twenty years. It took a lot of reflecting to finally decide to post this experience. Very few people are aware of it as I’ve never been comfortable talking about it. Even now I have chills. Perhaps this entry will be somewhat therapeutic. I have a stronger hope that it provides someone else who might have had a similar experience to know that they aren’t necessarily imagining it. So, here goes. I invite you to accompany me as I take you on my trip down the rabbit hole.
It was October of 1993 in Southeastern Oklahoma. My ex and I were traveling a country backroad to her parents house. It is a very rural road and much of it (including the location where this incident occurred) was dirt. Although it was my vehicle, she was driving. It was near ten o’clock and the night was very dark as there was no moon and no street lights. The only light was our headlights. We had gone perhaps a quarter mile when she dropped a cassette. She stopped the car to look for it. As she was searching in the floorboard, I happen to look over to the left. What I saw changed my thoughts on this world and beyond forever.
As I looked over, I saw a creature, for lack of a better term, standing beside a six foot bale of hay no more than 100 feet from us. It stood about two feet or so above the bale, so approximately eight foot tall. It was a bright white and emitted its own glow. Again, there was no moon or street lights and our headlights were facing down the road and nowhere in its general vicinity. It had a body like a goat, but again was much larger. As I was born and raised in the country, I’m well familiar with livestock and it was much to tall to be a goat. So as I said, the body was of a goat including hooves (at least on the arms as I could not see whether it had feet, paws, or hooves on the legs. The head, however, more closely resembled a bull terrier (like Spuds MacKenzie, not a pit bull). It had bright yellow eyes that seemed so empty and soulless. It stared and seemed to be looking right into my eyes. It felt very foreboding and I sensed what felt like pure evil. After what seemed like minutes but was more likely less than a minute I screamed “Go! Go! Go!” at my ex. She stopped searching and asked me what’s wrong. I repeated “Just go now!” I couldn’t even talk about it to her until we got to her parents’ home about ten minutes later. She was a bit suspect, but knew that I was sincere and was definitely serious. A part of me wishes that she would have seen it, but a bigger part of me wouldn’t want anyone to encounter such a thing. I wish that I could display a picture of it, but I’ve found nothing on google even nearly resembling it. Unfortunately, I draw almost as well as a kindergartner. If anyone can draw it, I’d happily post it on this blog. Just send it to The Cryptic File on Facebook.
Needless to say I’ve done a lot of research on my experience and the location. It turns out that at the time there was quite a bit of devil worshiping and satanic rituals being performed in the area. That was very enlightening to me as it made some sense. Dogs are often creatures sacrificed in such rituals and the goat, of course, is usually linked to the devil. It makes sense that the combination of the two could come to be such an entity.
In some ways it resembled what is known in the crypto and unexplained community as the Beast of Bray Road in the sense that it had a head like a dog. In addition, there was also a history of devil worshiping and rituals in the area where alleged sightings of the Beast of Bray Road are usually reported. I use the word “are” regarding Bray Road reports as cases are still being reported on occasion and I’m unaware of experiences similar to mine in my former area. Honestly, I sometimes feel like I’m the only one who has seen such a thing among this world.
I suspect that some of you may have their doubts about my experience and I can certainly understand that. It’s not like a haunting or full body apparition as many more people have seen those. My personal opinion on this is that what I saw was of evil origin. If not a demon, then the result of demonic practice. It most certainly strengthened my religious faith because if there is a devil, there must be God too. That is as far into theology as I will delve in this blog. It was also not something that I saw out of the corner of my eye. Our eyes locked and I could feel it as if it were looking straight into my soul.
In closing, if any of you have had a similar experience, know that you aren’t alone. I thank you for allowing me to share this with you. Take care until next time.
I’m Still at it!
I sincerely apologize for the lack of posts as of late. My family and I have just completed our out-of-state move and are now settling in. That said, I am now beginning to prepare a new entry on the subject of Spontaneous Human Combustion (SHC). I’ve missed being more active on this blog and CANNOT WAIT to dive back in! Thank you all for your patience. I hope that you’re looking forward to my resumed posts as much as I am. I have some truly curious cases lined up. Another trip down the rabbit hole awaits!
The Dyatlov Pass Incident
The date was February 2, 1959. Nine hikers set up camp in the Ural Mountains on the slope of Kholat Syakhl, which translates to “Dead Mountain” in Mansi (the native language of the Mansi people of this region of Russia). On February 26, the first five bodies were found. The remaining four bodies would not be found for more than two months. Exactly what happened to these young campers has been debated ever since. Let’s take a trip down the rabbit hole and investigate.
The following is a list of the hikers that lost their lives that night on Dead Mountain.
1. Igor Dyatlov (group leader)
2.Yuri Doroshenko
3.Lyudmila Dubinina
4. Yuri Krivonischenko
5. Alexander Kolevatov
6. Zinaida Kolmogorova
7. Rustem Slobodin
8. Nicolai Thibeaux-Brignolles
9. Semyon (Alexander) Zolotariov
A tenth hiker, Yuri Yudin, fell ill after the first day of the trip and returned to camp.
