Ghost Trackers Newsletter - Vol 09 No 3 - 1990 10

Magazine Overview

Title: Ghost Trackers Newsletter
Issue: Vol. 9 No. 3
Date: October 1990
Publisher: Ghost Research Society

This issue of the Ghost Trackers Newsletter, published by the Ghost Research Society, is dedicated to the Halloween theme. It features articles on paranormal phenomena, including legends of haunted locations and spectral entities.

Ghost Research Society Membership and Publication Details

The Ghost Trackers Newsletter is the official paranormal publication of the Ghost Research Society (GRS), founded in 1980 by Martin V. Riccardo. The newsletter began publication in 1982 and is edited by Dale D. Kaczmarek, the President of the GRS. The GRS is a membership organization focused on researching ghosts, hauntings, poltergeists, and life after death.

• Membership options include:
• Regular Membership: $10.00 per year, includes three issues of the newsletter, a GRS button, membership card, discounts to events, free photo analysis service, and discounts on books.
• Sustaining Membership: $15.00 per year, includes all regular benefits plus the opportunity to participate in field expeditions and experiments.
• Contributing Membership: $20.00 per year, includes sustaining benefits plus a free newspaper clipping service for the subscriber's area.

Multi-year, Patron, and Lifetime memberships are also available upon request.

Back issues of the newsletter are available for $4.00 per issue for members and $5.00 for non-members. Readers are encouraged to submit photographs, clippings, articles, and personal encounters for inclusion in the newsletter, with full credit given to the author and the issue sent free. Items submitted for return must include a SASE with proper postage.

All inquiries and subscriptions should be sent to: Ghost Research Society, c/o Dale D. Kaczmarek, PO Box 205, Oaklawn, IL, 60454-0205.

Editors Page

The editor addresses a slight misprint in the previous issue concerning desktop publishing and laser printers, explaining that while the laser printer is now functional, certain drivers are still needed for full compatibility. The January 1991 issue is expected to resolve these issues. Until then, the newsletter will continue to be produced using Word Perfect and a dot matrix printer with 300 dpi resolution.

The editor notes the addition of 12 new members and 6 renewals since the last issue. A reminder is given to make checks payable to DALE KACZMAREK, not the Ghost Research Society, as the organization is not yet set up with a GRS account and this avoids cashing fees. The newsletter has maintained its $10 per year cost since 1982.

Thanks are extended to Tom Perrott, Robert Emery, Jon Mullin, Martin Riccardo, and Chestina Stewart for clippings. Richard Locke is thanked for an article and pamphlet. Contributions from Tom Perrott (book and tapes), Howard Heim (photographs, lecture tape, recorder), and Bob Barraco (article) are also acknowledged.

The first Patron membership is from Rosalie Pavon. Contributing members include Kevin O'Brien, Sterling Eddings Jr., Gerrie Paino, Mike Shannon, and Julie Greenholdt. Sustaining members include Tim Green, Howard Heim, and Kristin Minturn. Rochelle Zaszczurynski is an Active member.

Members are reminded to renew their memberships to maintain their status. The editor also mentions 'Total Eclipse,' a 10-page publication edited by J. Taylor Block, which features stories, advertisements, letters, and book reviews.

Ghost Research Society Field Excursions

The GRS has a number of Contributing and Sustaining Members in the Chicagoland area and suburbs. The organization offers field excursions twice a year. Recent excursions include:

• Starved Rock, Illinois: Investigated stories of Indian ghosts. Reports included strange voices, Indian war-whoops, and psychics clairvoyantly seeing Indian ghosts. The sounds may be related to the memorial filtering down to a low trail.
• Lithuanian Free Thinkers Cemetery, Spring Valley: Near an upright mausoleum, sightings of a tall, thin, pale-faced individual and a strange black mist were reported. Grave robbing, including the theft of a skull, may have triggered these events.
• Buffalo Rock Park: Explored strange mounds shaped like animals and insects, identified as manmade, bulldozed Indian effigy or Tumuli mounds.
• I-57 and Flossmoor Road: Investigated reports of apparitions attempting to flag down cars, linked to the I-57 killer case.
• Watseka: Attempted to observe a reported ghost light on country roads.
• Maple Lake: Conducted work for a possible overnight outing to view a ghost light.

Members interested in field work are encouraged to upgrade their membership status and respond to future outing notices.

The Screaming Skulls of England

By Tom Perrott

This article explores the legends of screaming skulls in England, which are often associated with human heads or the lack thereof (e.g., headless figures). The author suggests these legends may stem from ancient Celtic practices of hunting and worshipping enemy heads as seats of the soul and symbols of fertility and prophecy.

