The Ghosts from Bedlam

Everyone today uses the word “Bedlam” to mean something that is out of control, chaotic, loud and noisy. The word Bedlam originated from London’s first insane asylum. The Hospital of St. Mary of Bethlehem was established in London in 1247 as a hospice. By the time this institution moved to its first new location in 1337, it became known as Bethlem Hospital, or “Bedlam” for short.

By the 1400s Bedlam started to admit patients that had mental distress, they were known at the time as “lunatics”.  One report of the condition these patients endured stated, “manacles, locked chains, and stocks were used as restraints.” One inspection revealed that violent patients were chained to the wall, whipped and dunked in water when they became agitated.

“ In 1598, the house was reported so loathsome and so fifthly kept, as not to be fit to be entered; and the inmates were termed prisoners.”

“Some patients were allowed out of the hospital during the day, licensed to beg on the streets of London.”

After the Great Fire in London this hospital was moved just down the road to Moorfields in 1676. This building was the first constructed to specifically accommodate the insane. 

From the outside this building looked everything modern and artistic. There was even two imposing gargoyles statues that stood at its entrance representing the two kinds of madness, “rave” and “melancholic”. Despite appearances, conditions and the treatment of patients still remained deplorable. One disturbing practice during this time was the public for the price of an admission could “view the lunatics”.

“The practice of showing the patients, like wild beasts, was abolished in 1770, but the abolition was unaccompanied by any other improvement in their treatment.”

After reports surfaced about the ill treatment of its patients the hospital was moved for a third time. Today the Imperial War Museum is housed in what was this third hospital’s admission building. The rest of the wards and buildings have been demolished. The fourth and final location for the hospital is used for the Bethem Royal Hospital. This facility is a modern psychiatric center.

The Liverpool Street Underground Station was opened in February of 1874 on the site of the original Bedlem Hospital. Former patients haunt this busy section of the London Underground. 

One compelling sighting happened in the summer of 2000. A Line Controller spotted something strange on the CCTV camera that he was monitoring that showed the Liverpool Station. It was 2:00 am in the morning and the station was closed for the night. This witness saw a figure wearing white overalls in an eastbound tunnel. He became concerned since he knew no contractors worked the station this late at night. He called his Station Supervisor to report what he was seeing on the screen.

The Supervisor went to investigate. The Line Controller watched as his Supervisor stood nearby the mysterious figure. So he was confused when his Supervisor called to say he had not seen any figure. The Line Controller told his boss that the figure had stood so close to him that he could have reached out and touched it. Hearing this the Supervisor continued to search for the figure.

Again the Line Controller saw the figure walk right passed his boss on his screen, but again his boss did not see the figure. The Supervisor finally giving up went to leave the station but as he did so he spotted white overalls placed on a bench that he had passed before. He stated that they could not have been placed there without him seeing who did it.

Even before the Liverpool Station was built the area where the hospital stood was considered haunted. Between 1750 and 1812 many witnesses reported hearing a female voice crying and screaming. It is believed that this is a former patient from Bedlam. 

Rebecca Griffins was buried in the area. While alive she always frantically clutched a coin in her hand. Witnesses state they hear her asking where her ha' penny is.

Inspiration for Stephen King’s “Pet Sematary”

Stephen King wrote his horror novel Pet Sematary in 1983. Most fans know King was inspired to write his novel The Shining after staying at one of America’s most haunted “The Stanley Hotel” located in Estes Park, Colorado. He wrote The Shining while he lived in Boulder, Colorado not far from Estes Park. 

But what many people do not know is his visit also inspired him to write Pet Sematary. The Stanley has a very discrete Pet Cemetery on its’ grounds.

The Stanley Hotel is made up of several large buildings. The Main hotel is the one most often photographed. All of the buildings on the property are considered haunted. 

One building to the west of the main hotel has served as a resident for many of the past managers and their families. The little pet cemetery that can be found just down the hill from the main hotel was established when these managers started to bury their beloved pets in this area.

There are twelve markers in this little graveyard for: Casey, Comanche 1974-86, Elsie, Holmes 1984-86, Jeavens 1974-76, Maynard 1984-86, Blue Stanley l 1977-79, Blue Stanley ll and Blue Stanley lll. There are also two RIP’s and one unmarked grave.

Stephen King while staying at the hotel in the 1970’s discovered this little cemetery--hence his book.