The group of ten, with their leader Igor Dyatlov, left camp on a hike/ski expedition on January 27, 1959. The route that they took was ranked as a Category three at the that time of the season (the most difficult). They were experienced, however, despite their ages as only Zolotariov (approaching 38) was over the age of 24. Yudin was forced to return to camp the following day due to illness. It likely saved his life.
(Left)This photo was taken as Dubinina hugged Yudin goodbye as he left the group due to illness on January 28th. (Right) Team leader Igor Dyatlov
Everything had gone according to plan until February 1st when group leader Igor Dyatlov realized that they were off course and on Kholat Syakhl instead of the intended mountain of Otorten. Diaries and photos taken by members tell that the group set up camp for the night on the slope of the mountain with the intentions of turning around and getting back on course. This, unfortunately, was not meant to be.
Dyatlov had agreed before departure to telegraph with news of their arrival on or about February 12. He did, however, advise that it could be longer. What happened next is pure speculation. No one was too concerned when the 12th came and went without news as Dyatlov told them that it could be longer. It was not until the February 20th that a rescue mission was organized at the insistence of worried family members. The operation consisted of volunteer students and teachers from the university in which the hikers attended, law enforcement, and military.
The search party located the team’s tent on February 26th. It was damaged and partially covered with snow. The tent had been cut from the inside as if one or more of the hikers were trying to escape from it. They also found the hikers’ tracks leading away from the tent and towards the woods, but the tracks were not of boots. The hikers’ clothing were for the most part still in the tent. The tracks were a mix of either one boot, socks, and even barefoot! Much of their warm clothing was also left behind as well. Keep in mind that the temperature was hovering near -22 below F (-30 C)! The first two bodies were discovered at the edge of the woods near the remnants of a fire. They were in only their underwear. Broken branches above them suggested that one had tried to climb a tree, possibly to look for camp. They were determined to have died of hypothermia. Three other bodies were found between the trees and camp at varying distances. The position of their bodies suggested that they were attempting to return but froze to death before reaching the tent. The other four bodies would not be found for another two months.
The remains of the other four were found on May the 4th under about 13 feet of snow and about 250 feet farther away than the cedar tree and campfire. It appeared that as one would die one of the remaining would take clothes from them as Zolotaryev was wearing Dubinana’s coat and Dubinina was said to have her foot wrapped in Krivonishenko’s pants. Things would only get more strange following the autopsies.
While the first hikers to be discovered had been determined to have died of hypothermia, the four that were discovered on May the 4th turned what seemed to be answers into questions. Very puzzling questions. Medical examinations of these bodies revealed significant fatal injuries to three of the four. Dubinina and Zolotarev had major chest injuries, while Thibeaux-Brignolles had a fatal skull fracture. Dubinina was also found to be missing her eyes, tongue, part of her face, as a piece of her skull. Surprisingly, despite such internal injuries, the bodies suffered little to no external injury.
Theories and rumors began almost immediately following the discovery of the final four bodies. The local Mansi, a people who are local to the area, were thought to have possibly been involved. This was quickly thrown out as there were no footprints other than the hikers’ and no signs of a struggle. There was also speculation of UFOs having played a part as there were reports of strange lights in the sky in the area during that time frame and also given the peculiar condition of Dubinina’s body. There were also talks of the possibility of a Yeti being the culprit.
There was also speculation that the Soviet military played a part in their untimely and tragic demise. The Army rumored to be testing parachute mines in the area and given that they explode shortly before hitting the ground that could account for the trauma to three of the final four discovered. The given cause for the injuries of three of the last four found as “unknown compelling force” lends credence to that theory as well. In addition, there were trace amounts of radiation found on the clothing of Zolotarev and Dubinina and scrap metal in the vicinity. Allegedly, some of the hikers also had a peculiar tan.
A small avalanche was another theory to arise. The tent did have some snow cover when it was discovered and the threat of an avalanche would definitely send them out of the tent in a rush. Snow getting into the tent could get their clothing wet and could explain the ones that ran out half dressed and barefoot. However, I take issue with the idea of any of them being half dressed in such temperatures anyway. In those temperatures simply being in a tent will not keep you comfortable enough to remove one’s warm clothing.
The theory of an avalanche is easy enough to disprove. There was hardly enough damage to the tent to qualify an avalanche. Also, research suggests that if there had indeed been one, it would have taken a different path down the mountain. Furthermore, No experienced leader would set up camp in harms way. This team all had experience and Dyatlov would lead the group back down the mountain to camp before setting up in an area he deemed to be at risk.
This brings us to the possibility of a UFO or alien encounter. The missing eyes and tongue of Dubinina brings to mind the cattle mutilations often attributed to alien encounters (a topic for a later post), but in this case nature is the culprit. She was discovered face down in the snow with a small stream running under her face. The soft, exposed tissue would certainly be prone to putrification, which completely explains the lack of eyes, tongue, and parts of her face. If enough putrifies, then I suppose that a small part of the skull COULD detach into the running stream.