The main theme of screaming skull legends is that the skulls, usually found in private residences and relics of former owners, cause hideous screams and dire misfortunes if removed or buried. The dwellings are only restored to peace when the skull is returned.

An example is the Manor House of Bettiscombe in Dorset, where a skull legend involves a family fortune made in the West Indies and a promise to bury a slave in Africa that was broken. This led to calamities until the skull was returned. Carbon tests on the Bettiscombe skull indicated it was female, not negroid, and over 1000 years old, possibly found on a Bronze Age temple site.

Another example is a skull at Higher Chilton Farm in Chilton Cantelo, Somerset, owned by Theophilus Brome, which has remained within the family and is considered an object of luck.

The article notes that while other skull legends exist, they are revered for bringing luck. The author also touches upon the use of moss scraped from ancient skulls in the 17th century for treating nervous disorders and mentions persistent elements in English ghost stories like phantom coaches and spectral ladies.

Tom Perrott's contact information is provided.

The "Father of Oregon" Collects on an Old Debt

By Rosemary Ellen Guiley

This article recounts the life of Dr. John D. McLoughlin, a prominent figure in Oregon's pioneer history, known for his role in the fur trade and settlement of the Willamette Valley. Despite his contributions, he was spurned by those he helped, and his accomplishments were only recognized after his death in 1857.

McLoughlin's elegant home in Oregon City is said to be haunted by his ghost. The adjacent historic house, once owned by Dr. Forbes Barclay, also experiences haunting phenomena.

The manifestations of McLoughlin's ghost began about 14 years prior to the article's writing, coinciding with the arrival of Nancy Wilson as curator. Wilson theorizes a connection to her family history, as she discovered a link to McLoughlin through her ancestors, the Wells family, who were pioneers in Oregon City.

McLoughlin, a Canadian physician, became head of Hudson's Bay Company's headquarters at Fort Vancouver. Recognizing the precariousness of British land claims, he aided American settlers, providing credit and supplies, and rescuing those stranded on the Oregon Trail. He founded Oregon City in 1829, donating land for settlers, churches, and schools. He later placed the land in his name in exchange for $20,000 paid to Hudson's Bay Company.

Forced to resign from the company due to a power struggle, McLoughlin retired to Oregon City in 1846, serving as coroner, physician, mayor, and councilman. His home was known for its hospitality and loans to businesses and individuals. Despite this, he faced resentment for being British, wealthy, Catholic, and married to a Chippewa Indian woman. The American government disputed his land claim, and he became an American citizen to retain his title, but Congress stripped him of ownership.

McLoughlin's home was later used to board Chinese laborers and became a bordello before being moved and restored. The graves of McLoughlin and his wife were moved in 1970.

No phenomena were reported for nearly 120 years until Wilson's arrival. Wilson describes various occurrences: a tap on the shoulder, a hulking shadow resembling McLoughlin, footsteps, the smell of pipe tobacco and coffee, a glowing portrait, swaying prisms, a child's bed appearing slept in, a rocking chair moving, unexplained tracks, moving objects, mysterious voices, and noises of crashing objects. The phenomena peaked around 1981 during an exhibit of pioneer women's clothing.

Despite the hauntings, the staff have not felt menaced, sensing no negative energy. Wilson believes her family history plays a role, and she discovered that Mrs. Wells, McLoughlin's wife's sister-in-law, owed him $43 at the time of his death, leading to the speculation that he may have returned to collect.

The Barclay House also experiences hauntings, including a red-haired boy and a phantom black-and-white dog. The ghost of 'Uncle Sandy,' the seaman brother of Forbes Barclay, has also been seen.

None of the phenomena have been scientifically investigated, as the staff feel it might ruin the mystery. Wilson believes McLoughlin's ghost recognizes her efforts to preserve his home and reputation.

Rosemary Ellen Guiley is an author specializing in the paranormal, with several books to her credit.

Hobgoblins

By Rev. Maria D'Andrea

This article defines Hobgoblins as nature spirits, also known as Goblins, who are visible to psychics or those sensitive to non-physical realms. They are described as fairies with a lower mentality level, making them unreasonable and mischievous.

Hobgoblins enjoy making contact and causing surprise or chaos. They can be shape-shifters, appearing as animals or thieves. They are characterized by small, heavy-set bodies and rough or scary appearances.

The author states that all spirit is under human control through free will. To command a spirit to leave, one must state it as a command, invoking the Power of God. This command should be repeated until the spirit leaves, as it has no control over humans.

The article suggests that myths and legends about Hobgoblins have a base cause or truth and that they are a form of mischievous fairy.