In November of this year, 2013 a limited 30^th Anniversary edition of Pet Sematary is being released.

My Group and I have investigated The Stanley Hotel several times, in future posts I will write about our experiences.

The following video is Jeff Belanger at the Pet Cemetery at The Stanley. I have done an investigation with him at The Stanley. He has a great sense of humor.

The Ghost of Mamie Thurman

This is a well-known Appalachian ghost story that is told in a small town called Logan in Southern West Virginia. This story involves a lurid tale of sex and evildoing. It also consists of a murder and a cover-up, which even today remains a mystery. 

It involves a magistrate by the name of Hatfield a descendant of Devil Anse Hatfield, from the Hatfield-McCoy feud who lived in Logan. The following is based upon research that has been done in recent years.

It was at the height of the “Roaring Twenties” in America. But in the small remote community of Logan, in Logan County West Virginia most people were peaceful, law-abiding, church-going folks. 

The fast and free lifestyle of the twenties it seemed had not touched this town--at least not on the surface. 

Mamie Thurman and her husband Jack Thurman moved from Louisville, Kentucky, to Logan, the heart of the coalfields in 1924. They settled into an apartment over a garage in the backyard of one of Logan’s leading citizens, Harry Robertson.

Mamie Thurman

Roberston worked for the National Bank of Logan, and served as a treasurer for the Logan Public Library. His wife Louise was involved in the Logan Women’s Club. He and Louise were very active in their church. 

Mamie’s husband Jack Thurman had been hired by the city of Logan to be a patrolman. He owed a debt of gratitude to Harry Robertson, who recommended him for the job. Robertson was also the president of the Logan City Commission.

On the surface, Mamie appeared the ideal wife and faithful churchgoer. But her husband Jack didn’t make much money as a deputy, and it is said Mamie got bored. 

As it is in most small towns, the gossip mill kicked in. People often smirked about Mamie's fast and loose ways. Tales of her spending time at the town’s speakeasies, drinking too much, flirting and engaging in sexual relations with various local married businessmen spread quickly. 

One of these prominent citizens was Harry Robertson who worked at the Logan National Bank with her.

Why would a seemingly happy housewife who volunteered in the community, * and was involved in her church, be an avid “party-girl?” 

Some state the cause was how she was raised. Her father was known to be iron-willed and very strict, and after her mother died, he abused her. Regardless, it seems Mamie had a split personality.

One bright morning in 1932, Garland Davis, a young deaf-mute stumbled upon Mamie Thurman’s lifeless body as he was picking blackberries atop the Trace Mountain Road near Holden--today it is known as 22 Mountain Mine Road. 

Mamie’s body had been dumped alongside this road. 

Mamie had been brutally murdered. She had two gunshots to her head, her throat was slashed open, her neck was broken and her face was severely disfigured.

It was apparent she was not murdered for her possessions, for she still wore her diamond and silver wedding rings and money was found in her purse. It was obviously a crime of passion. 

The day after her body was found, two men were arrested. Harry Robertson and a black handyman, Clarence Stephenson who worked for him as a sometimes chauffeur. 

Robertson admitted to having an ongoing affair with Mamie, and that he continued to see her even though she refused to stop seeing other men. According to him, she was keeping company with 16 others.

The Magistrate who served on the case was Elba Hatfield--one descendant from the famous feud. He concluded that all the evidence presented was “circumstantial” but then amazingly he stated it was damaging against both men. 

Both Robertson and Stephenson were held to answer indictments if any were returned by the Grand Jury. What is most telling about this case are the men who served on this Grand Jury. 

Many of them were directly connected to Robertson, or had been one of the “16” involved with Mamie, so it is not surprising they didn’t indict Harry Robertson.

But they did indict Clarence Stephenson. During his trial for the murder, witnesses confirmed “every minute” of his whereabouts, but despite this the jury convicted him. 

Soon after, the Logan County branch of the NAACP raised the money needed to appeal his case. Fifty-six churches collected these donations. Many local people felt that Stephenson, a mild-mannered, soft-spoken man could not have committed such a heinous crime.

More than three thousand people both black and white attended a meeting to help gain the appeal, but The Supreme Court turned down Clarence Stephenson’s appeal in 1933. He spent ten years in prison for a crime he abated but did not commit. 