Next we have the theory of a military conspiracy. The Army did perform exercises in the area, but not necessarily during that time. The scrap could easily be from previous activities, and likely was. Then we have the issue of Dubinina and Zolotarev having radiation exposure. It turns out that it was only trace amounts. In addition, it’s a very good chance that the trace amount of radiation came from the lamps. Many lamps of that era had thorium in the mantles, which does emit radiation. If it were a military activity, wouldn’t it be more likely that all of the hikers instead of only the two noted would have radiation exposure? I have yet to find a statement on how high the levels of contamination were, so since there were only two exposed, one must assume that the level must be low. Now we move on to the “compelling unknown force”. These words basically mean that the investigators did not have a definitive answer. There is nothing mysterious about that. People are often hard pressed to find a conclusive answer to a case. I would like to add that a fall into a ravine could easily qualify. It would not be abnormal to receive fractured ribs or a skull fracture from such a fall. Although I could not find the depth with absolute certainty, the fact that it is defined as a ravine implies that it’s deep.
One theory that I haven’t read is the possibility that the group was starting to suffer from hypothermia while still inside of the tent. There is a symptom of severe hypothermia called paradoxical undressing. The body basically tricks itself into thinking that it’s hot when it is in fact freezing to death. There are different thoughts on why this occurs, from freezing of the nerves to burning sensations of the skin to others but the fact is that it’s not uncommon. This would explain why some of the group would have inexplicably stripped when it is (although warmer) still quite cold inside of the tent. Hypothermia could explain the panic as well.
So let’s move on to what I think could be the cause of this tragedy. I have two plausible options. I have found others in my research which feel as i do about the possibility of infrasound. Infrasound is a level lower than the typical hearing capabilities of humans (below 20hz). It is possible for a human to hear sound that low, but the its pressure must be high. It might not necessarily be heard, but could be felt. It can cause paranoia and even hallucinations. Some people are more sensitive to infrasound than others. It happens in nature as well as by creation. It is how whales can communicate over long distances. Some animals can even interpret it to sense impending natural disasters like earthquakes. I might add that these also sound like the tell-tale signs of EMF sensitivity. The wind swirling around the mountain could create infrasound with sufficient sound pressure. This could explain why part of the group might panic and cut their way out of the tent only half-dressed and shoeless in such harsh conditions.
At the end of the day I believe that infrasound was the cause of the behavior of these young, yet experienced hikers. I know that some people would prefer to believe it something more ominous or supernatural that it was, but I just cannot find enough evidence to suggest anything other than a tragic natural occurrence. Forcing myself to interpret it in any way other than where the evidence leads me would be a disservice to my readers and I respect you more than that. You deserve the most honest hypothesis that I can give you and this is it. Remember, the most logical and natural answer is often the most accurate. Also, the field of paranormal research has its own struggles with acceptance and validity without people damaging it themselves. Be your own debunker.
P.S. I debated the notion of posting some of the photos of the bodies. I found many of them online without any difficulty at all. Out of respect to the hikers and their loved ones as well as their graphic nature I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I also feel that they would only sensationalize a post that I have worked hard on to be legitimate and stand on its own. Anything that could be interpreted as shock value is completely unnecessary. The dead deserve respect and I sincerely hope that these poor souls found peace.
I thank the sites below for making my research a bit easier.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/10026000/Yuri-Yudin.html
http://sometimes-interesting.com/2011/07/08/the-dyatlov-pass-incident/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyatlov_Pass_incident
I’ll Be Back Soon
I apologize for not having a post up recently. My family and I are in the middle of relocating and things have been extremely busy. I am still currently working on my latest entry, but I haven’t been able to devote as much time as I have previously. I hope to have it posted in the next few days. I’ll still be working on this, but not at the pace that I was before (at least for the next couple of weeks). Thank you for your patience. I look forward to taking you back down the rabbit hole again very soon.