Rev. Maria D'Andrea's contact information is provided.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of Ghost Trackers Newsletter revolve around the paranormal, with a particular focus on ghosts, hauntings, and spectral legends. The editorial stance appears to be one of open investigation and documentation of such phenomena, encouraging reader submissions and detailing the Ghost Research Society's efforts in field research. The Halloween theme of the issue ties into the broader interest in the supernatural and unexplained. The newsletter also serves as a platform for promoting the GRS and its membership benefits, fostering a community of like-minded individuals interested in paranormal research.

This issue of TOTAL ECLIPSE!, the Illustrated Journal of the Occult, Bizarre and Unusual, published by Aries Productions, Inc., appears to be Volume 1, Issue 6, with a publication year around 1990. The cover features a striking image of a UFO and promotes content related to the occult, the bizarre, and the unusual, with subscription details for the US, Canada, and foreign countries.

Anatomy of Apparitions by Jon Mullin

Jon Mullin's article, "Anatomy of Apparitions," categorizes apparitions into four main types: Type A (Apparitions of the living), Type B (Crisis Apparitions), Type C (Post-Mortem Apparitions), and Type D (Ghosts).

• Type A: Apparitions of the living are further divided into:
• 1. Spontaneous Apparitions: Occur unintentionally, often through a daydreamy state where a person concentrates on another individual and projects mental impressions, which are then perceived by the recipient.
• 2. Experimental Apparitions: Involve deliberate visualization exercises to project consciousness to another individual.
• Type B: Crisis Apparitions are seen, felt, or heard when the person represented is undergoing a crisis, most often death. These typically occur within a few days before or after the person's death and are usually a one-time event.
• Type C: Post-Mortem Apparitions involve the dead, but differ from traditional ghosts by concerning themselves with individuals rather than locations. Their appearances may be minimal or not confined to a specific place, and they do not necessarily have a connection to a recent crisis.
• Type D: Ghosts are apparitions that confine themselves to a specific location, "haunting" the area. They are not directed at a specific individual and are images of deceased people, not necessarily known to the percipient.

Mullin also discusses two subgroups of hauntings: "Psychic Replay Hauntings," which are animated memory patterns of past events recorded in the electromagnetic ether, and "Spirit-Entity Hauntings," which involve the presence of a discarnate spirit-consciousness that can interact with the living.

An Old New England Haunting by Bob Barraco

Bob Barraco recounts a personal experience with a haunted house in Salem, Massachusetts. The narrative focuses on the experiences of Mike, a former roommate of the house's owner, Bobby. Mike describes hearing footsteps and perceived a presence in his apartment, including an instance where he felt unable to move while a presence sat on his bed. He also details an encounter where a door repeatedly opened on its own, suggesting a ghost was present. Barraco notes that many previous roommates have had similar paranormal experiences in the house.

He Who Sups With The Devil by Maurice Schwalm

Maurice Schwalm explores the nature of demons and malign entities, questioning how to exorcise them in a world that has largely demythologized religious texts. He suggests that if evil spirits have a literal quality, there should be transcultural uniformity in their reporting, citing examples from world mythology. Schwalm discusses the influence of drugs and brain stem activity on evoking specific forms and notes a uniformity in the circumstances under which certain entities are encountered, often during a crisis of conscience or abnegation of personal responsibility. He shares a personal encounter involving physical phenomena, including a persistent knocking sound, after his house had been blessed, suggesting a troubled spirit was present.

Book Reviews

The issue includes several book reviews:

• The Spirits Of America by Jeff Rovin: Reviewed by Dale Kaczmarek, this book is praised for presenting 50 different ghost stories dating from 1542 to 1987, many of which are not well-known.
• Haunted Houses: Tales From 30 American Homes by Nancy Roberts: Also reviewed by Dale Kaczmarek, this book is described as a traveling ghostly guide with lavish illustrations and information on visiting haunted locations.
• Classic American Ghost Stories by Deborah L. Downer: Reviewed by Dale Kaczmarek, this book contains lesser-known ghost stories collected from newspaper articles, covering various themes like "Cry Murder" and "Fateful Vengeance."
• Genesis Seven by Len Farra: Reviewed by Tom Perrott, this book is recommended for its exploration of paranormal matters and investigations into ancient religions, suggesting the possibility of extraterrestrial visitation.
• PSI Review: Reviewed by Maurice Schwalm, this publication is described as a condensed, non-technical parapsychology journal that may appeal to general readers. The review notes its coverage of a CSICOP conference and upcoming reporting on a "Parapsychology, Philosophy and Religion" conference.

Opinion Polls

Readers share their opinions on the magazine's content:

• Jami Kennedy requests more articles on local hauntings and photos.
• Howard Heim suggests including more Chicago-based investigation reports.
• Robert Emery prefers folklore over pseudo-scientific parapsychology.
• Richard Friedmann questions the article length, finding them too short.
• D.J. Watkins desires more stories about ghosts across the United States.

