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Sand Creek, Co

11/29/2012

 
On Nov 29, 1864, a group of peaceful peaceful Southern Cheyenne and Arapahoe Indians are massacred at Sand Creek, Colorado. Of course there is always more to the story. The Indians had been pushed off of their land, but decided to try to live peacefully and signed a peace treaty with the American gov't. 
The Native Americans were pushed to smaller and smaller reservations and during the Civil War the Indians began pushing back. The series of small uprising began to concern some of those in charge. Then in 1864, John Evans, governor of the territory of Colorado, attempted to isolate Native Americans by inviting "friendly Indians" to camp near military forts and receive provisions and protection. He also called for volunteers to fill the military void left when most of the regular army troops in Colorado were sent to other areas during the Civil War. 
In August 1864, CGhoshief Black Kettle moved his band to Fort Lyon, Colorado, where the commanding officer encouraged him to hunt near Sand Creek. While the tribe believed that they were dealing with men of honor, the Army began to move troops to the plains, and on November 29, they attacked the unsuspecting Native Americans, scattering men, women, and children and hunting them down. The casualties reflect the one-sided nature of the fight. Nine of Chivington's men were killed; 148 of Black Kettle's followers were slaughtered, more than half of them women and children. The Colorado volunteers returned and killed the wounded, mutilated the bodies, and set fire to the village.
From this outrage, sprang the story of the Ghost Camp. Shortly after the massacre, some hunters were staying in Sand Creek. They awoke the next morning to see a Cheyenne camp a short distance away. The hunters reported seeing dozens of Indians standing around their teepees. Since that time hundreds of people have reported seeing this "ghost camp". People have also heard chanting, screams, singing, gun shots, dogs barking and children playing. Others have felt feelings of sadness, cold spots, fear and anger. 
We are a good people, but we have done some dark things. Sometimes, our pasts come back to haunt us. 

Cannibals

11/28/2012

 
On Nov 28, 1994, Jeffrey Dahmer was murdered in prison. He was a serial killer and a cannibal, so I personally was happy about this. I remember being stunned by his crimes and now almost 20 years later, there has been a new rash of suspected and attempted cannibals arrested in the US, South America and Europe. This made me want to write a Daily Dose about this horrible crime.
The name Cannibal comes from Christopher Columbus. According to  William Arens' book The Man-Eating Myth: Anthropology & Anthropophagy, Columbus discovered the Carib West Indies tribe. While communicating with the tribe, they discovered that the tribe ate human flesh in a special ceremony. Columbus and his crew butchered the tribe's name as they shared the story and the Carib Indians became  the Canibs Indians and over time Canibs became Cannibals.
A fact to keep in mind is all of the tribes that ate humans, murdered their victims in a ceremony. This means there was a spiritual component involved. I'm curious to see if these current cannibals also feel compelled to eat humans on a spiritual level. 
What drives a man to commit the ultimate taboo? Maybe time will tell. In future Daily Doses, I will speak of some of the hauntings, curses and the creepiest stories tied to cannibalism.

Biograph Theater

11/27/2012

 
Picture
The FBI shot and killed a man outside of the Biograph Theater in 1934. They claim the man was John Dillinger, the infamous bank robber. The FBI had an informant who was going to lure John Dillinger to the theater so he could be arrested. 
Unfortunately for Dillinger, the FBI were a little trigger happy, and he was gunned down in the alley next to the Biograph Theater at least according to the FBI.
Upon seeing the body though, many of Dillinger's friends claimed the body wasn't his. They identified the body as a small time hood and Dillinger friend named Jimmy Lawrence. The FBI stated that they had information that Dillinger had undergone plastic surgery, and as a result, he looked more like Mr Lawrence. Regardless of whom they killed, John Dillinger was never heard from again. Was he dead or did he just escape to a quiet life somewhere else? That question has been asked since 1934. Something else has been around since 1934 though too. Hundreds of witnesses have reported seeing a man running down the alley next to the theater. He is dressed in a suit from the 1930's, and he doesn't stick around for long. We know the man is tied into the shooting by the FBI because he began to appear not long afterwards. If you are in Chicago, visit the historic theater and maybe you can solve the mystery.