The Impaler———The Life of Vlad Dracula
Coffins, black capes, a hypnotizing gaze into the eyes of an unsuspecting young lady, a bite to the neck, transforming into a bat to make his escape. You might even envision the face of Bela Lugosi, Peter Cushing, or Christopher Lee. Pop culture has instilled these ideas into our heads, but they’re a far cry from the actual person of whom the tale is said to be inspired by. In fact, the “inspiration” itself has come from pop culture legend. Bram Stoker’s son, Irving Stoker, said that his father’s masterpiece was inspired “in a nightmarish dream after eating too much crab”. Actually, he was never a Count either. Truth be told, the “original” Dracula was much more dangerous in some aspects. Let’s take a trip down the rabbit hole and find the truth. Vlad Dracula III was born unto his namesake and an unknown mother (despite being married to Princess Cneajna of Moldavia he had numerous mistresses) in 1431. His father bore the name of Dracul after being inducted into the Order of the Dragon, which was created by the Holy Roman Empire to secure Christianity in Europe against the Ottomans. Dracul is Romanian for dragon and Dracula translates to “Son of Dracul or Son of the Dragon”. Vlad III and his brother were kept as collateral by the Ottomans as youths to secure their father’s influence after the three were captured in a trap by the Ottomans under the ruse of a diplomatic meeting.. It was during his stay that with the Ottomans that some people claim his brutality was scarred into him. It was after the death of his father and his quest to claim his father’s position that his notoriety was instilled. I will now skip up to the point where he became the ruler that he is best known for. I will warn you now that some of the stories, whether factual or legend, are far more gruesome than most of what I’ve read about him before starting my research. If true, some of it is quite sad. It was during this period that he earned his name of Vlad Tepes (pronounced Tse – pesh), which translates in Romanian to Vlad the Impaler. He is rumored to have developed his taste for impaling people at the stake as a boy in the Ottoman came. He would often have the stakes rounded at the ends to avoid puncturing vital organs and prolong the person’s suffering. Sometimes the person would take two to three days before finally passing on. Vlad III returned to his family’s Romanian province of Wallachia following the assassination of his father and death of his elder brother who was blinded and buried alive. His first reign was short-lived , but it was his second which gained him notoriety. Following a battle in 1456 against Vladislov II, the ruler of Wallachia and alleged killer of Vlad III father, he secured power over the land. Knowing that there many that were not loyal and would attempt to kill him and also to consolidate the land, he invited the Boyers (the main rival faction) to a Easter feast in 1457. Following the feast, he had the able-bodied men taken away to begin construction on his new fortress. The rest of the family members were stabbed as not to escape and were impaled before death. This incident kind of reminds me of the Red Wedding. The Sultan of the Ottoman empire, Mehmed the Second, sent ambassadors to Wallachia to demand tribute and soldiers to the Turks. Feeling that this would be considered as acceptance of Ottoman authority, he refused. The representatives had refused to remove their turbans in observance to him, so he had them nailed to their heads. There is a version in which the “visitors” were monks who could not remove their caps and therefore received the fate. I believe the first as more likely seeing as earlier in the year Vlad III entered a deal with the Pope in which Romania received monetary reward for his services against any Ottoman advances. 
Painting of the Turks’ meeting with Vlad III Dracul The refusal of paying the tribute angered the Mehmed II and he sent an envoy to make peace with Vlad. Vlad’s troops ambushed the envoy of 1000 men and impaled them with the leader on the highest stake. Vlad also infiltrated Turkish camps in 1462 and destroyed them. He sent a letter to back to the King of Hungary who was chosen by Pope Pius II to lead a new Crusade in 1459. This is excerpt from the letter dated February 2, 1462. I have killed peasants men and women, old and young, who lived at Oblucitza and Novoselo, where the Danube flows into the sea… We killed 23,884 Turks without counting those whom we burned in homes or the Turks whose heads were cut by our soldiers…Thus, your highness, you must know that I have broken the peace. The incident that he may be best known for also occurred in 1462. While his smaller army was retreating through the country, Vlad III had men, women, and children impaled all along the way. Over 20,000 in fact. The Greek historian Chalkondyles had this to say. “He [the Sultan] marched on for about five kilometers when he saw his men impaled; the Sultan’s army came across a field with stakes, about three kilometers long and one kilometer wide. And there were large stakes on which they could see the impaled bodies of men, women, and children, about twenty thousand of them, as they said; quite a spectacle for the Turks and the Sultan himself! The Sultan, in wonder, kept saying that he could not conquer the country of a man who could do such terrible and unnatural things, and put his power and his subjects to such use. He also used to say that this man who did such things would be worthy of more. And the other Turks, seeing so many people impaled, were scared out of their wits. There were babies clinging to their mothers on the stakes, and birds had made nests in their breasts.” Mehmed II and his men, in a mix of awe, respect, and aghast returned to Constantinople. At least for a time. After a seven year reign and a short-lived third reign after being imprisoned by the enemy and freed later, Vlad III was killed in December of 1476 by a mix of Turks and men loyal to rival factions within his land. He was beheaded and his head was taken to Constantinople for proof and celebration. It’s not certain where his body was buried, but it’s believed to be at the Comana monastery in which he had built in 1461. There are so many more tales which may or may not be true, but were widely circulated during his lifetime. It is known that he not only had men impaled, but women and children as well. He has been accused of dipping his bread in the blood of his victims. There are even manuscripts from the 15th Century both during and after his lifetime which describe him roasting children and having them fed to the mothers. There are many more awful accounts in these manuscripts. These include breasts being cut off of women and forcing the men to eat them and followed by having them both impaled. Also were accounts of impaling mothers with their infants so that the babies would kick against the mother until dead. Like I said, truly horrible things. He is also alleged to have given a man a Christian funeral before beheading him at the graveside. He also had quite a method for caring for the poor in his land. He had no tolerance for those who lived lavishly while the poor suffered. The following is German account from 1488. “Dracula was very concerned that all his subjects work and contribute to the common welfare. He once noticed that the poor, vagrants, beggars and cripples had become very numerous in his land. Consequently, he issued an invitation to all the poor and sick in Wallachia to come to Târgoviste for a great feast, claiming that no one should go hungry in his land. As the poor and crippled arrived in the city they were ushered into a great hall where a fabulous feast was prepared for them. The princes guests ate and drank late into the night, when Dracula himself made an appearance. ‘What else do you desire? Do you want to be without cares, lacking nothing in this world,’ asked the prince. When they responded positively Dracula ordered the hall boarded up and set on fire. None escaped the flames. Dracula explained his action to the boyars by claiming that he did this, ‘in order that they represent no further burden to others so that no one will be poor in my realm.” Vlad was also said in these same pamphlets to have punished a town for the merchants’ refusal to pay taxes by burning the town. Many of the citizens were also victims of his preference of using a stake as punishment and torture. He was said to have eaten his meal among his victims as they screamed in the agony and torment of their impalement. Below are images from the German pamphlets of 1499. 