He died of stomach cancer in 1942. One resident of Logan County who spent time in prison with Stephenson, stated:

“He told me he was hired to take the body to Trace Mountain, and that he didn’t do anything to Mamie Thurman. He never said who killed her, but he said that he didn’t do it. Stephenson told me it was all politics.”

What happened to Mamie Thurman’s body is also very telling. Her death certificate states she was buried in Logan Memorial Park, but Harris Funeral Home records indicate that a prominent businessman from Logan, paid $1000 to have her body removed to a cemetery in Chauncey. 

Where she is buried was covered up. It seems someone didn’t want evidence found in the future. Her death remains a mystery.

According to local stories many witnesses have seen the ghost of Mamie Thurman. 

Some state her spirit wanders the hills searching for the person who took her life. Others state she is still waiting for justice. 

A recent sighting of her ghost,

Many motorists over the years have stated they have seen her ghost while passing by the Holden 22 Mountain Mine Road. Several coal truck drivers have reported picking up a woman wearing old clothing, only to see her vanish in their cabs moments later.

Local teens for years have used the spot where her body was found for “Legend Tripping.” They are dared to visit this spot late at night. 

A well-known local legend states if a person puts their car in neutral on 22 Mountain, near the spot where her body was found, it will appear to roll back up the hill. ** It is said this is Mamie Thurman pushing them up the hill. Actually, this is just a persuasive optical illusion.

*  Mamie Thurman was a volunteer in the Logan Women’s Club along with Robertson’s wife, Louise. It is stated that these two women were initially good friends--but learning of her husbands’ affair through gossip their friendship understandably soured. Some even speculate that it might have been the “frumpy” Louise who murdered Mamie.

** This is another "gravity hill" legend. I have shared several gravity hill legends in other posts. Including Crybaby Bridge in Illinois and the San Antonio Railroad Ghost Children.

One interesting in-depth account of Mamie's story is located here.

Haunted New Mexico: La Fonda Hotel

Just east of historic downtown Santa Fe's sits a hotel with an old-world charm that is rare. 

The La Fonda building that sits on San Francisco Street is just one of a long line of inns that have been located on this corner for well over a hundred years. The original inn was a small adobe structure that served as the town courtroom. Within its lobby, more than one convicted criminal was hanged.

Once the Santa Fe Trail was opened this inn became a popular spot for mountain men, trappers, traders, soldiers, and politicians. 

By the time New Mexico became a U.S. Territory in 1848 Anglos who named it “U.S. Hotel” were running this inn. It boasted a very popular gambling hall--which resulted in several deaths. The first happened in 1857. A gambler lost his life when an angry lynch mod strung him up behind the hotel.

Ten years later a politician, Judge John P. Slough a member of the Territorial Supreme Court was shot to death in the inn’s lobby. Slough had called, Captain Rynerson, a member of the Dona Ana County Territorial Legislature a liar and thief. Rynerson offended by these slurs shot and killed Slough. He was tried for this murder but was acquitted.

The inn was sold once more and operated under the name, “The Exchange Hotel” for almost sixty years. During this time another gambler, a traveling salesman became distraught when he lost all of his company’s money in a card game. He leapt to his death into a deep well that was located behind the gambling hall.

The current hotel named “La Fonda” was built on this site in 1922. By 1925 the Atchison, Topeka, Santa Fe Railroad owned it. This railroad leased the property to Fred Harvey. The La Fonda then became one of the famous “Harvey Houses” from 1926-1968. 

This hotel today is known for its award-winning architecture, unique art, shops, and comfortable feel. It still is the place to stay while visiting Santa Fe. A favorite part of the building is a wonderful French Pastry Shop on its north side. The La Fonda Hotel is located just off Santa Fe’s Historic Plaza.

This hotel has several resident ghosts. Many witnesses have reported seeing an apparition that fits Judge Slough’s description. 

In the 1970s a hotel guest called down to the main desk to complain that someone was pacing up and down in the hallway, that passed his room. When an employee went to investigate he spotted a tall man dressed in a dark long coat walk into a stairwell when he followed this man he was surprised to see him disappear into thin air.

The ghost that is seen most often is the traveling salesman who jumped into the well. 

Today La Fonda’s main dining room called, La Plazuela is a beautiful atrium room located right over this old well. Guests and staff have seen a ghost of a man walking in the center of this room. He stops, appears to jump into the floor, and then disappears. Yet another male ghost is seen walking in the east hallway near the third-floor restaurant, La Terraza.