Useppa Island

11/26/2012

 
Useppa Island is off the west coast of Florida. In the past, when pirates sailed the open seas, pirates would use islands around Florida to hide their loot and hold their hostages. 
This is the story of one of these islands. Useppa Island is named after the daughter of a rich Cuban. Useppa was a beautiful young lady who lived in Havana. She was kidnapped by the pirate Jose Gaspar and taken to a small island off the coast of Florida. Gaspar was in lust with Useppa and he made advances with her. She rejected him. This of course made Gaspar furious. He tried again and again, but she kept turning him down. In the end, he told her if she rejected him again, he would kill her.
The fateful day arrived and Gaspar demanded an answer. Useppa looked him in the eye and turned him down for the final time. Jose Gaspar took his sword and cut her head off. 
Legend says he regretted this move immediately. He buried her body in private, and the island became Useppa Island. This is also where one of the ghosts of Useppa Island originated. A headless woman has been seen by fishermen and boaters since that time. She walks along the water's edge in the moonlight and disappears after a few seconds. The feeling she leaves behind is one of longing and sad

St Simons Ghost Light

11/13/2012

 
I got quite a few responses from people who thought yesterday's Daily Dose was sweet. Not all ghosts are scary. Sometimes, they teach us about the undying power of love. 
This story takes place off the southern coast of Georgia on a small island named St Simons. A young woman lived on the island with her husband and their life was a happy one. The only problem she had was  a fear of the dark. Her fear was so bad that she would beg her husband to never let their candles go out at night and he never did. Unfortunately, their love story was cut short and she died a young woman. Her husband never stopped loving her. Unable to leave her in the dark, he would go every night to her grave and light a candle. That way, she would have her light and not be afraid. In time he died too, but then an amazing thing happened. The people of St Simons Island would see a light flickering over her grave at night. If they approached the light, it would disappear only to reappear as they left.
This spook light was investigated by several colleges and paranormal investigators and nobody could figure out the reason for the light. Now there is a wall surrounding the cemetery at Christ Church, but if you believe in love, you just know that the light is still there and it always will be.

An Atlanta Ghost Story

11/12/2012

 
I was reading about the history of Atlanta while I was sick and I was reminded of a story I heard years ago. This story takes place at Six Flags Over Georgia and involves the vintage carousel there. The Riverview Carousel is over 100 years old and is considered one of the finest carousels in the world. Originally it was located in Chicago at the Riverview Park. In 1908, Riverview Park was one of the country's most famous theme parks. According to legend, it was shortly after this time, that a young boy was killed in an accident at the park. His ghost was said to be seen playing near the carousel in the years after his death. In time, Riverview Park closed and the carousel was one of the only attractions that was saved. It was sent to Six Flags Over Georgia in 1971 and was quickly restored to its former glory. It seems this was enough to bring the little boy back too. 
During the early morning hours and late at night, park workers claim to see a little boy riding a black horse on the carousel. Psychics have claimed to feel his presence and guests have even reported to see him during regular park hours too. 
Now I don't know if this story is true. The only time I visited the park, I never got a chance to visit the ride, but I heard this story from a security guard with the park about 15 years ago. Since that time, I have heard the story from a couple of other people. So, make your own decision, but if you go to Six Flags Over Georgia, include a visit to the carousel and maybe you can catch a quick glimpse of the other side.

Days of the Dead

11/2/2012

 
Today in Mexico, Day of the Dead celebrations are underway. These celebrations stretch back over 3000 years and were made to honor the Lady of the Dead.
The Day of the Dead festivals are actually broken down into a few days, the first day is set aside for infants, children and the young. It is called the Day of the Innocents. The second day is for everyone else. It is the actual Day of the Dead. 

    Southern Ghosts Daily Dose

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Photos used under Creative Commons from Special Collections at Wofford College, x-ray delta one, Rob Shenk, diamondmountain, Josiah Mackenzie, karl.bedingfield, ky_olsen, darkripper, Benimoto, OctopusHat, terilyn_g