While Vlad III might not have done everything that he is accused of, the reputation came from somewhere. He was a hero to many in Wallachia and a monster to most others. Honestly, I would not be at all surprised to find that he did most of what the tales say. Many of the accounts are the same in different countries during the same era. This lends some credibility to the sources. He was also (obviously) a master of fear tactics and not afraid to cross any lines of morality to do so. He’s told to have even used what might be considered an early form of germ warfare against his enemies by sending carriers of smallpox and other diseases into enemy camps to infect them. All told, he killed approximately 80,000 people. At the end of the day, he was not a man to be taken lightly. While it’s true that legends often make men bigger than what they were, every once in a while the legend pales in comparison. http://www.britannica.com/biography/Vlad-III http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/31/vlad-the-impaler-real-dracula_n_4181948.html http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~emiller/vlad.html http://io9.com/no-bram-stoker-did-not-model-dracula-on-vlad-the-impal-1648969679 http://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/vlad-impaler-real-dracula-was-absolutely-vicious-f8C11505315
The Time Slip of Charlotte Moberly and Eleanor Jourdain
You’re walking down your familiar street as you’ve done so many times before. The neighbor’s dog barks, a car waves as he passes by, the intersection nearer with every step. Suddenly something just feels different. You look around and notice your surroundings seem to be in slow motion. They start to become a blur. You realize that you’re feeling different. You feel heavy, kind of disoriented, and maybe even a feeling of despair. Oddly, your surroundings are now unrecognizable. As things start to become a little more clear, nothing is as it was. The street that you were walking on is now a dirt road. The places that you knew are replaced by grass. Off in the distance is a farmhouse. It looks vintage, yet as if it were just built. You go up to the house and a man in period clothes answers. You ask where you are. With a confused look he says the name of your town, but it’s down the old road. As you approach the town, you come to a startling realization. There’s no other way to explain it except that you’re there, but what must be over a hundred years ago! It has to be a dream, but you’re wide awake. then, almost as quickly as it began, you’re back minus the distance that you walked. Could you imagine something like that happening to you? It’s logically pretty far fetched. As odd as it sounds, there are numerous reports of such instances. Some explainable as dreams or hoaxes. Some not as easily. Let’s take a trip down the rabbit hole and explore. 
Perhaps the most famous time slip case involved two English women named Anne Moberly and Eleanor Jourdain. The year was 1901. While on a vacation in France, they visited the Palace of Versailles. They then decided tour the Palace gardens. After wandering for a bit, and despite a guidebook, they missed their turn to the main path and became lost. 
(The Gardens of Versailles and a path at the Gardens similar to one that Moberly and Jourdain walked) The two women walked along a bit and noticed that the area was deserted. Ms. Moberly noticed a woman in the window of a home shaking out a white cloth, yet she was unnoticed by Ms. Jourdain. They continued on, with Ms. Moberly assuming the Jourdain knew the way. They then came across two men in greenish coats and tri-corn hats. The men advised the ladies to continue ahead, to which they did. Moberly later mentioned feeling overcome with depression and being unable to relieve it or think of why she felt so sad. She avoided telling Jourdain and the two continued on. They came to a thick wooden area and noticed the scenery had changed. The ground seemed lifeless with “rough grass and dead leaves as in a wood”. The trees were “flat and lifeless like a wood worked in tapestry”. There was an ominous looking man seated by a “garden kiosk. His face was dark and had the appearance of smallpox scars. Neither wanted to approach him for directions. They then heard footsteps running towards them, but saw no one. Suddenly a man appeared at their side and while speaking in French signaled for them to proceed to the right, which was away from the man near the garden kiosk. The ladies went on and came upon a town home where a lady sat outside and looked as if sketching the trees. Moberly noted that she did not have a “young face” though “rather pretty”. She wore a white hat and low cut Summer dress. Ms. Moberly looked at her, but felt compelled to look away and feel “annoyed at her being there”. They walked to the home and was guided to the entrance by a gentleman. They watched a wedding procession , toured the building, and then took a carriage that brought them back to their hotel. 