The editor responds to the feedback, indicating plans for new columns on interviews and field excursions for members.

National UFO Museum

An announcement is made about the upcoming opening of the National UFO Museum in Reno, Nevada, in 1991. It will function as an archive, repository of UFO data, bookstore, and resource center.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the nature of paranormal phenomena, particularly apparitions and hauntings, with a focus on classification and personal accounts. The magazine appears to maintain an open-minded stance towards the occult, bizarre, and unusual, presenting various perspectives and encouraging reader participation through opinion polls. There's an evident interest in documenting and exploring unexplained phenomena, from ghosts to UFOs, and in providing a platform for both researchers and enthusiasts in these fields.

Title: STRANGE MAGAZINE
Issue: Premiere Double Issue #1
Date: 1990
Document Type: Magazine Issue

This issue of STRANGE MAGAZINE, identified as the Premiere Double Issue #1 and dated 1990, presents a collection of articles, features, and columns focused on the unusual and unexplained. The cover highlights "The Abduction Enigma" as a 13-page feature, alongside other topics such as "The Mysterious Crystal Skulls," "The Alien Visitors of Charles Fort," UFOs, Lake Monsters, High Strangeness, and more.

Upcoming Events

The magazine lists several upcoming events. A "Vampire Fan Forum" was scheduled for Saturday, October 6th, at the Advanced Hypnosis Center in North Riverside, Illinois, with admission at the door. "The Enigma of Ghost Lights," an intensive lecture seminar on mysterious lights, was to be held on Saturday, September 29th, 1990, at the Advanced Hypnosis Center, led by Dale Kaczmarek, President of the Ghost Research Society. Another lecture, "The Evidence for Spirit Photography," was scheduled for Friday, September 14th, 1990, at the Inner Eye Metaphysical Bookstore in Lombard, Illinois, also featuring Dale Kaczmarek. Additionally, a 2-hour talk titled "Spirit Photography" by Dale Kaczmarek was planned for Saturday, September 15th, 1990, at the House of Sagittarius Metaphysical Center in Chicago, Illinois.

Classifieds and Subscriptions

The "CLASSIFIED" section includes advertisements for various publications and services. "CATALYST," a 1990 Limited Edition New Age Directory, is promoted as an extensive resource for networking newsletters, publications, and unique products. "JOIN PSYCHIC/OCCULT Friendship Club!" invites individuals to connect with others interested in psychics, the occult, and UFOs, offering a free monthly newsletter. Donations for "Felix the fire dog-hero" are solicited for the Felix Memorial Fund. "INTUITIVE EXPLORATIONS" is described as a popular New Age/Metaphysical publication covering a wide range of topics including Tarot, Astrology, Numerology, Psychic Development, and more, with subscription rates provided. "VOICES FROM SPIRIT MAGAZINE" is advertised as a bi-monthly publication featuring spirit interviews and articles, with an option to subscribe. The availability of "The Journal of the International Fortean Organization General Index, Issues 1-50" is announced, covering material from the INFO Journal from 1967 to 1986. "PSYCHIC PATHWAYS" is presented as a newsletter published every two months, focusing on news and features relevant to people concerned with the quality of life.

STRANGE Magazine Subscription

The magazine itself, STRANGE MAGAZINE, is available for subscription. The blurb emphasizes its twice-yearly release of well-researched articles by top researchers and writers in the field of strange phenomena. Subscription options include a 4-issue subscription for $17.95 ($22.95 foreign), and prices for individual back issues (#1 to #5) are listed. A subscription renewal option is also available. The mailing address for subscriptions and back issue orders is provided as P.O. Box 2246, Rockville, MD 20847.

Content Highlights from Back Issues

Details are provided for previous issues:

• Premiere Double Issue #1: Features "The Abduction Enigma," "The Mysterious Crystal Skulls," "The Alien Visitors of Charles Fort," UFOs, Lake Monsters, High Strangeness, Ghosts, and more.
• Issue #2: Includes "The Strongest UFO Cases," "Skepticism and Blind Faith" by Robert Anton Wilson, "Earth Mysteries," and "Mad Scientists and the Movies."
• Issue #3: Covers "The Mitchell-Hedges Crystal Skull," "Sea Serpents," "Lizardman-The Whole Story," "Monsters of Maryland: Bigfoot," and a "1988 List of Top Ten Strangest Events."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue and its advertisements center on the paranormal, UFO phenomena, psychic experiences, Forteana, and fringe topics. The editorial stance appears to be one that explores and presents research and accounts related to unexplained phenomena, catering to an audience interested in mysteries, the supernatural, and alternative perspectives. The magazine aims to provide well-researched and thought-provoking content from various experts in the field.