Paranormal Dangers
Despite what certain paranormal reality shows may suggest, the spirit world is in fact extremely dangerous. In the Bell Witch case the entity involved administered poison to a resident of the home ultimately killing them. In the famous exorcism of Analese Michele (inspiration for “The Exorcism of Emily Rose”) the girl eventually died from malnutrition…
Capistrano History
Death and disease and the start of San Juan Capistrano’s semi-secret resting place by Charles Spratley, Haunted OC For those guests that have taken our Ghost Walk of San Juan Capistrano, I spoke briefly of the history of the cemetery near the Serra Chapel on the Mission grounds. I even spoke of the main cemetery…
Origins of the Leprechaun
Origins of the Leprechaun by Charles Spratley, Haunted OC The Leprechaun, when we think of this playful spirit, we think of Darby O’ Gill and the Little People. Or perhaps we think of a box of Lucky Charms cereal. Or we may even be thinking of a horrible movie franchise that is so bad it’s…
The Malleus Maleficarum
The Malleus Maleficarum, The Essential Handbook for Witch Hunters by Charles Spratley The Malleus Maleficarum, the name itself sounds ominous, and just hearing the words spoken make some shudder. Latin for the “Hammer of Witches”, this tome has been viewed by many as the book to go to if you were interested in how the…
Mercy Brown and the New England Vampire Panic
The New England Vampire Panic by Charles Spratley When I think of New England, I usually think of Lovecraft or some horrific ghost story in a sleepy Colonial era town. But there is that twinge I get in the back of my skull that whispers only one word: vampires. Being a historian by trade,…