Neither women spoke of the strange goings on until a week later when, upon remembering incidents, Moberly asked Jourdain if she thought that the Petit Trianon was “haunted”. She received a quick “Yes, I do”. Eventually the two women wrote separate renditions of that day. They researched the area and its history, discovering that on that day in 1792 the palace was attacked by the French citizens and the guards were killed. King George and Marie Antoinette were beheaded later. They returned three more times, yet were never able to retrace their path as many of the things that they saw along their way simply were not there. In their research they saw images of Marie Antoinette. Although Ms. Moberly was the only one who saw the woman, she felt that it was certainly her.
(Marie Antoinette)
They both recognized the man near the garden kiosk as Joseph Hyacinthe Francois de Paule de Rigaud, Compte de Vaudreuil. He left the Country during the French Revolution as was not killed as with the others. They penned a book that was published in 1911 called An Adventure. They elected to use the pseudonyms Elizabeth Morison (Moberly) and Frances Lamont (Jourdain). As one might imagine, the book created a stir. Critics and skeptics quickly disregarded the book, while others were fascinated. The women both claimed to have had experienced unexplained or paranormal activity both before and after the incident, with Ms. Moberly claiming to have seen whom she felt to be Emperor Constantine of the Roman Empire. Jourdain became increasingly paranoid through her later years and died suddenly during her tenure as principal of Saint Hughes. It’s possible to dismiss the claims as either a hoax, vivid imagination, or a simple mistake. However, there are problems with dismissing the experience so easily. Some skeptics claim that the women may have stumbled in on a theme wedding, however there was not one scheduled there on that day. Also, the bridge that they crossed was not on a current map at the time and only found on one older map.Also, if the women sought fame and notoriety, why would they use a pen name for the book? That said, there are still plausible explanations. The women did tell and share stories with each other. It is possible that they, after hearing each others’ recollection, came to see some of them as their own memories. Also, the French poet, Robert de Montesquiou, was known for throwing lavish and gay parties on the grounds. Writer and historian Phillipe Jullian wrote in his biography that he felt that the ladies accidentally crashed one of these parties. This was the explanation accepted by the book’s publisher and future editions were canceled. In addition, in 1950, W .H. Salter wrote that the women’s descriptions had changed between 1901 and 1906 in their research correspondence. This was enough time to research things that they might not have been able to know in 1901 but could have learned by 1906 before the release of the book. I’m honestly a bit torn on this “incident”. As previously stated, why would the women not use their real names on the book if they wanted attention? Both women came from affluent classes, were highly educated, and didn’t need the money. It is possible that both women were sensitive to seeing and sensing various types of paranormal activity. Interestingly, Moberly mentioned in the book that her brother suggested that they slipped into a memory of Marie Antoinette’s. However, there is a lot of time between the trip and the book release. I find that a bit curious. Also, it’s difficult to reconcile changes in their descriptions before the book publication. It may or may not merely be that parts of their research triggered something in their memory from that day. There have been other claims of time slips such as this throughout the years, but this one is the most detailed and easiest to believe. I’ve never experienced it, but that isn’t the litmus test on whether something is fact or not. If someone can have a vision of a family member thousands of miles away at the same time that something is happening to that family member (as have been widely claimed throughout centuries) , then why not this? The first link below is to the book itself. It’s a good read. https://archive.org/stream/adventurewithapp00mobe#page/n13/mode/2up http://hoaxes.org/versailles.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moberly%E2%80%93Jourdain_incident
Origins of Superstitions and Common Sayings
My last entry was a bit long, so I decided that this one will be shorter, yet hopefully as interesting and informative. It’s a little different than the normal theme of this blog, but still loosely pertains to my goal. So, with that said, let’s take a trip down the rabbit hole. Have you ever wondered why people say little things like “knock on wood” or harbor superstitions such as avoiding walking under a ladder? Most people say or do many of these things without giving a second thought to why other than “it’s bad luck”. Let’s take a trip down the rabbit hole and explore what lies behind what we think we know.
Have you ever made a point to walk around an upright ladder even though it was out of your way to do so? This superstition has existed for quite a long time. Although no one has been able to pinpoint its origin, several theories have been offered. The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry lists a couple on their website. One is of medieval beginnings in which it is because of the similar appearance between a leaning ladder and the gallows. Their other theory is of a Christian basis. The triangle is often considered a symbol of the Holy Trinity and to walk through one could be considered a desecration or form of blasphemy. There are, of course, other possibilities as well. A ladder usually implies work. If you were to walk under a ladder, you then put yourself at risk of being hit by falling tools.
Another common superstition is seven years bad luck for breaking a mirror. A popular belief was (and still is in some cultures) is that a mirror is a reflection of your soul. Therefore, damage to your mirror is damage to your soul. Also, Mirrors used to be coated with silver. This made mirrors a luxury and quite expensive. To break one would be quite unfortunate. There are supposedly many ways to reverse the hex. They are listed in the Snopes link below.
http://www.snopes.com/luck/superstition/breakmirror.asp
Have you ever had a stroke of luck or hope for something out loud and follow it with “knock on wood” or physically knock on wood? That stems from Irish folklore. One would knock on wood as he/she would mention good fortune so that the fairies could not hear and interpret it as bragging. If they heard, they were liable to reverse the person’s fortune as a punishment.
As you likely know, athletes have there own superstitions as well. I, as well as many other ballplayers, avoid at all costs stepping on a foul line. Former Major League pitcher Turk Wendell did as well. In addition, he chewed black licorice while on the mound and brushed his teeth between each inning. Jason Giambi actually had a thong that he would wear when he found himself in a slump. Apparently it worked as teammates would sometimes borrow it when they fell into a slump. Yeah, I know. I’ll stick to worrying about foul lines.
Many people are aware of the origin of saying “God bless you” in response to a sneeze. The belief was that a sneeze was a from a demon leaving the body. What might not be common knowledge is that it originated as the Black Plague was spreading through Europe. Recurring sneezing is a symptom. Pope Gregory the Great urged healthy people to pray for and bless the ill. If the person was alone when they sneezed, they would say God bless me. While this legend may not necessarily be proven for fact, it is by far the most believable that I’ve found.
The last couple aren’t really superstitions, but rather common sayings that you’ve likely heard and their curious origins.
When I was a child my grandparents used to tell me something when warning me to act right (of course I always acted right). Mind your P’s and Q’s. I, like most other people, never really thought about it. It turns out that it is an Old English phrase. When someone was becoming a bit obnoxious at the tavern they would receive a warning to mind their pints and quarts. There is another term from that era that was popular for a time. When someone would offer you a drink, they might ask if you’d like to “wet your whistle”. Taverns of centuries ago were often a very loud place. It could be very difficult to call for a refill above the crowd and expect to be tracked down in a reasonable amount of time. Therefore, whistles were often attached to the mugs. The whistle may become wet upon blowing on it. The “whistle” was also sometimes a slang term for the mouth as well.
It’s funny to note that even people who claim to not be superstitious often, perhaps without even realizing it, fall into some superstitious habits. If you don’t, you likely have. While these sayings and superstitions might not mean as much now, but they were all but fact to most people at one time. After all, what might we be doing today that will seem just absurd in 500 years?
http://www.csicop.org/superstition/library/walking_under_ladders/
http://thornhillcapital.info/north-america/the-origin-of-superstitions
http://www.mensfitness.com/life/sports/10-most-superstitious-athletes
The Crescent Hotel of Eureka Springs, Arkansas
This is a bit of a long entry. I’ve tried to keep from meandering, but please forgive me if it does just a little. Thank you. So, with that said, let’s take a trip down the rabbit hole.
Nestled in the edge of the Ozarks is a beautiful Victorian hotel with a macabre history. Eureka Springs, Arkansas, was just beginning to become popular among the more affluent in America during the 1870s due to the alleged healing power of the springs that the local Indians had known of for many generations. In order to capitalize on this, the Crescent Hotel was constructed to cater to the wealthier influx of visitors. The history of the hotel has a strong correlation to the claims of haunting, so please relax and enjoy the tour. Construction on “The Grand Old Lady of the Ozarks” as she is sometimes known began in 1884. The work was difficult and dangerous. Limestone was cut in 18 inch thick blocks from a quarry approximately fifteen miles up and around steep hills and rugged terrain by train and wagon. There were injuries and a fatality as one worker fell from a scaffold and landed in what is now room 218, where he succumbed to his injuries. He was supposedly an Irish man named Michael. It is alleged that he was a flirt and may have been doing so when the accident occurred, but I honestly doubt that as there likely wouldn’t have been many women on the scene during construction. He is said to haunt that room and many women have reported being touched, personal belongings being moved, and even the full-body apparition of what appears to be a worker in period clothing.
(The Crescent Hotel in 1886)
The Eureka Springs Investment Company completed the Crescent Hotel in 1886 at a cost of $284,000. This would come to nearly $7.4 million today. She had running water, electricity, and even elevators. They even had a doctor on staff who was greatly respected in the region; Dr. John Ellis. He cared for the visitors as well as the staff. He apparently treated issues that the “healing waters” could not cure.
In time advances in medicine made the springs less of a draw. This, in addition to the hotel closing during the Winter made it unprofitable. The was sold in 1908 to become the Crescent College and Conservatory for Young Women. It would operate as a school from September through June and function as a hotel again during July and August. This helped to maximize earnings. There is a story that a student there fell in love with a poor boy in town, to which her father forbade. She is said to have thrown herself from her window to her death. There is also a story that was relayed by the staff during one of our visits of a group of the girls trying to sneak a boy up the side of the school into a window using sheets. The Headmistress caught them and in their shock let go of the rope. The boy supposedly fell to his death. I could not personally verify whether this actually occurred, but there were many allegations of the school covering up any wrongdoings by students and staff in order to keep revenue, appearance, and enrollment up. In all honesty, it wouldn’t be that difficult to pull off in a semi secluded area with lots of wooded area to make a fall look like an accident. But who knows? The school closed its doors due to funding in 1924. It would reopen for a brief period from 1929 to 1933 until it closed once again due in large part to the Great Depression. There have been numerous sightings of a woman in white on the fourth floor in rooms, the restrooms, and the halls. What would follow would become the most gruesome history in the history of the hotel.
(girls basketball and bowling team during the 1910s)
Norman Baker was, for lack of a better term, a snake oil salesman from Iowa. A self proclaimed doctor, inventor and aspiring politician, he also owned a radio station in Muscatine, Iowa. He claimed to have a cure for cancer and disputed the American Medical Association. He even attempted to prove it to an audience when he brought in a man named Mandus Johnson of whom he claimed had cancer “on his head”. He removed part Mr. Johnson’s skull and inserted a mixture of spring water, crushed watermelon seeds, corn silk and clover. The AMA was able to convince the FCC to shut down his radio station after he went on many a rant at their expense. He started another one just across the Mexican border so he could reach Texas residents. He then moved to Eureka Springs and purchased the Crescent in order to turn her into the Baker Hospital and Health Resort. The town had high hopes that the hospital could return it to some sort of prominence.
Advertisements for the Baker Hospital
Upon being admitted into his center, Baker would advise patients without nearby family to write three letters in advance to request more money. He would send these out after the patient’s condition would deteriorate advising the family member that it was more advanced than he had hoped and would need the extra money for extended care. He would admit hypochondriacs so that they could appear to have been cured. A walking advertisement so to speak. As the patient’s got worse, they would be moved to higher floors so that their cries would not frighten the new or prospective patients. It eventually got to the point where the staff (who lived on site) would have to take the dead out at night as not to concern the local citizens. That is, the dead that were taken out. Experiments were often done in the hospital morgue under the guise of performing autopsies. The original autopsy table is still there today. A wall was also torn down revealing jars of preserved cancerous body parts.
Norman Baker was a paranoid man. His office was sealed with bulletproof glass. In addition, he was known to keep two Thompson sub-machine guns (Tommy guns) in that office. Despite the horrors that plagued the hospital under his direction, it was mail fraud that put him in prison. Surprisingly, it was not from the letters that his patients were to write requesting money, but his advertisements as the ones seen above. He was sentenced in 1941 to four years at Leavenworth. Upon his release, he purchased a yacht where he lived out his days. “Doctor” Baker died on September 8, 1958….of cancer of the liver brought on by cirrhosis.
Mugshot of Norman Baker
After a few years of disrepair, the Crescent reopened as a hotel. She has been restored and has once again regained her beauty. People make reservations long in advance year around to book a room there.
As one might imagine, such a history can bring about a host of paranormal activity. One of the most famous alleged spirits is named Theodora. She was a nurse at the hospital. Her last known room was 419. It, along with 218, is one of most requested in the entire hotel now. Numerous sightings have been reported of her outside the door as if trying to turn the key. Sometimes she has been reported as turning to smile in acknowledgement to the person (like an intelligent haunting), while at other times she is oblivious (as in a residual haunting). This is also the room that Grant Wilson from T.A.P.S. (of Ghost Hunters notoriety) discovered his laptop blocking the door from the inside after leaving it on the bed when he left the room.
The original hotel physician, Dr. Ellis, has also been sighted numerous times. He has been seen in the main lobby in period clothing and wearing a hat. Ocassionally people report the smell of cigars. Personally, I’m not a big fan of claiming odors asevidence of a haunting. I find that easy to explain away in an old building. It could be anything from a heater to another guest sneaking a puff or two earlier.
There are also reports of an old switchboard that periodically lights up, although no power has run to it for years. Also, there was supposedly a young boy there that had died of appenticitis and is occasionally seen. There has also been reported activity in many other locations throughout the hospital, from other rooms to hallways and the morgue. Actually, one of the most famously documented pieces of evidence was in the morgue. Investigators Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson from T.A.P.S. captured thermal footage of what appeared at the time to be an old soldier, but was later advised by staff to be a maintenence worker that was a deceased relative who used to work there. The footage was taken against a locker that should have not emitted any heat, let alone in the shape of a person. They tried and failed to debunk the evidence. The morgue is also now open for people to stay the night there as well, with access to the autopsy table and original walk-in cooler.
Photo I had taken of the locker during a visit a few years ago where the thermal footage was captured by T.A.P.S.
It may never be known how how many people lost their lives in one fashion or another. It is known that there have been many. Even if there were never a Michael or Theodora or the young boy with appendicitis, there were many patients who suffered cruel and inhumane suffering and deaths. That type of energy could certainly stay behind. People have captured and/or seen all kinds of “evidence” throughout the years. Some easily explained, some not. In the visits of my wife and myself, all that has been captured are photos of orbs (and by orbs I mean dust). That said, there is too much evidence and too many credible witnesses and descriptions that can’t easily be debunked.
I leave you with one question. Who’s up to stay in the morgue?
http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=5271#
http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=4885
http://www.eurekasprings.org/1886-crescent-hotel-2/
http://www.eurekasprings.com/historical/eurekavictorian.html
The Cryptic File 